Alameda Point layout displaying the proposed veterans’ clinic and cemetery (Photo: VA)
According to the Alameda Post, veterans and local officials are seeking answers from the VA after plans for a long-anticipated outpatient clinic and Veterans cemetery at Alameda Point were abruptly halted, a decision city leaders described as lacking formal notice or sufficient explanation.
On Friday, Dec. 12, Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) announced in a press release that she, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) sent an open letter to VA Secretary Douglas Collins requesting clarification on the cancellation. The Alameda Point clinic and multiphase columbarium were in development for years and had already received more than $395 million in congressionally approved funding.
City officials said the decision came as a surprise. Alameda communications and legislative affairs officer Sarah Henry reported that the city has not received any notification from the VA about the project. Simon’s office received a congressional notice on August 28 informing lawmakers of the cancellation, and then unofficially alerted city leaders. It remains unclear why the delegation waited more than three months before formally writing to the VA.
The press release indicated that the congressional notice listed several reasons for canceling the project, including claims that Alameda is not easily accessible to Veterans, an estimated $1.3 billion cost for flood and foundation mitigation, and the presence of PFAs contamination at the site.
Soil testing began in 2024, but results have not been released. Abby Thorne-Lyman, Alameda’s director of base reuse and economic development, told the Alameda Post that the VA was initially communicative and had projected preliminary results by fall 2024, later revising the timeline to spring 2025. Follow-up requests from the city in May and June went unanswered. Thorne-Lyman also questioned the mitigation cost estimate, noting that no detailed breakdown had been provided.
The project’s status remains disputed. Simon’s press release described the clinic and cemetery as canceled. A VA spokesperson said that the agency plans to develop a community-based outpatient clinic in Oakland and is evaluating potential cemetery sites in San Francisco. Because Alameda has not received formal notice, city officials maintain the cancellation is not final and intend to continue advocating for the project’s restoration.
Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft addressed the issue during a press conference with local Veterans groups on Monday, Dec. 15, at the Veterans Memorial Building. The East Bay Times reported that speakers at the event criticized the VA’s decision and called for answers. They stressed the need for accessible healthcare and burial options for Bay Area Veterans.
City leaders and Veterans’ advocates say they will continue to press the VA for transparency and accountability as questions remain about costs, contamination, and alternative locations.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.