A federal judge ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to immediately develop a plan to build nearly 2,000 new supportive housing units for veterans on its 388-acre campus in West Los Angeles.
Judge David O. Carter’s ruling on Friday, Sept. 6, was a major victory for a group of veterans who sued the VA over the use, or lack thereof, of the massive campus. They sued over a number of different aspects of how the VA utilizes the space, which was gifted to it in 1888. The plaintiffs, many of whom are experiencing homelessness themselves, argued that the VA was not building enough housing on the available space, while the VA fought back, saying it was building enough under a previous agreement and leasing out other parcels on the campus was providing revenue for services.
Judge Carter disagreed with the VA. He ordered the VA to build 750 temporary housing units in the next 12-18 months to provide immediate shelter. Additionally, Carter requires that the department construct 1,800 more permanent housing units on the VA campus. The decision came after a three-week non jury trial.