Exigir responsabilidades a la Administración de Veteranos por no proporcionar vivienda y asistencia sanitaria a los veteranos discapacitados
UPDATE, SEP. 6, 2024: Judge Carter has issued a groundbreaking ruling in favor of disabled veterans, mandating sweeping changes at the VA’s West LA Campus and ordering the construction of thousands of new supportive housing units. Read more here.
Durante décadas, el Departamento de Asuntos de los Veteranos (VA) ha incumplido su deber de proporcionar vivienda y asistencia sanitaria a los veteranos que han luchado en guerras, han defendido las libertades estadounidenses y han hecho enormes sacrificios personales. Además, el VA se ha negado a proporcionar viviendas y servicios adecuados en su extenso campus de 388 acres en el oeste de Los Ángeles, un terreno donado al VA en 1888 específicamente para crear un hogar para veteranos con discapacidades. Como resultado de los fracasos de la VA, casi 4.000 veteranos se encuentran sin hogar en Los Ángeles en una noche cualquiera, lo que representa el 10% de todos los veteranos sin vivienda en todo el país.
En noviembre de 2022, catorce valientes veteranos sin hogar y la Fundación Nacional de Veteranos presentaron una demanda contra el gobierno federal por no proporcionar vivienda y asistencia sanitaria a los veteranos con discapacidades. Todos los veteranos que interponen esta demanda sufren graves discapacidades, como TEPT y lesiones cerebrales traumáticas. Pretenden conseguir servicios coordinados de vivienda y atención sanitaria, o viviendas de apoyo permanente (PSH, por sus siglas en inglés), para todos los veteranos sin vivienda de Los Ángeles.
Cuando los veteranos regresan del servicio, muchos se enfrentan a consecuencias desalentadoras para toda la vida, como depresión, enfermedades mentales graves, trastorno de estrés postraumático, lesiones cerebrales traumáticas y adicción. Estos problemas hacen que innumerables veteranos sean incapaces de reanudar plenamente su vida civil, mantener relaciones familiares, conservar un empleo, proseguir sus estudios o incluso conservar una residencia permanente. Sin servicios coordinados de vivienda y atención sanitaria, los veteranos con discapacidades importantes no pueden acceder a los servicios de tratamiento mental y físico a los que tienen derecho y que necesitan desesperadamente.
El exuberante campus de 388 acres de West LA fue donado al VA en 1888 para proporcionar vivienda y asistencia sanitaria a los veteranos. Pero el VA no ofrece, ni en sus terrenos ni dentro de su área de servicio, nada que se acerque a una Vivienda de Apoyo Permanente adecuada y coordinada con los servicios médicos, de salud mental y otros servicios de apoyo que necesitan los veteranos con enfermedades mentales graves o lesiones cerebrales en sus terrenos o dentro de su área de servicio. En su lugar, la VA ha firmado contratos ilegales de arrendamiento de los terrenos, que incluyen campos deportivos y aparcamientos para un exclusivo colegio privado, un complejo de béisbol de última generación para la UCLA y perforaciones petrolíferas para extraer petróleo de los terrenos vecinos. El propio inspector general de la VA ha dejado claro que estos arrendamientos son contrarios tanto a sus obligaciones legales como a la intención de los contribuyentes de nuestra nación.
Más de 4.000 veteranos solían llamar hogar al VA WLA y, en el momento de la presentación de la demanda, había menos de 50 unidades de vivienda permanente en toda la propiedad. La construcción de viviendas se retrasa continuamente, se da prioridad a proyectos de construcción no relacionados con la vivienda y el VA sigue arrendando ilegalmente terrenos destinados a alojar a veteranos, incumpliendo la ley.
En 2011 se interpuso una demanda para hacer frente a la discriminación por discapacidad de estos veteranos e impugnar los acuerdos de uso del suelo y la supuesta violación de la escritura. Aunque el VA se comprometió a construir 1.200 unidades de nuevas viviendas de apoyo permanente -770 de las cuales deberían haberse completado ya-, prácticamente no se ha construido ninguna vivienda de apoyo hasta 2022. En 2017 se firmaron contratos de arrendamiento para 55 unidades. Desde entonces, se han iniciado 387 unidades, pero en el momento de la presentación de la demanda, ninguna se había completado.
La demanda de 2022 exige que el VA cumpla sus compromisos de proporcionar Viviendas de Apoyo Permanente adecuadas para que los veteranos con discapacidades puedan acceder a las prestaciones sanitarias y de vivienda a las que tienen derecho. También solicita una orden judicial que prohíba al VA suscribir acuerdos de uso del suelo que no "beneficien principalmente a los veteranos" y violen el fideicomiso benéfico creado en nombre de los veteranos con discapacidades.
El 15 de mayo de 2023, los demandantes presentaron una demanda enmendada, persiguiendo una acción colectiva contra el VA en nombre de todos los veteranos sin hogar que residen en el condado de LA. Además, la demanda fue ampliada ya que el VA continúa fallando a los veteranos, forzándolos a las calles. La demanda enmendada incluyó como demandados a Marcia L. Fudge, Secretaria del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD), y a Douglas Guthrie, Presidente y Director General de la Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de Los Ángeles (HACLA).
