On Friday, Feb. 13, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced its plan to house the homeless veterans of Los Angeles.
Getting LA's veterans off the street
According to Stars and Stripes, the plan proposed the use of a 387-acre plot of land in West LA, which will be used to create a facility to house former soldiers in their life after service. While this is being constructed, however, other plans are being put into action to get vets into temporary and permanent housing. Over the next 100 days, the VA will be focusing a number of efforts and resources into finding shelter for former servicemembers. The department will be hiring people to find available housing, increase funding and create temporary homes for veterans and their families. The ultimate goal is to provide at least 650 vets with permanent residences by April.
Additionally, the VA will be reaching out to the Department of Labor and a number of other governmental organizations to create job training and employment opportunities for these individuals in an effort to keep them from returning to the street. Stars and Stripes noted that since permanent housing is the goal for all veterans, a strong focus will be placed on offering them therapy and other support beyond simply handing them keys.
A history of homelessness
The New York Times reported that there has been controversy surrounding the West LA land that will be used for veteran housing. While it was originally deeded to the government in 1888 to be used for housing disabled vets, it has not been used for this purpose. Most of the businesses currently leasing the land, which range from a car rental organization to laundry facilities, serve the nearby affluent neighborhood of Brentwood. After a group of veterans filed a lawsuit against the VA for misusing the land, the organization decided to draw up this plan for housing local vets.
The source explained that the land in question is nearly half the size of Central Park and has the potential to house almost all of LA's homeless veteran population, which is roughly 4,000 people. The facilities will include special resources for female vets, servicemembers with severe disabilities and those who are aging. Overall, the project is expected to cost the VA around $50 million.