Protections Sought for West Los Angeles Veterans’ Facility
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Tuesday introduced a bill that would extend development restrictions to the entire West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus, the Los Angeles Times reports. Development has been restricted on 109 acres of the 388-acre campus since 1988.
More than one million veterans live within 50 miles of the West Los Angeles campus, the California Department of Veterans Affairs estimates. The campus includes the largest veterans' medical center in the U.S.
Waxman's bill would bar any portion of the campus from being sold or used for commercial development, ideas that have been pitched in recent years to help raise funds. The measure also would require the federal VA to complete a master plan to help guarantee that the campus will be equipped to meet veterans' future needs.
Jose Llamas -- a spokesperson for VA in Washington, D.C. -- declined to comment on the legislation (Groves, Los Angeles Times, 5/9).