WEST LOS ANGELES VA HOUSING PROJECT ESTIMATED AT $1.25 MILLION PER UNIT
A planned renovation at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs campus in West Los Angeles is raising questions about the cost and direction of housing development for homeless veterans.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the upper floor of historic Building 13 is being converted into 24 apartments, with the housing portion estimated to cost approximately $1.25 million per unit—potentially a record for affordable housing in California.
The complete project is estimated at $52 million, including approximately $22 million in VA funding for commercial and service areas on the ground floor. The VA says that space will provide food and grocery options, peer support, gathering areas and other services accessible to veterans living both on and off the campus.
Veterans advocates support providing housing but question whether renovating the 97-year-old building represents the best use of limited resources. One development expert told the Times that replacing the building could potentially have produced approximately 100 housing units instead of 24. Other advocates argue that Building 13 should serve as the campus town center envisioned in earlier plans, with community spaces, employment services and other amenities supporting veterans’ long-term well-being.
The debate comes as the VA faces continuing pressure and court orders to create thousands of temporary and permanent homes for veterans on its 388-acre West Los Angeles campus. It highlights a larger question: how can public resources provide the greatest number of veterans with safe housing while also creating the services, connection and community they need to rebuild their lives?
Read the full report:
Comments