This is the most difficult report I’ve ever had to write,. The entire presentation and all the speakers were so powerful, eloquent and so poignant that it’s impossible to capture on paper. I urge everyone to contact the videographer, Stephan Burrell at sburrell@att.net Cell phone: 818-519-1399 – office: 805-523-8437 and get the DVD. The cost is $15 but well worth it.
The Summit, hosted by the North Hills West Neighborhood Council, was a huge success. It was attended by over 160 Veterans and their supporters from all over the San Fernando Valley, Lancaster-Palmdale, Los Angeles and even Orange County. It should also be noted that many of the Veterans who attended were Commanders representing the members of various Veterans Service Organizations including VFW, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, American Legion, etc. There was not an empty seat in the house and although many had to stand during the meeting, no one seemed to mind.
Petitions were turned in signed by 472 Veterans in opposition to the proposed New Directions and A Community of Friends (ACOF) apartment complex at the Sepulveda VA. Hundreds more signed by non-veterans were also received. The petitions are still being circulated and opponents hope to gather thousands of signatures in the next few weeks.
Special guests included Millie Jones, Deputy to County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, and Hannah Lee, Deputy to City Councilman Greig Smith.
Conspicuous by their absence were Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Congressmen Brad Sherman and Henry Waxman. Yaroslavsky’s district includes both the Sepulveda and West Los Angeles VA. facilities. The Sepulveda VA is in Sherman’s district 27 and the West Los Angeles VA is in Waxman’s district.
Also in attendance were representatives of the developers A Community of Friends (ACOF) and New Directions (ND), Ben Rosen, Toni Reinis and 3 or 4 of their employees. As a courtesy, the Veterans let Ben Rosen speak at the start of the Summit in support of their proposed conversion of two medical buildings into a 147 unit low income apartment complex plus two managers units.. The development is being marketed as housing for homeless Veterans. Rosen also presented a letter from HUD stating that “housing restricted to Veterans is permissible under the Fair Housing Act so long as the restriction does not operate to exclude a class protected by the Act” However, the letter goes on to state “There may be HUD program requirements that would not permit the housing to be limited to veterans or which set specific admissions criteria.”
Rosen was followed by keynote speaker Michael Gombar, past Cmdr. American Legion California, who thoroughly denounced the letter, the proposed ACOF/ND development at Sepulveda. and the 75-year Enhanced Use Leases between the VA and the private sector developers.
They were followed by Veteran keynote speakers, Ernie Hilger, Jerry Schwartz, Tesa Becica, Lawrence Van Kuran who was also the moderator, Robert Rosebrock, Steve Palmer and Bob Handy. One by one they presented the case against the 75 year Enhanced Use Leases (EUL) between the VA and private sector developers at both Sepulveda and West Los Angeles (WLA). The Veterans proved the 75-year Leases between the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and developers, ACOF and ND are not about housing for homeless Veterans, they are about property disposal. The Leases are governed by Chapter 5 of the VA’s Asset Management Plan, Disposal Authority. The sole purpose of the EUL is to allow the VA to lease Veterans Land to Private Sector Developers and clear the way for the VA to dispose of unwanted Veterans lands. They pointed out that the Leases can be altered or amended at any time, can be reassigned to other lessees and that the Secretary Dept. of Veterans Affairs (DVA) can sell or simply transfer all rights, title and interest in the property to the lessees at any time during the 75 years.
In the Sepulveda case, the developers must obtain a Zone Variance from the City of L.A. The Associate Zoning Administrator has denied their application for the Variance. However, ACOF and ND will either appeal the decision to the North Valley Area Planning Commission or just file a new application and start the process all over again.
Robert Rosebrock showed photos of private sector developments at WLA which include a 16 acre public park where housing for homeless Veterans could have been built by the VA but instead is now home to carnivals, wine tasting events and all sorts of other activities none of which benefit the Veterans. He, as did all the speakers warned that if the Sepulveda VA project is allowed to go forward, not only will the Veterans lose the two medical buildings 4 and 5, the 7.05 acres on which they stand but ultimately the entire 160 acres so the Veterans will lose not only their land but their medical facility forever.
The Veterans made it clear that whether or not the apartment complex is for Veterans only is not the issue. The Veterans want buildings 4 and 5, which are clean and in excellent condition, refurbished and staffed as medical buildings, their hospital rebuilt and Sepulveda VA restored as a full service medical center, starting with buildings 4 and 5.
Veteran after Veteran stated that, even if the apartments were exclusively for homeless veterans, they would house only 147 permanently, while re-commissioned as medical buildings, 4 and 5 would house 300-350 Veterans undergoing treatment at any given time. They pointed out that housing for homeless veterans is important but (a) homelessness is not a medical condition, (b) homeless veterans can be housed anywhere and (c) if the VA really cared about homeless Veterans they build all the housing they want on VA property without approval from anyone.
Surprise speakers during the Veteran’s personal comment segment were Mark S. Reed, a Native American Veteran who is also running for Congressman Sherman’s seat.next year, and Dennis DeYoung, President Northridge West Neighborhood Council. DeYoung asked for a show of hands of those in support of the Sepulveda project. Only the 4 or 5 ACOF and ND representatives raised their hands. DeYoung then asked for a show of hands by those opposed and the entire audience raised their hands.
Other Veterans who spoke in opposition to the Sepulveda VA project during the Personal Comment segment were
Dave Culmer, Director American Legion L.A. County Counci Svc. Dept. and Chair L.A. County Veterans Advisory Commission.
Bob Schol, Sr. Accredited Svc. Officer Sepulveda VA, American Legion, LA Cnty Council Svc. Dept.
Garry Fordyce, Vietnam Veteran
Juan Serrano American Legion San Fernando Post 176
Jill Bosch Vietnam era Veteran and Sepulveda VA patient’
Sam Cordova World War II Veteran re[resenting USMC Combat Veterans
Ivan Forbes, World War II Veteran
Rodney Allen Rippy spoke for Jessica Francis, dependent child of a three war Veteran, not deceased, who has been denied her survivor benefits. The Greater Los Angeles VA paid the benefits instead to Jessica’s stepmother who was divorced from her father at the time of his death. The Courts have upheld Ms. Francis claim and have so notified the VA but she still is not receiving the benefits to which she is legally entitled
Affiliations of Keynote Speakers:
Moderator and speaker Lawrence Van Kuran, Adjutant American Legion 20th Ddistrict
Michael Gombar, American Legion Past Cmdr. California
Ernie Hilger disabled Veteran, Member Disabled American Veterans
Jerry Schwartz 100% disabled Vietnam Veteran, lifetime member Disabled American Veterans
Tesa Becica, 100% disabled Vietnam veteran and board member rep. of San Fernando Valley Historical Society,
Robert Rosebrock, Director The Veterans Revolution, co-Director We The Veterans, Staff Writer Veterans Today, member American Legion Press Association
Steve Palmer, Disabled World War II Veteran’
Bob Handy, Chairman Veterans United For Truth, Inc, Chairman Veterans Caucus of the CA Democratic Party.
Also conspicuous by their absence were ,members of the main stream media, including the local radio and TV stations. It’s sad that they did not feel the Veterans are important enough to cover this major story and event, especially just before Memorial Day. . It was interesting to note that Wednesday afternoon, KCAL-TV (channel 9) did a piece on some little old ladies in South Pasadena who bake cookies for the troops overseas. Apparently, that to them is an important story! The Summit was covered by the San Fernando Sun and North Valley Reporter.
Peggy Burgess
Member North Hills West NC Land Use Committee