WASHINGTON – US Senator Charles Schumer Tuesday spoke of Rockland County’s “Homes for Heroes” proposal in remarks to the Senate Banking Committee’s subcommittee on Housing Transportation and Community Development.

The hearing was on Schumer’s act which provides $200 million to help communities, veteran’s groups and non-government organizations build housing or rehab or purchase existing housing to provide supportive living for vets that are homeless.

“Legislation introduced by then-Senator Barack Obama in the 109th Congress addressed this need for adequate housing for our nation’s homeless heroes,” he told the hearing. “I chose to carry the torch for this legislation, ‘Homes for Heroes,’ because it recognizes that in order to combat and prevent veterans’ homelessness once and for all, we must take a comprehensive approach. We must use all the tools at our disposal and partner affordable, long-term housing with supportive and clinical services.”

As an example, Schumer talks of the former Camp Shanks in Orangeburg, which served as one of the largest army embarkation camps in the US during World War II. Some 1.3 million soldiers attended camp for processing before being deployed to serve in Europe.

Local community group Homes for Heroes has proposed a development that would include 50 units of affordable housing and supportive services designated for homeless veterans in the area.