Ribbon Cut For Newly Renovated Veteran's Home

BOSTON (CBS) - The New England Center and Home for Veterans unveiled its newly renovated facility Friday.

The project added 97 permanent apartments and 180 transitional beds. There are separate facilities for women veterans.

The newly renovated center provides more space for education, training, and medical services.

New England Center and Home for Veterans President and CEO Andrew McCawley says that although the project took two years, not one veteran was turned away during the renovations.

Governor Charlie Baker was at the ribbon-cutting and he says there will be a time, "When every man and every woman who has worn the uniform has a bed they can call their own, and the support services they need to find their way back into productive participation in society."

Baker adds that the center is Massachusetts' opportunity to "answer the call for those who answered the call."

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh says one of the positive features is that the center remains in downtown Boston.

"It's a strong signal that we will never let our struggling veterans go unnoticed. We will never forget their needs and we will never put their sacrifice on the back burner," Walsh said.

The mayor says the city has eliminated chronic homelessness for veterans, housing over 830 homeless vets in the past three years.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports