April 15, 2025 3:30 a.m.
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden alongside Fourth-District Congressman Val Hoyle, are calling on the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs to prioritize funding for the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs proposed Roseburg Veterans’ Home project.
A joint release said currently ODVA operates two high-quality, award-winning Oregon Veteran’s Homes: The Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles, a 151-bed facility, and the Edward C. Allworth Veterans’ Home in Lebanon, a 151-bed assisted living facility. These facilities provide skilled and long-term nursing, memory, and rehabilitative care to veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents, allowing veterans to live in a culture and community with fellow veterans, and those with shared military experiences. The lawmakers are urging VA Secretary Doug Collins to support the Roseburg Veterans’ Home project to expand this model of small home care to more veterans in the state.
A letter from the lawmakers said, “Since 2011, ODVA has worked closely with the VA to develop this critical project to serve veterans in southern Oregon – and the time to build the Roseburg Veterans’ Home is now”.
The release said Roseburg has a sizeable veteran population, with current estimates suggesting that Douglas County is home to over 10,000 veterans, many of whom served in the Vietnam War era or earlier. A new facility in the community would provide an affordable, high-quality, long-term care option for the estimated 68,000 veterans across the VA Southern Oregon Healthcare System service area which also includes Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lake counties in Oregon as well as Siskiyou and Del Norte counties in California.
The Roseburg State Veteran’s Home project remains in the preliminary stages of pre-construction. Currently the project has secured the required 35 percent funding commitment from the State of Oregon to quality for federal funding from the VA. With Oregon doing its part to make the long-awaited project a reality, Merkley, Wyden and Hoyle are urging the VA to do the same. They are calling on Secretary Collins to commit the remaining 65 percent in federal funds in Fiscal Year 25. Additionally, they are encouraging the VA to prioritize the transfer of the more than 13 acres identified for this project on the Roseburg VA Medical Center campus to the ODVA.
The lawmakers said, “Veterans have served our country with tremendous courage and sacrifice. We owe them the highest standard of care and services our nation has to offer”.
The full text of the letter is linked: merkley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/25.04.14-LETTER-Roseburg-Vets-Home.pdf