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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Randy Jessup (R)

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Legislative Update from Rep. Randy Jessup

Friday, December 8, 2017

 

Greetings,

Just a month ago, we celebrated Veterans’ Day—a day where we come together as a nation to thank the brave men and women that have served in our armed forces. The freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis would not be a reality without their sacrifice. To those of you that have served, thank you.

Unfortunately, due to a complex set of factors, a disproportionate number of our nation’s veterans are homeless. In fact, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that about 11% of our nation’s homeless population are veterans. This equates to about 39,500 homeless veterans living on the streets any given night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Thankfully, right here in the Twin Cities, a group of individuals are doing everything they can to make sure that no veteran living in Minnesota spends another night without a roof over their head. For the past several months, scores of volunteers have been working around the clock to transform a handful of vacant buildings at the old Minnesota State Hospital in Anoka into housing for homeless vets.

In just two months, more than 300 individuals have volunteered their time, energy, and resources to repurpose these abandoned structures and make them suitable for living. When completed, the men’s building and women’s building will be able to house 30 homeless veterans each.

Thanks to generous donations of time and resources from construction companies, unions, and others, this project is being completed without a single tax dollar invested.

This past week, I joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to help paint the interior of some of these buildings. It was truly remarkable to see the progress that is being made and I cannot wait to see the finished product. The organization in charge of the project is looking for volunteers to help with the final push. If you are interested in helping out, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Check out this video for more information on this project and for ways you can get involved.

House Image

In addition to this project, other citizens in our community are stepping up to help veterans in need. In Arden Hills, an organization called Journey Home USA purchased the Lake Johanna Fire Department’s old station #1 on New Brighton Road. Journey Home USA will be transforming this old firehouse into 3-6 homes for veterans and their families impacted by disabilities. Construction is set to begin in the spring of 2018. 

Our veterans have sacrificed a great deal in their service to our nation. It is our duty to make sure that their sacrifice is recognized and appreciated. Please consider getting involved in any way you can.

Contact Me

For any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-0141 or rep.randy.jessup@house.mn.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

 Randy