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AirTalk

VA settles lawsuit, agrees to transform West LA campus to help disabled veterans

Building 205, pictured here, sits vacant. It was designated as future housing for disabled homeless veterans in 2007.
Building 205, pictured here, sits vacant. It was designated as future housing for disabled homeless veterans in 2007.
(
Nancy Pastor for NPR
)
Listen 32:08
VA settles lawsuit, agrees to transform West LA campus to help disabled veterans

The VA has agreed to create housing for thousands of Southern California homeless veterans.  Many of them will live at the West LA VA campus. It's a deal reached with plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit against the government nearly four years ago.

They contended the nearly 400-acre site wasn't being used for its legal and intended purpose - housing and caring for homeless vets. Will this make it possible by year's end to find housing for all the approximately 4,000 homeless vets in LA County? And what will happen to the commercial renters on the property, as well as UCLA's use of the baseball field and Brentwood School's use of athletic facilities?

For the full story click here

Guests:

Robert McDonald, United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He is the retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Procter & Gamble

Ron Olson, partner, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. He’s been working on this settlement. He also holds the honorary title of Lifetime Trustee for Southern California Public Radio

Toni Reinis, Former Executive Director of New Directions - an organization that offers housing, counseling, training, drug abuse treatment and more to veterans in LA County.