Investing in Our Veterans: GLA Makes Significant Upgrades to Transform West LA VA into a Veteran Community

This significant financial commitment is critical to improving patient care and the delivery of at least 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless Veterans at West LA VA Campus and will continue to support housing as well as clinical operations requirements for generations to come.

Construction crews have been working continuously improving electrical, water and telecommunication systems; preparing plots of underutilized land for developers to build new housing; expanding parking lots for VA staff, patients, and future Veteran residents; and creating emergency shelter for Veterans currently experiencing homelessness.

Aging infrastructure at the West LA VA Campus was well beyond its useful lifespan and had inadequate capacity, outdated materials, and inconsistent water pressure to meet residential building codes. Significant VA infrastructure projects have included upgrades to water systems to support new housing and enhance fire suppression, as well as development of the Care, Treatment & Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) Program, which provides emergency shelter and support for Veterans experiencing homelessness. Investments in CTRS included creating new access roads, installing restrooms and shower trailers, and underground utilities.

“One of VA’s top priorities is ending Veteran homelessness and we continue to make progress towards that goal every day through a wide array of programs and initiatives addressing a Veteran’s overall health and well-being, while also providing emergency shelter, as well as rental assistance and other support to prevent Veterans and their families from ever falling into homelessness,” said John Kuhn, Deputy Medical Center Director of VAGLAHS. “In the past year VAGLAHS placed over 1,300 homeless Veterans into permanent housing – more than any VA in the country and 40% more than the second highest VA.”

“To continue progress towards ending homelessness, we must use every resource at our disposal,” Kuhn added. “VA’s West LA Campus is an important element of local plans to increase the supply of affordable housing through strategic partnerships with private housing developers, as well as targeted investment in new infrastructure that will transform the campus into a supportive, fully connected and thriving community for Veterans.”

VAGLAHS expects to dedicate more money in 2023 than ever before to continue revitalizing its infrastructure that expedites the construction of supportive housing. VA also has a sustainable funding source for the delivery of Veteran housing at the West LA VA Campus via Sec 705 of the PACT Act which allocates an anticipated $381 million through 2036 to support this crucial component of ending Veteran homelessness.

The construction of permanent supportive housing on the West LA Campus can only be accomplished through the Enhanced-Use Lease authority, which allows VA to lease property to development entities, who in turn finance, design, develop, construct, operate, and maintain the buildings during the lifetime of their lease. VA supports the development of affordable housing through capital contributions affiliated with the Enhanced-Use Leases and through the substantial infrastructure and utility upgrades necessary to support the 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing planned for the West LA VA Campus.

Assisting housing construction through improvements to infrastructure and supporting facilities is how VAGLAHS is honoring its commitment to ensure every Veteran has a place to call home.

“This is one of the smartest investments VA can make,” said Homa Shahpasand, healthcare engineer, Office of Strategic, Facility & Master Planning with VAGLAHS. “These projects will solve many issues, improve patient care dramatically and fulfill our promise to Veterans.”

To learn more about the Veteran community under construction at West LA VA Campus, please visit https://westlamasterplan.org/