After Al Gunn’s lower right leg was blown off by a land mine in Vietnam in 1972, he turned to substance abuse and homelessness shortly followed.
But, he’s now getting transitional help at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ campus in West Los Angeles. Yet, like 6,000 other veterans in Los Angeles County what he really needs is permanent, affordable housing.
“There’s an awful lot of empty buildings around here that could be rehabbed,” Gunn said.
On Thursday, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, in conjunction with Rep. Ted Lieu, called for legislation that would facilitate homeless veterans on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus. It would allow nonprofits to enter long-term leases for housing on the sprawling campus.
Hillary Evans, director of housing services for New Directions for Vets, is already operating at the location with temporary housing for 400 vets, but the hope is to expand.
“There’s a lot of unused space that could be a real safe haven and restorative place for veterans that are experiencing homelessness and have been on the streets for years,” she said.
The VA has already approved the repurposing of the 387-acre grounds. A new facility opened just months ago, and a master plan for expansion is now underway after the VA was sued for allegedly misusing the land.
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