To the editor: In 1977, I was a preschool teacher working at a church in Westwood Village. At the edge of the playground was a thick hedge, and inside lived “Bob.” He was a tall, thin, long-haired young man and a Vietnam veteran. He rarely spoke and spent most of his time inside that hedge, except when he went to the church office to get a small sack lunch. (“Illegal VA Leases at West LA Campus Pose Tough Decision for Federal Judge,” Aug. 27)
I worked at that school for almost 18 years and Bob was always there. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs campus was less than a quarter mile away. The church contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs. Nothing happened.
The VA campus is not adequately serving homeless veterans. The 1887 deed granting land to the U.S. government for the establishment of a national home for “disabled volunteer soldiers” has not been honored. The charitable trust has largely been ignored or leased to unrelated organizations.
There should be no more master plans, no more litigation, no more settlements. No more wasted years. If the Department of Veterans Affairs had been doing its job in Los Angeles, serving and supporting homeless veterans, there would never have been so many homeless veterans in the first place.
This should not be a “tough decision.” These men and women deserve the best care and support now.
Genie Saffren, Los Angeles
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To the editor: As someone who is familiar with the vast and valuable VA campus in West Los Angeles, I believe that solving the problem of third-party use of this land is fairly simple.
Brentwood School and UCLA, which lease land from the VA, have more money than land. In contrast, the VA has more land than money. Hiring an independent arbitrator to periodically renegotiate leases to fair market value would likely be a bonanza for the VA, while preserving enough land to build the required housing and avoid lengthy and costly lawsuits.
The VA has numerous older buildings in various states of repair that could benefit from renovation, as well as multiple other needs that this additional revenue could address.
Jonathan Kaunitz, Santa Monica
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To the editor: This land was bequeathed to veterans. Now, UCLA, a private K-12 school, a park and oil wells occupy the space.
Where are our American values? Veterans are homeless and living on the streets.
I am not a veteran, but the article about how this land is used outrages me. The Department of Veterans Affairs should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen.
There are many people in need and everything has been sold to them. A promise has been broken and must be corrected. What should remain are the houses and services.
Lisa Hammermeister, Granada Hills
