Many of you received a letter dated May 20, 2009 from developers A Community of Friends (ACOF) and New Directions (ND) stating that they will “guarantee rentals to Veterans only.†That is just another smokescreen, folks, do not be deceived! And do not be confused! Nothing has changed. They still have to get a Zone Variance from the City This letter is just another publicity stunt in their ongoing efforts to turn the tide of public opinion in their favor.
Whether their 147 apartments are or are not for Veterans only, is not the issue!
What they don’t tell you is that the letter from HUD, attached FYI, is very ambiguous. Also, the VA Leases must be amended accordingly. That, however, is no problem because pursuant to Article 7, Section B.4, the Leases can be amended or altered at any time for any reason., see letter to Ed Bradley Department of Veterans Affairs also attached FYI. So, the VA can amend the Leases today to state “Housing for Veterans Only,†then if the project somehow gets approved by The City Of L.A., or some other entity, they can be re-amended to their original state which does not allow housing for Veterans only or to some other non-veteran related use.
This is a high density development; an apartment complex, that is not and would not be allowed in single family residential zoned neighborhood (RA-RS) which surrounds it and apartments are also not allowed in the PF (public facility zone) on which the VA Medical Center stands. The only difference in this development and any other is that it happens to be on VA property which is surrounded by single family residences. That’s why the developers must get a zoning variance from the City of L.A.
This is a giant land grab. 7.05 acres of Veterans Land. These are medical buildings, clean and in good condition which can easily and inexpensively be refurbished and staffed to house 300-350 Veterans while undergoing treatment at any given time. Those apartments will house only147 permanently. Thousands of veterans will be returning here from Iraq and Afghanistan, they will need medical care and treatment, not apartments. The 150,000 aging and disabled Veterans who currently rely on the Sepulveda VA for medical services, need medical buildings, not apartments.
Note: I have the photos of the interiors taken Feb. 19, 2009 and will be happy to email them to you upon request.
The Veterans, this community, their supporters and the coalition of Neighborhood Councils opposed to this project want the following:
Buildings 4 and 5 refurbished and staffed as medical buildings to serve the majority of Veterans
The VA hospital rebuilt
The Sepulveda VA restored as a full service hospital-medical center beginning with buildings 4 and 5
The developers ACOF and ND would have us believe this is housing for homeless and disabled Veterans, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s doubtful any homeless person, Veteran or non-Veteran could even meet the occupancy requirements. See attached.
Developers; estimated 2004 cost to convert buildings 4 and 5 to 147 apartments plus 2 manages units: $40 million, and much more today! $40 million dollars of your money, taxpayer money! There are independent contractors’ estimates that the same complex could be built from scratch anywhere else for $100,000 per unit.
ACOF and ND would have us believe that they will spend all that money, out of the kindness of their hearts, to develop a profit making (because make no mistake that’s what it will be) enterprise and then just give it back at the end of 75 years. It’s not rocket science folks. Ask any developer.
These so-called non profits will get the buildings, all improvements, the land (7.05 acres) plus 90% of the film making revenue all for nothing! In 2005 the VA projected the 2009 film revenue and film company donations at over $5 million and over $7 million in 2010!
The developers are spending vast amounts of money to promote this apartment development. They’ have a huge staff, unlimited funds, a high priced publicist, have traveled all over the State and to Washington to promote this project. They, like all developers, have misled the public, the Veterans and the politicians and will stop at nothing to get their hands on Veterans land. They know that the politicians and their deputies will not take the time to read the leases, the Asset Management Plan or any of the documents involved so its’ easy to sell them a bill of goods.
They made one mistake, however, they did not count on the North Hills West Neighborhood Council Land Use Committee and those of other Neighborhood Councils. We deal with developers and land use issues every day. We know developers lie and that nothing is ever what it appears to be. So we investigate everything. We took the time to read the leases which, by the way, we had to get from the Freedom of Information Act because the VA and the developers would not give them to us! They are now available to everyone at www.va4vets,org. You can download them or simply read them on line and we urge you to do so. We have read and studied all the documents related to this project. I have also attached the VA’s Asset Management Plan, which governs the leases, you only have to read the first page of Chapter 5, page 43, “Property Disposal†to get the picture. Get the VA Asset Management Plan here.
There are several other documents involved, two are notable the VA’s Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Findings of Non-Significant Impact (FONSI). These two documents even call into question the amount of land involved. The Leases state 7.05 acres. However, the EA and the FONSi state 14.22 acres. Since the leases can be amended at any, if this project is approved, there is nothing to prevent the VA amending the leases to 14.22 acres instead of 7.05.
We are in the process of putting together a complete fact sheet but wanted to get this out to all of you today because we’re getting dozens of calls and emails from concerned neighbors and Veterans as to what the ACOF/ND letter means. Like I said, it means nothing!
Meanwhile, also attached is a petition we need your help with. Please print it off, sign, get your family, neighbors and friends to sign and return to the NHWNC Land Use Committee, P.O. Box 2190, North Hills CA 91393. I know many of you are shut ins and can’t get out but please sign the petition and return it. Every signature counts. Forward it on to everyone you know in the San Fernando, Antelope, Santa Clarita and Simi Valleys. We must defeat this project,and save the Sepulveda VA . We need everyone’s help to do it.
I also have a supply of preprinted petitions you can pick up from me or at the NHWNC Land Use Committee Meeting on Wednesday, June 3, at 7 PM at Holy Martyrs Armenian School, 16617 Parthenia St. (corner of Hayvenhurst). You can also return signed petitions to us then.
In haste,
Peggy Burgess
Stakeholder, member NHWNC Land Use Committee