Geraldine Reeves lives at the Upper Post Veterans Housing Community on Fort Snelling. It's a renovated old building that houses dozens of formerly homeless vets, "It's a roof over my head, and keeps me out of the elements," she said.
Reeves has lived at the facility, run by Common Ground, which provides resources and staff to help the residents,"I mean whenever you come to them with something, they are on it. They don't push it to the side, like other apartments where I have lived have done."
Governor Tim Walz used the Upper Post as a back drop for his presentation of his bonding bill, that would include money for other similar supportive housing facilities. "Our goal is to be the fourth state to eliminate veterans homelessness but our next goal is to be the first state to eliminate homelessness in general."
His bonding bill would borrow $150 million to preserve existing affordable housing and build more including more supportive housing, like the Upper Post.
There is also $330 million for transportation, $330 million for higher education, and $38.8 million for the prison system.
This is not a bonding year, and already Republican leaders have shown little enthusiasm for the package. But Walz plans to travel the state to sell it.
"We want to make sure we maintain what we have and build for the future is the only fiscal responsible manner to make Minnesota as competitive as we can be."
Walz needs some GOP support because bonding bills require a three-fifths majority, and Republicans control the Senate.