Unhoused Veterans’ Plight To Secure Housing In LA (And Other Headlines)

For us to understand the homelessness crisis in L.A., we have to look at the unhoused veterans community.

A housing odyssey for veterans

Did you know our city was once deemed the “homeless veterans capital of the country”? Nearly 4,000 U.S. veterans live without permanent housing in L.A. County, according to a report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The How to LA team and unhoused communities reporter Nick Gerda went to the Veterans Affairs campus in West L.A., which was gifted in the late 1800s to house former soldiers.

There’s currently an effort to build 1,200 apartment units on the campus to help veterans with housing, but the department is four years behind schedule. In May, the VA opened up 233 units in three newly renovated buildings to house veterans. But as of early July, only two-thirds of those units had residents, leaving dozens of vacancies.

The process to secure that housing — or any, really — is complicated and confusing for most.

“This work has been absolutely taxing and frustrating,” Rob Reynolds says about his daily mission to get services for veterans. He’s a formerly unhoused veteran who was able to figure out the system, and now he advocates for his colleagues.

“It takes so much to get very small things accomplished,” Reynolds says.

Veterans say it can take years to obtain permanent housing. One of the biggest roadblocks has been income limit restrictions. Many veterans struggling with mental or physical health issues receive disability compensation that exceeds the Area Median Income for affordable housing, disqualifying them from many units reserved for veterans.

Officials have heard the complaints and understand that navigating the housing process isn’t an easy feat.

“In terms of speeding up the building, I've been very dismayed by that. If we can get the flexibility in some of the rules, we will be able to house a lot more,” Mayor Karen Bass told us.

Producer Megan Botel wrote more about the veterans we met. They shared their struggles — and successes — with securing housing, and the relationship with the VA in particular.

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(After you stop hitting snooze)

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• Next year, Californians will vote on amendment ACA 5, which would undo language introduced by 2008’s Prop. 8, that banned same sex-marriages from being recognized in the state.

Wait... one more thing

Get out and volunteer with your family

Five youth volunteers for Santa Monica Mountain Fund in Thousand Oaks, CA

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Courtesy Santa Monica Mountains Fund

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A few weeks ago, a reader wrote to us asking, “Any family-oriented community service projects going on this summer for Angelenos?”

Last week, How to LA gave you a teaser of the list we were working on, and asked for some suggestions. You all came through, and now I’m happy to announce the full list is up on LAist.com.

The activities range from gardening and harvesting to habitat restoration to environmental cleanups. There’s plenty of fun to be had for all ages, young and old.

Heal the Bay's opportunity caught my eye. The aquarium on Santa Monica Pier hosts monthly beach cleanups with a new beach each month. Held every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you can volunteer, grab lunch, and still have plenty of time to hit the beach — hey, you’re already there so… why not? This seriously sounds like an ideal Saturday to me.

Check out more of our suggestions here!

A word to the wise: Most of the opportunities are outside. While we’re all excited for the sun to finally be out, don’t forget to layer on the sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Have fun, keep safe, and give back!