Inside a court room of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court. (Photo:
rulenumberone2)
In the latest update to a decade-long saga, the VA has lost another effort to overturn a federal court order to build additional supporting housing for Disabled and Homeless Veterans on its West Los Angeles Campus.
The 9th Circuit announced last Friday that it would deny further rehearing petitions, meaning an earlier court-set deadline to build 750 units of temporary supportive housing units by 2026 and 1,800 permanent units by 2030––all in addition to the 1,200 permanent supportive housing units the VA had previously committed to build under an earlier settlement––is once again in effect.
Additionally, the court asserted that the VA’s lease agreements with third parties including the Brentwood School violated the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016.
The VA does retain the option to take this case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which could further delay or terminate project completion.
Uncertain Development and a Lack of Transparency
It is unclear just how many housing units will be built on the campus, or what this development will look like upon completion.
In mid 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating the VA be able to house 6,000 Veterans by 2028.
In November, those plans were seemingly adapted into a community-focused project with far fewer housing units surrounding a town-like setup, with various businesses catering to Veterans living on the property. However, by April, the VA’s 2026 budget proposal omitted project details, and the construction that followed in May appeared to focus solely on housing units.
Per the Los Angeles Times, costs have been a factor in the VA’s move to appeal court decisions tied to fixed housing unit targets. A developer called in as an expert witness during the most recent lawsuit claimed one project would cost $52 million to convert one historic structure into a 24-unit domicile.
The California Legionnaire will continue to monitor this story.
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.
