Sixty-five homeless Veterans will have a chance to transition back into society when the renovation of a building is completed at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. As part of VA’s goal to end Veteran homelessness, the building will house a compensated work therapy and transitional residence program for homeless Veterans for whom previous recovery attempts have not been successful.

As VA Assistant Secretary Joan Mooney put it at the groundbreaking ceremony on January 25, “The fundamental aim of this program is to promote job-readiness. We will focus on providing resident Veterans with training in daily life skills necessary to live effectively among others, to obtain and maintain gainful employment, to care for themselves in a healthy way, and to meet their reasonable life goals.”

The ultimate goal of the program is to transition homeless Veterans into independent permanent housing in the community. Once Veterans are placed in permanent housing, VA will continue to actively manage their cases and provide additional services, including mental health, medical, employment assistance, and benefits.

Veterans in the program will live in a mix of studio and one bedroom units during their treatment. One wing of the building has been specifically designated for women under treatment.

The training planned for the resident Veterans includes life skills such as cooking, cleaning, learning to live with others, managing personal finances, shopping, and traveling to appointments.

The number of homeless Veterans in Los Angeles City and County fell by 22 percent between 2011 and 2012. That is a notable achievement, but it reminds us we still have much work ahead of us if we are to end homelessness among our nation’s Veterans.

Even one Veteran living on the street is one too many.

As Assistant Secretary Mooney concluded, “To put an end to Veteran homelessness, you can’t just treat the body. You must heal the mind, and the spirit. You must provide support, and encouragement. Perhaps most importantly, you must instill hope.”

Donna M. Beiter is the director of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

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8 Comments

  1. Anthony Knox February 13, 2013 at 10:37

    Why is the stat of how many are still out there never mentioned? Just PR drivel. Truth be told, with the housing bubble came a rent bubble and the housing market crashed but the greedy land(slum)lords didn’t crash their high rents any. The difference between awards and inflated rents etc is the problem. The government hides the true cost of living to deny reality. I’m trying to get on HUD-VASH vouchers but am getting the run around. I just sent an e-mail to my new Democratic congressman & will see how that goes. Think I’m going to have to lawyer up to get results. Had a friend get into an assisted living place with his wife but he went through a law firm in Tennessee to do it. Best case seems to go after the VA with lawyers.

    • Arch Yeomans February 21, 2013 at 14:17

      Unfortunately, hiring an attorney is the only way you will get results with the VA.

  2. Dan F February 3, 2013 at 11:30

    I guess the VA is finally using the 400 acres of land for what it was designated -..the housing of veterans. I guess all the reporting about the misuse of the property and the negative images of homeless heroes finally made some people get off their butts.

    To be “braging” about this is typical of the VA in that they do something they should have done years ago and now expect the vet population to be ever grateful. I got news for you, for thousands in the LA area this has come way too late.

    I am happy that some of my brothers and sisters will get the help they need and deserve. However, please stop patting yourselves on the back for doing something which should have been done decades ago.

  3. Vanessa February 2, 2013 at 14:45

    Why can’t the government allow veterans and their families an opportunity to move into some of the foreclosures. What about veterans that have children? Studio’s and one bdrms help single vets but there is a growing epidemic of suicide among vets and their families. The vets also need more resources for legal solutions that often aggrevate their already hopeless situations? We need to increase the awareness of ALL resources for vets especially OEF/OIF. My son is OEF/OIF and is homeless, unemployed, vehicle repossessed, behind in child support, what resources are available in Missouri.

  4. August February 2, 2013 at 13:09

    Did you know if one of these veterans placed in this insane asylum has ONE BEER, responsibly, while watching a football game…THEY WILL BE THROWN OUT to the street-gutter?

    JUST ONE BEER; not getting drunk & out-of-control, but drinking one beer responsibly AND THEY GET THROWN OUT TO THE STREETS.

    The VA considers “ANY” drinking (JUST ONE BEER” as street-gutter alcoholism)….

  5. August February 2, 2013 at 13:05

    These homeless veterans have ALREADY been through DOZENS of these FAILED VA programs, and it’s always the SAME RESULTS……NO HOUSING, NO TRAINING, and NO JOBS!

  6. August February 2, 2013 at 13:03

    This place is already a 100% FAILURE; the VA with force the homeless veterans to convert to the 12-Step religious AA/NA cults and keep them in MAXIMUM PRISON-LIKE conditions until the veterans have had anough and get thrown out or drops out back to the streets.

    This is just a money maker for the Poverty Pimps who have been getting FILTHY RICH off the veteran’s misery for decades…

  7. TONY B. NELSON February 2, 2013 at 11:33

    Re: BUILDING RENOVATION TO HELP HOMELESS VETERANS’ SC

    We would like to discuss the possibility of having some assistance in renovating building site based in SC – Site has been identified and has Trade skills ready to perform renovation – Please respond to our request for guidance on this mission to truly help our Veteran’s in need –

    Regards,

    Tony B. Nelson
    USAF

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