According to CAGW, the CARES report identified 21 abandoned or underutilized buildings, out of 91 on the campus, that the VA says it has no use for, which could be turned into valuable resources. Also in the mix is the impending reorganization and modernization of the West LA medical facilities and the VA looked at the leasing of land as a way to help pay for it.

The CARES Stage Two Report on the property that came out August 24 notes that: “It is likely that reuse proceeds will provide a substantial offset to the significant capital investments required to render facilities modern, safe, and secure. It is prudent to maximize the potential value of vacant buildings and underutilized land to increase resources available to meet future veterans healthcare needs. Compatible development options that reduce underutilized portions of the campus have the potential to generate resources to provide additional services and/or pay for improvements to VA owned facilities.”

Seemed like a good idea at the time, until Feinstein inserted a provision into the 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Act to put the kibosh on on the plan. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), tried to add an amendment that would have undercut Feinstein’s prohibition of commercialization. On September 5, the Senate rejected the amendment 66-25, and Feinstein carried the day.

The West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus sits on 388 acres on both sides of Wilshire Boulevard, west of Interstate 405. The land was deeded to the federal government in 1888 for the exclusive use of veterans. Apparently, the VA has a different opinion about what “exclusive use” means, as it has allowed various private uses of the land, including leases for Enterprise Rental Car and Fox Entertainment Group.

Feinstein?s provision does several things. It prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from issuing enhanced-use lease agreements on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs property; expands the scope of the Cranston Act to cover all 388 acres of the site. The Act currently prohibits the sale of 109 acres, or roughly 29 percent of the site; and prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from exchanging, trading, auctioning or transferring any of the West Los Angeles VA land.

When it was deeded in 1888, following the Civil War, by two families to the federal government, the land was intended to be used specifically and permanently as an old soldiers? home, for the use of veterans. (Currently, California has over 2 million veterans).

With the number of disabled and elderly veterans growing at the end of the Civil War, the government responded by creating national homes throughout the U.S., akin to the Veterans Home in Yountville.

In March 1888, Senator John P. Jones and Arcadia B. de Baker donated their Santa Monica ranch lands in Southern California to establish the Pacific Branch of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The deed reads very specifically: “That whereas by an act of Congress approved March 2nd 1887 to provide for the location and erection of a branch home for the disabled volunteers soldiers West of the Rocky Mountains, the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers were authorized, empowered, and directed to locate, establish, construct and permanently maintain a branch of said National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.”

But it’s a lot of land in an tight market. In 1996, a 65,000-seat NFL Football stadium was proposed for the open space on the West LA VA until Congress stepped in and passed a resolution to prohibit it. The intent of the original deed was reiterated again in 2002 by then Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi when he visited the site, and again, when he issued a May 2004 decision regarding plans for the modernization of VA facilities elsewhere.

“What has happened here,” Feinstein said on the Senate floor before the vote, “is the Administration sees this land, dedicated to veterans, and says, ?Aha! There is a higher and better use for this land. We can make $4 billion if we lease out the unbuilt-upon part of this land.? And that?s what they have done, under the radar screen.

“Now, this is veterans land,” she continued. “This is land that was deeded to veterans. To be used by veterans. Not to be used by Fox movies. Not to be used by automobile rentals (both of which have current use leases). And the Administration admits that if they do this they can raise $4 billion in commercial rentals from this land, thereby taking this hospital, now in its park-like setting, and encrusting it with high-rise buildings along Wilshire Boulevard.”

According to Feinstein, the veterans community in LA is against the commercialization, as well as the Board of Supervisors, the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, the entire city council, State senators and Assembly persons, and neighbors surrounding the property who are already overwhelmed by traffic problems. Even the LA Time editorialized against it.

But CAGW has a different take on the matter, stating, “Sen. Feinstein wants to take away these additional sources of revenue and force taxpayers to continue to pay for the continued maintenance and liability of the excess property. The VA’s hands will be tied, the buildings will continue to languish, and funding for medical center improvements will have to be redirected from somewhere else.

According toe CAGW, Critics have speculated that Sen. Feinstein is going to bat for wealthy constituents concerned that development on the land would ruin the views from their homes and hurt property values. The VA center is surrounded by the ritzy towns of Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Bel-Air, home to many celebrities and country clubs–and no doubt a prime source of funding for Feinstein’s campaign chest.

“Whatever the motivation,” said a CAGW spokesperson, “the outcome of Sen. Feinstein’s plan would be harmful to veterans. For attempting to stymie the VA’s ability to cut waste and increase funding for improved veterans care at a time when our service men and women need it the most.”

From current leases, the West LA Veterans Administration recoups about $5 million dollars. There was no mention whether those leases would be rescinded. And the VA has to go back to the drawing board to find the money to modernize the facilities on the huge site.

Feinstein fights criticism of stand

against selling VA real estate

Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Thursday, September 20, 2007