CalVet Secretary Lindsey Sin appears with Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva and Veterans advocates at the proposed Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon. (Photo: California Department of Veterans Affairs)

A long-planned Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim is moving forward after CalVet determined that the project can be built at a lower cost while increasing burial capacity in the first phase.

The department announced May 8 that it has completed a study update for the proposed cemetery. According to CalVet, the revised estimate places development costs at about $86 million, or nearly $45 million less than earlier 2023 projections when adjusted for inflation.

The reduction comes from an updated land-use and site design plan. The department said the new design uses a more efficient approach to grading, which lowers overall costs while preserving the cemetery’s full scope and long-term value.

The updated plan also increases Phase One burial capacity by 50 percent, with the site now projected to support up to 30,000 placements during its initial rollout. Across all eight planned phases, the cemetery aims to support approximately 157,000 total placements.

For Orange County Veterans and their families, the study is another step in a decades-long effort to establish a Veterans cemetery closer to home. The Gypsum Canyon site has drawn support from Veterans advocates, community leaders and elected officials who have pushed for a cemetery that can serve one of California’s largest Veteran communities.

VALOR, a Veterans advocacy organization that has been instrumental in pushing for the cemetery’s development, praised the announcement. The group highlighted major savings for the state while thanking those who have continued working to move the cemetery forward, particularly Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva (D-67), who has championed the development in the California legislature.

Quirk-Silva welcomed the announcement, saying years of work by Veterans, advocates and public partners are helping move the cemetery closer to reality. Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-68) said Orange County has long deserved a place where Veterans can be honored with dignity.

CalVet Secretary Lindsey Sin said the study gives the state greater clarity and a more responsible path forward. She added that knowing the project can be delivered at a lower cost strengthens the ability to move ahead efficiently.

Supporters say the cemetery would give local Veterans a dedicated place of honor while helping families avoid long travel distances to visit loved ones buried at existing state and national cemeteries.

With the study now complete, CalVet said it will continue working with local, state, federal and community partners to move the Southern California Veterans Cemetery project into its next phase.