VA terminates illegal and wasteful West Los Angeles VAMC leases and license

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced the termination of two leases and a revocable license at its West Los Angeles VA Medical Center Campus.

Effective today:

• VA has terminated its lease with Brentwood School — an exclusive K-12 private school.
• VA has terminated its lease with Safety Park Corporation, which had operated a parking lot on the campus.
• VA has terminated its revocable license with Bridgeland Resources, LLC, an energy company that had operated an oil field on the campus.

The terminations follow rulings from a district court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that said the leases and license violated federal law. VA put the court on notice of this fact in November. VA last year also found that the department has been underpaid by more than $40 million per year based on the fair market value of the properties.

These terminations will enable VA to reclaim the properties for their rightful purpose of serving Veterans as the department continues to implement President Trump’s executive order to establish on the West LA VAMC campus a National Center for Warrior Independence for Homeless Veterans. The center will provide housing and support for up to 6,000 homeless Veterans by 2028.

VA is currently examining a range of design and construction options for NCWI, and the department will continue to release updates as final decisions are made on the project.

“These groups have been fleecing taxpayers and Veterans for far too long, and under President Trump, VA is taking decisive action to ensure the West LA VAMC campus is used only as intended: to benefit Veterans,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “By establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence, we will turn the West Los Angeles VAMC campus into a destination where homeless Veterans from across the nation can find housing and support on their journey back to self-sufficiency.”