The Los Angeles Region Community Veteran Engagement Board (CVEB) is an independent body working in conjunction with the Veterans Administration, led and elected by Veteran stakeholders who have been active in the Los Angeles County Veterans community for decades. The CVEB advocates for increased access to resources and improved quality of life for Los Angeles County Veterans, focusing on the key areas of Veterans healthcare issues, benefits, Veteran & family homelessness, Veteran suicide, and service outcome examination in order to recommend systemic changes.
From its inception, the CVEB has continued to participate in the discussion surrounding the West Los Angeles VA redevelopment Master Plan, the blueprint document that will guide the redevelopment of the 387-acre VA campus. The CVEB supports the Master Plan and is actively working to monitor and provide suggestions for improvement wherever possible. CVEB support of the plan is based on its:
- – Knowledge of campus history and the original “Road Map” outlining comprehensive services required by Veterans and families at the West Los Angeles VA;
- – Expertise and long experience of the team including CVEB that developed the plan, incorporation of community feedback, and;
- – Benefits it will offer homeless and disabled Veterans of Los Angeles County.
The development of the Master Plan has also involved input from congressionally-chartered Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and other Veteran-serving non-profit organizations, the VA, City and County governments, and many of the Veterans of Los Angeles County via their participation in federally-mandated Veterans Community Oversight and Engagement (VCOEB) Board meetings, surveys and VA Town Halls. The final choice for Principal Developer, the West Los Angeles Veterans Collective (an entity led by Veterans), was put out to bid in accordance with federal regulations and has been approved by Congress.
After years of continuing controversy the West Los Angeles VA’s Master Plan will involve approximately 25 buildings that will be renovated or newly built. Construction on the first buildings to be renovated will begin this year (2020), and the plan for 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless and disabled Veterans on the north campus is in the planning stages.
This Veteran community to be built on the north campus of the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, will fundamentally change the service system for Veterans in Los Angeles. It represents a long-term solution and robust answer to the housing needs of nearly 4,000 homeless Veterans living on the streets and shelters of Los Angeles County.
Despite the progress made, there have some who have vocally opposed the Master Plan. As of this writing, no alternate plan has been put forward.
While the Master Plan certainly does not resolve the homeless Veteran problem in Los Angeles as rapidly as advocates would like, there is simply no short-term solution to this problem. Ultimately, a combination of both short and long term goals is the most pragmatic approach to address these issues, and the CVEB believes that these plans should be implemented as deliberately and rapidly as possible. It is important to note that goals must be tempered by an earnest understanding that the speed of construction is affected by numerous factors, including federal regulations, construction and funding requirements on behalf of both the VA and external partners. Compounding this in the near future may be the possible lack of funds created by the COVID-19 Pandemic that is impacting many stakeholders, which may be a concern through 2022.
Long-term, the Master Plan on the West Los Angeles VA campus will result in the largest permanent supportive housing community for the Veterans and families in the nation – by far. Short-term, during the COVID crisis, the Greater Los Angeles VA Campus has opened up more than 200 beds for homeless Veterans and is working closely with the County to improve outreach to homeless Veterans for the provision of housing and services. Incorporating a community impact approach, the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to support robust efforts to house and provide services to homeless Veterans that are being carried out by community providers in conjunction with established VA programs.
Overwhelmingly, the CVEB supports both the current short-term programming and long-term goals. The CVEB will continue to do everything in its power to help make the efforts successful for the future of our Veterans and families.
Please direct inquiries and questions to the following members of the CVEB:
Larry Van Kuran, Chair – firmed96559@mypacks.net
Thom O’Shaughnessy, Co-Chair – limas59649@mypacks.net
