Homeless vets in L.A. estimated at 17,000
BRENTWOOD — The push to provide housing for hundreds of down-and-out veterans may have been moot on Thursday, due to developers with more clout than the public regarding the future of the Veteran Administration’s West Los Angeles campus.
Hundreds of concerned citizens, HOA leaders, veterans and elected officials from across Southern California showed up at Wadsworth Theatre on Thursday to express their hopes that the V.A.’s sprawling 387-acre campus here be used for veteran services.
In particular, a vast majority of participants at the meeting urged local V.A. officials to endorse the “Shriver plan,” which calls for the V.A.’s abandoned buildings to house in upwards of 300 homeless veterans.
Santa Monica City Councilman Bobby Shriver spoke on behalf of his plan. As the first public speaker, he began by introducing the service providers and political leaders he has been working with in order to begin better addressing the regional homeless problem, through his proposal.
“The cost of war is visible here,” Shriver said, alluding to a sign at the entrance to the V.A.’s grounds. “The cost of war is also visible on the streets of Santa Monica, where we have thousands of homeless, and hundreds of them who are vets.
“We demand that people sleep not on beach but at a place where they can receive services, such as the V.A.”
Shriver and other speakers took turns reacting to a recent report, issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which suggests the V.A.’s West L.A. campus — consisting of several “abandoned” and “underuti-lized” buildings — may be liquidated to create private medical research facilities, high-rise condos or other commercial uses.
The V.A. is re-evaluating the use of its facilities nationwide in order to modernize its health care system, according to officials.
The V.A. leadership in Washington may be tempted by developers to put the West L.A. campus on the auction block as a way to create revenue for the V.A.’s struggling health care system, according to officials.
However, those who participated in Thursday’s meeting felt the development option was no option at all.
They blamed an under-funded, maybe even mismanaged V.A. for its “underuti-lized” West L.A. campus, citing veteran services at the “abandoned” facilities are needed more than ever. They noted a recent county report which indicates there are 17,000 homeless vets living on the streets in the metropolitan area. They said more may be arriving from Iraq, who will also need help getting on their feet.
“Veterans have put their lives out for this country, and have kept their promise to serve it faithfully,” Ed Everett, a veteran, told the panel. “Now it’s time the government kept its promise.”
The panel will be taking public comment for another week. There will possibly be four more meetings through February, when the V.A. will determine the fate of its West L.A. campus.
THE SHRIVER PLAN A coalition of service providers have agreed to work together in hopes the V.A. will convert the abandoned buildings into the veteran’s shelter. Shriver presented his proposal to local leaders at an August meeting.
Santa Monica staff participated in a May 6 meeting hosted by the V.A., when officials discussed alternative uses for several V.A. sites around the country, including the West LA campus. The proposal intends to take advantage of the existing facility in order to provide “all services on site” for the homeless veterans, including medical, psychological and social assistance.
The project could accommodate as many as 500 chronically homeless veterans, as well as those with other needs, such as those dealing with mental illness or are suffering from substance abuse. It’s the coalition’s intent that half of the veterans served are chronically homeless — those who have been without shelter for at least three years.
The full proposal is available through the city of Santa Monica Web site.
The hundreds of people who filled Wadsworth Theatre on Thursday began signing up as early as 11 a.m. to speak. Many of them waited all afternoon until the V.A.’s panel began taking public comment at 4 p.m.
Local leaders, including Shriver, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and 11th District Councilman Bill Rosendahl were given priority to speak, followed by other members of the public.
Around 6 p.m., after hearing from dozens of individuals, a panel member asked the audience how many supported Shriver’s proposal for a homeless service facility, and nearly the entire crowd raised their hands.
Santa Monica City Councilman Bob Holbrook, who spoke on behalf of Councilman Richard Bloom — stuck in traffic — told the panel that during his decades of public service, one of the most important lessons he’s learned was to take heed of what people have to say.
“Your public has clearly indicated what they want,” Holbrook said. “This is an opportunity for you to take the message to Washington, and I hope you do.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 24, 2005. Read the original PDF.