Judgement is a Blazing Criticism of the VA’s Stewardship of the West LA VA Campus
A judgment has been rendered by the judge in the lawsuit that criticizes the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for neglecting disabled veterans, a federal judge ordered the agency to provide additional permanent housing for veterans on its West Los Angeles campus and to terminate several private lease agreements.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled Friday that the VA had illegally leased portions of the campus to private interests, including a private school, UCLA’s baseball team, an oil company, and other entities. Carter wrote that the VA’s failure to prioritize veterans’ needs has come at a steep price, stating, “The cost of the VA’s inaction is veterans’ lives.”
The decision follows a month-long trial in a lawsuit filed by a group of unhoused disabled veterans. The plaintiffs argued that the VA had misused the land, which was originally deeded in 1888 for the specific purpose of serving veterans, particularly those in need of housing and medical care.
Judge Carter, a Vietnam War veteran, described how the VA allowed the size of the original 388-acre property to dwindle through corruption and influence from powerful interests. “For years, the VA has quietly sold off land badly needed for injured and homeless veterans,” he wrote.
The court found that private leases, including agreements with UCLA and the Brentwood School, violated the purpose of the land. UCLA operates the Jackie Robinson Stadium, while Brentwood School uses an athletic complex on the property. Additionally, leases were awarded to an oil driller and a parking lot operator, whose operations primarily benefit local businesses.
UCLA and Brentwood School responded to the ruling by defending their partnerships with the VA. UCLA emphasized its long history of public service partnerships, while Brentwood School maintained that its lease complies with federal law.
Judge Carter ordered the VA to build 750 units of temporary housing within 18 months and create a plan within six months to add 1,800 units of permanent housing to the 1,200 units already in planning and construction. The court ruled that veterans are entitled to more than 2,500 units of housing on the campus.
A hearing is scheduled for September 25 to determine the exit strategy for the leaseholders. Plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Rosenbaum hailed the decision as a victory for veterans, saying it restores the land to its original purpose of serving as a home for soldiers, not a “playground” for private interests.
