L.A. Homeless Vets Sue Department Of Veterans Affairs For Misused Land

The New York Times:

LOS ANGELES — It is a 387-acre campus of green fields and buildings in a prosperous Los Angeles neighborhood, donated to the federal government over a 100 years ago for use as a Pacific Coast home for wounded veterans. But over the last 20 years, as Los Angeles has become inundated with homeless veterans, advocates for the homeless say the campus has become a symbol of a system gone wrong: as veterans sleep on the streets, many of its buildings lay abandoned and one-third of the land has been leased for commercial use.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[somewhatodd]

04:47 PM on 06/10/2011

thank ronald reagan. his attitude toward wounded veterans was "we can't be grateful enough for your sacrifice. so here's a free crutch and a tin cup."

[GoldStarMom]

02:53 PM on 06/10/2011

There's absolutely NO excuse for this situation to exist. Use the land as its donation intended that it be used. Our veterans have done their duty as called upon to defend our nation and citizens.

It's long past time that we did our part -- as individuals, as a nation and as a government -- to see they receive whatever type of care they require. The wounds, both mental and physical, that resulted from their sacrifices and service will be with them for the remainder of their lives. Our obligation to attend to their health and welfare should continue as long as even one of them needs it. They'd do as much for each and every one of us, and in most cases already have, can we honorably do any less for them?

[TWeissMA]

04:08 PM on 06/10/2011

I sometimes wonder, as a veteran with disabilities, how this nation can stand itself while situations such as this one continue to exist. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is *still* trying to get enough money to build the memorial. There are *still* veterans who are trying to live on VA incomes that are based on a disability rating system from WWII.

After fighting for his country, Iraq veteran now fights for a job
http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20110609/NEWS0107/106090415/

Why are veterans coming home to discover that employers will not hire them? Why? Why are they fighting another war at home?

[TWeissMA]

04:10 PM on 06/10/2011

The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial
http://www.avdlm.org/site/c.gnKFIJNqEqG/b.5287617/k.BEA8/Home.htm

[wlkcrk]

02:00 PM on 06/10/2011

They did their job very well but the government doesn't need them anymore. The Gov answer is ignore them and they'll go away.

[TWeissMA]

04:14 PM on 06/10/2011

I am so beyond frustrated with the government and this two-party system that I can no longer support either party - mark me as, 'unaffiliated.'

I Go Pogo.