TVC Responds to Historic Ruling Requiring VA to Build More Homes

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to build more than 2,500 units of housing for low-income veterans on its West Los Angeles campus. In a 125-page decision handed down on Sept. 6, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter also ruled the department must end its illegal leases that do not principally serve veterans. The judge’s findings follow a month-long trial of a lawsuit (Powers v. McDonough) lodged against the VA by a group of unhoused veterans with disabilities, challenging land lease agreements and seeking housing on the campus for veterans in need.

The Veterans Collective Statement on Judge Carter’s Ruling in Powers v McDonough

Judge Carter understands that we have an unprecedented opportunity to do things differently for homeless Veterans in Los Angeles.

Judge Carter validated our work as the principal developer on the campus in his decision. We are proud that more than 500 new units of housing will be complete and available for homeless Veterans on the campus between late 2024 and mid-2025. However, this is not enough.

We can and must accelerate the implementation of Master Plan 2022. We support the judge’s order to commence development on the Town Center within 18 months. In fact, we hope to beat that timeline, but we need our partners in Congress to make sure we have the authorities to offer the services and amenities enumerated in Master Plan 2022 that Veterans demand.

Unrestricted funds may expedite the development of housing. We are doing our part and have already secured more than $100 million in charitable contributions through our Veterans Promise Campaign. The VA plans to spend more than $350 million more in unrestricted VA PACT Act funding, and we need to make sure these funds are deployed quickly. This, together with important regulatory changes at the federal, state and local level, will ensure that we can deliver housing to the Veterans who need it most.

We look forward to working with the court-appointed special master during this process to make sure we are building the amount and type of housing that is necessary to ensure Veterans in Los Angeles have what they need, where they most need it.