Ground breaking for a $12 million apartment complex for former military members has begun in Phoenix, Arizona and will contribute to veterans benefits by providing much needed housing to veterans.

The project, Madison Pointe Apartment Homes, is expected to begin housing veterans by the end of 2012 and is the first construction project in the history of Phoenix to be dedicated solely for use by former military members and their families.

Mark Shoemacher, vice president of development for the NRP Group, says, “We are proud to be able to bring Madison Pointe to Phoenix.” Shoemacher went on to say, “This property will not only be an architecturally beautiful addition to the neighborhood, but will also provide a comfortable and spacious home for our residents.”

Shoemacher also noted that the Phoenix area has a large veteran population that requires assistance with re-acclimating to civilian life. Finding affordable housing is just one of the aspects to the integration process.  But, having housing can help veterans feel secure so they can get on with their educations or civilian careers.

Many cities around theU.S. have upped their efforts to help with veterans benefits. Having housing in place now could prove to be advantageous as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs could experience some cuts in the near future. Congress has been tasked with trimming federal spending by $1.2 trillion over the next decade.West Virginia disability benefits attorney, Jan Dils, is hopeful that veterans benefits cuts will be minimal per President Obama’s pledge to keep them intact.