WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald released the following statement after President Obama signed the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016.

“Today, President Obama signed into law legislation critical to our goal of ending Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles. The West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016, introduced by Representatives Lieu and Miller and Senators Boxer and Feinstein, will allow VA to move forward transforming VA’s campus into a welcoming place where Veterans and their families in the most need of our services can call home.

“Thanks to the legislation signed today, the West Los Angeles campus of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System will be able to build permanent supportive housing for our most disadvantaged and vulnerable homeless Veterans giving them easier access to state-of-the-art VA services. This effort, along with increased community partnerships and intense outreach, will allow us to build on our progress in the city where Veterans homelessness remains a significant challenge.

“I personally want to thank Representative Lieu and Senator Feinstein for their valiant effort to ensure that this legislation got passed, as well as the Los Angeles community and our partners for coming together to encourage this needed legislative solution. I especially want to thank the Veterans that provided valuable input to the Framework for the Draft Master Plan, now our agreed upon guiding document for the future of the West Los Angeles VA campus. You came to town hall meetings, submitted written statements and consistently engaged with VA to create the vision for this campus.

“Working together, many communities have effectively ended Veteran homelessness; to date 30 communities and two states. Nationwide, we have cut Veteran homelessness roughly in half since 2010. Using those same lessons of collaboration and community, we can transform the West LA campus into a modern-day version of what the land was initially deeded to be – a place for Veterans to call home.”

Making Progress Ending Veteran Homelessness in Los Angeles

The Framework Draft Master Plan for the Greater Los Angeles (GLA) Campus is a framework that will assist VA in determining the most effective use of the campus for Veterans, particularly, homeless Veterans, including underserved populations such as female Veterans, aging Veterans, and those who are severely physically or mentally disabled. The recently passed legislation provides the authority to enter into enhanced use leases, which allows VA to begin implementing the Framework Draft Master Plan and move forward with the progress that has already been made to return the West LA campus to its original intent – to be a place for Veterans to call home.

With community support and Veteran input, VA is working to expand community partnerships on campus to offer more services to Veterans. As stated in the Framework Master Plan, VA will only enter into or renew any land use or service agreement that is deemed to be principally Veteran focused.

  • VA recently announced revitalized collaborations with Brentwood School and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. An agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), VA’s academic affiliate at the West LA VA campus had been announced in January of this year. Consistent with the Framework Draft Master Plan these agreements secure more robust in-kind services, increased financial compensation, and additional opportunities aimed at benefitting Veterans and their families.
    • UCLA in collaboration with VA will be standing up a Family Resource & Well-Being Center, a Homeless Mental Health and Addictions Center for Excellence and a Veterans Legal Clinic right on the West LA Campus
    • Brentwood School has developed the Veteran Center for Recreation and Education at Brentwood School (VCRE). Through VCRE, the school will offer expanded recreational, vocational, educational, and wellness services. Already, Veterans and their families have utilized the athletic facilities, attended special programs, and benefitted from educational opportunities.
    • Barrington Park, now re-named “Veterans Barrington Park,” has agreed to provide maintenance and upkeep of the existing community park, provide beautification and on-site recreational activities, build a memorial to honor and recognize the service of American Veterans, reduce then work to re-locate the existing dog park to another nearby site, and ensure that Veterans will have priority access to the park. Additionally the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation has committed to hiring Veterans.
  • The January 2016 Point-In-Time(PIT) count released from Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), that included Los Angeles County and neighboring communities of Glendale, Long Beach, Pasadena, indicated  the Veteran homelessness population declined more than 30% in 2016. The Unsheltered Veteran population decreased by 44%, in 2016.
  •  VA has added 800 new HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to create and/or expand housing opportunities (including working with our partners at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase the voucher rate to 120% of Fair Market Value

For more information on our work to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles, please visit www.losangeles.va.gov

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