A week after officials disclosed a 57% rise in Los Angeles’ veteran homelessness, advocates say the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is delaying housing development on its West Los Angeles campus. Under former Secretary Robert McDonald, the VA and local officials had touted an unprecedented push to get homeless veterans off the streets in Los Angeles. The VA replaced leadership at the VA’s West Los Angeles Medical Center and issued more than 1,500 rent vouchers for homeless veterans in two years. It also said the VA had yet to open a renovated building initially designated for permanent housing a decade ago. Buelna said she believes veteran homelessness rose because the VA and local and federal homeless officials switched from transitional housing programs to permanent supportive housing before the permanent housing was built.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 06, 2017 11:03 UTC