VA says it will house homeless veterans camped outside its West L.A. campus

A homeless encampment known as Veterans Row outside the Veterans Affairs campus on San Vicente Boulevard in West Los Angeles.(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Oct 21, 2021 / 05:09 AM PDT

Updated: Oct 21, 2021 / 05:10 AM PDT

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The Department of Veterans Affairs aims to place more than 500 unhoused veterans living in Los Angeles, including 40 from the high-profile Veterans Row encampment in Brentwood, into housing by the end of the year.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said Wednesday that the initiative would be completed in two parts: first to house the about 40 veterans from Veterans Row by November, then to house an additional 500 unhoused veterans by the end of December.

The encampment, located adjacent to the historic VA campus on San Vincente Boulevard in West Los Angeles, has become a focal point for homelessness in the city, with mayoral candidates making visits regularly over the last year. The last census of homeless people in Los Angeles County found roughly 3,900 homeless veterans among the county’s total of 66,000 people without housing.

McDonough visited the encampment last week alongside Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles).

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