State legislators approved a construction budget of $19 million to fund new infrastructure at Orange County’s first veterans’ cemetery on July 2. This project has been in the making for over a decade. The project includes the construction of two separate cemeteries: the Southern California State Veterans Cemetery, and an unnamed public cemetery dedicated for “allied veterans and first responders.”
Originally intending to build the cemetery in Irvine, local and state leaders now plan on beginning construction in Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim near the city’s local cemeteries. Numerous veterans groups and Orange County legislators have labeled this development as a victory in their efforts to allocate enough funds to meet the estimated cost of the project.
Despite having more than enough money to proceed with the project, the Gypsum Canyon Cemetery Development has consistently been put on hold after research and debate over an agreed site for construction. City officials originally began discussing plans of building a veterans cemetery as early as 2014, with locations set in Irvine. However, these plans were soon placed aside due to a lack of funding until investments were made in early 2018.
Following the approved 2026-27 budget, the project now collectively holds over $78 million set aside by federal, state and county leaders.
The milestone funding was announced by Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva amid her final term in office, who has made prominent contributions to the project for over a decade. Expressing appreciation for the veterans who have advocated for the project for years, Quirk-Silva celebrated the budget as proof of “meaningful progress” towards investing in “housing, public services and support” that the community relies on.
The President of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County Nick Berardino, one of the groups responsible for facilitating the project, said that the recent progress in funding signals that construction will likely begin soon. Prioritization has been set on building a main access road to the cemetery and moving utility lines along the construction site.
“We are extremely grateful for all the incredible support we have received throughout the community,” said Berardino in a California Department of Veteran Affairs news release after the project was greenlit last month. “It’s through their efforts and the commitment from veterans that we will soon be moving to Phase I Construction.”
Jeff Pagano, a programmer for the OC Veterans & Military Families Collaborative, a coalition of service organizations for veterans convened by UCI, shared his thoughts on the planned cemetery.
“As [a] Marine veteran, the new Orange County Veterans Cemetery means a great deal to me,” Pagano told New University. “It represents a promise kept to the men and women who served our great nation and chose to make Orange County their home.”
Home to the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin and the El Toro Marine Base, Pagano says, Orange County’s roots as a Marine town ensures that veterans and their families will be honored and remembered in the community they “defended and continue to serve.”
“For me, it’s not just about a cemetery,” said Pagano. “It’s about preserving the legacy of service, sacrifice and commitment for future generations, giving military families a consecrated place to remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.”
Construction is expected to be completed in late 2028 to mid 2029. Updates can be found on Gypsum Canyon Cemetery Development’s official website.
Tariq Abdelkarim is a News Intern for the Summer 2026 quarter. He can be reached at tabdelka@uci.edu.
Edited by Brinda Popli
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