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The Houston Regional Office administers a variety of services and benefits for approximately 876,000 honorably discharged/retired veterans of the US Military and their dependents residing in the Southern part of Texas, in the Republic of Mexico, and in Central and South America. These benefits include Compensation and Pension programs, Home Loan Guaranty, Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling, and Death Benefits. The Regional Office, collocated with the VA Medical Center, is housed in a VA-owned building specifically constructed for the regional office. It was VA's first federal/private partnership accomplished under its unique Enhanced-Use program designed to improve services and reduce government costs. By using this concept, VA entered into a 35-year development partnership with a local developer to obtain needed facilities and services at lower costs, generate revenues, and redevelop underused VA land using private funds and expertise. Results included an attractive, cost-effective, state of the art benefits office; improved services to area veterans by providing a single location for benefits and medical care; substantial savings over the term of the agreement, and making revenues available to support veteran programs. At the end of the 35-year partnership, ownership of all private development will revert to VA.
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