BOISE, Idaho — Construction is underway on a new Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise, a project state and federal leaders say will expand care and improve the quality of life for veterans living at the facility.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined Governor Brad Little, U.S. Senator Jim Risch, and state veterans officials on Tuesday to tour the construction site and highlight progress on the long-delayed expansion.
WATCH | Construction underway on new Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise
At the current Idaho State Veterans Home, 80 veterans continue to live while construction moves forward. Several told Idaho News 6 they’re looking ahead to the new facility.
“I enjoy it here because almost everybody here knows me by name,” said U.S. Army veteran Joe Logan, who currently lives at the home. “The people are wonderful.”
Other residents said they’re eager for the upgraded space.
“I’m excited. You can’t believe how good they treat us here,” said U.S. Army veteran Jim Miller, who previously worked on light amphibious warships along the coast.
The expansion faced delays in 2023 due to the federal Build America, Buy America Act, which requires certain federally funded projects to use American-made materials. State leaders said the project stalled because some building components were not available domestically.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Idaho State Veterans Home expansion in jeopardy
Governor Little credited Secretary Collins with helping remove those barriers.
“We got the work done to remove the bureaucratic red tape, to get this job to the finish line and work together for our veterans,” Little said.
Secretary Collins said the VA approved exemptions for specific materials to keep the project moving.
“We’re gonna make an exemption so that you can then go ahead and purchase the parts that you need to go ahead,” Collins said. “I hate to say it was that simple.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | State Veterans Home in Boise can move forward on expansion
The new veterans home will span approximately 156,000 square feet—about double the size of the current facility—and include 122 private resident rooms across four stories.
State and federal officials toured the construction site on Tuesday as preparations began to remove a portion of the existing building in the coming weeks.
“Here we are today executing that promise for our veterans to build them a better home, a newer home,” said Mark Tschampl, director of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services. “That’s going to provide the highest level of quality of care and the highest quality of life.”
Construction crews estimate veterans could begin moving into the new facility as early as mid-2028. Once the transition is complete, the old veterans home will be demolished to make way for parking.
