One dollar doesn't get you much these days. But Tuesday, it bought the land needed to give a new life to those who fought for all of ours.

The state officially handed over nearly 7 acres of land and the former Regional Police Academy Building to turn into affordable apartments for veterans.

Ken Bostic, Homeless Veteran, says: "We lose hope, and just reaching our hand out as veterans, they give us a hand up."

With the stroke of a pen, the state of Massachusetts helped with that hand up, signing over a run-down building and the land it stands on to "Soldier On."

Rosemary Sandlin, (D) State Representative, says: "This is the American dream for our veterans, they fought for our American dream, and we could do no less than to give them back that American dream."

It took a lot of fight to get this Agawam land turned over to the veterans organization for so little. Many thinking it could be worth more. State leaders tell me that's not the case.

Steve Buoniconti, (D) State Senator, says: "You look at the building and you look at the land and its adjacent to the golf course and you think, geez, this should be valuable land. But we actually didn't have many bidders or many people interested in the building."

The state may have sold this property for only a dollar but its going to take a lot more than that to fix it up. And once the veterans move in, part of their ownership payments will go towards keeping it fixed up.

Initially, the existing building will be turned into 40 affordable apartments for vets. They're planning to build more in the future, bringing the number to 125.

John Downing, Pres. & CEO Soldier On, says: "It brings tremendous hope to our programs because we ask people to live lives that are sober, live with integrity. And they'll be able to rebuild their lives and have a place to call home. "

A place to call home. A dream many veterans say was lost, until "Soldier On" helped them find their way.

Ken Bostic, Homeless Veteran, says: "Coming here and getting involved can resurrect us to be the men we're supposed to become, so that we can take care of our families again, and maybe prevent them from falling in the same pit holes that we fell in."

The price tag on these apartments will go by market rates, estimated to be about $625 a month. Section eight help specifically for veterans will lower that cost even further.