Los demandantes están representados por Public Counsel, Inner City Law Center y los bufetes de abogados Brown, Goldstein & Levy y Robins Kaplan LLP.
Tribunal
Tribunal de Distrito de EE.UU. para el Distrito Central de California
Estado
Judgment in Favor of Plaintiffs
Caso No.
2:22-cv-08357
Archivado en
11/15/2022
Casos y acontecimientos clave
Judge Issues Post-Trial Ruling in Favor of Disabled Veterans
Judge Carter issues a groundbreaking ruling in favor of disabled veterans, mandating sweeping changes at the VA’s West LA Campus and ordering the construction of thousands of new supportive housing units.
Documentos
Order Denying Defendant’s Motion in Limine
Judge Carter rules that the Defendants’ Motion in Limine (Dkt. 206) is DENIED.
Documentos
Judge Rules VA Housing Policy Discriminates Against Disabled Vets in Summary Judgment Decision
Federal Judge David O. Carter issued a landmark ruling: “…the Court GRANTS IN PART Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment. Specifically, the Court holds that the VA’s practice of leasing its land to third-party housing developers who use restrictive income limitations facially discriminates against veterans based on their disabilities.… Further, the Court holds that the government’s acceptance of the land transferred under the 1888 Deed created a charitable trust, and the VA has enforceable fiduciary duties to veterans under the charitable trust.”
Documentos
Peticiones de desestimación denegadas
El juez de distrito David Carter denegó las peticiones de sobreseimiento del gobierno.
Documentos
Amicus Brief presentado en nombre de juristas
La ACLU, en nombre de los juristas Erwin Chemerinsky, David Marcus, Pamela Karlan, Judith Resnik, Laurence Tribe, Michael Wishnie y Adam Zimmerman, ha presentado un escrito amicus curiae en apoyo de la oposición de los demandantes a la petición de desestimación del Gobierno.
Documentos
Los veteranos prosiguen su demanda colectiva y amplían su denuncia
Los demandantes presentaron una demanda enmendada, persiguiendo una acción colectiva contra el VA en nombre de todos los veteranos sin hogar que residen en el condado de Los Ángeles. También se amplió la demanda, ya que la VA sigue fallando a los veteranos, obligándoles a vivir en la calle. La demanda enmendada incluyó como demandados a Marcia L. Fudge, Secretaria del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD), y a Douglas Guthrie, Presidente y Director General de la Autoridad de Vivienda de la Ciudad de Los Ángeles (HACLA).
HUD y HACLA no han utilizado su autoridad de financiación para abordar las necesidades de los veteranos sin hogar en Los Ángeles, negándose a trabajar con el VA para financiar la construcción de viviendas en el West Los Angeles Medical Center & Community Living Center Grounds (VA WLA Grounds) y negándose a financiar los vales HUD-VASH (que permiten a los veteranos acceder a los servicios de salud del VA) a precios que permitirían a los veteranos con discapacidades vivir cerca de los servicios médicos del VA. Además, el llamado programa de vales para proporcionar alojamiento temporal ha sido un fracaso abismal en Los Ángeles. El HUD y la HACLA han limitado la cuantía de los vales a precios de alquiler inferiores a los del mercado y a lugares como Lancaster, que imposibilitan el acceso a los servicios de salud mental y física que los veteranos discapacitados necesitan desesperadamente en los terrenos de la VA en el oeste de Los Ángeles. El resultado es que el VA, el HUD y la HACLA han dejado a miles de veteranos en las calles de Los Ángeles.
Documentos
Denuncia presentada
Catorce veteranos sin hogar y la Fundación Nacional de Veteranos presentaron una demanda contra el gobierno federal por no proporcionar vivienda y asistencia sanitaria a veteranos con discapacidades. Todos los veteranos que interponen esta demanda sufren graves discapacidades, como TEPT y lesiones cerebrales traumáticas. Pretenden que se garanticen servicios coordinados de vivienda y atención sanitaria, o viviendas de apoyo permanente (PSH, por sus siglas en inglés), para todos los veteranos sin vivienda de Los Ángeles. Sin estas viviendas, los veteranos con discapacidades importantes no pueden acceder a los servicios de tratamiento físico y mental a los que tienen derecho y que necesitan desesperadamente.
Documentos
Clientes
"Lo peor de la guerra no debería ser volver a casa. Cada semana, nuestro equipo de ayuda sale a campamentos de personas sin hogar, trabajando en las calles más malvadas de Los Ángeles, donde encontramos grandes comunidades con veteranos incrustados en ellas. Vemos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas viviendo en condiciones de miseria peores que las que yo vi en Vietnam. Nunca puedes volver a casa si no tienes hogar. ¿Cómo es posible que nuestra ciudad sea la capital de los veteranos sin hogar de Estados Unidos? Espero que mi gobierno opte por unirse, no resistirse, a los guerreros en armas en su última y más importante lucha de todas: la lucha por sobrevivir y prosperar." -ShadMeshad, Fundador y Presidente de la Fundación Nacional de Veteranos
- Jeffrey Powers
- Deavin Sessom
- Laurieann Wright
- Samuel Castellanos
- Joseph Fields
- Lavon Johnson
- Billy Edwards
- Jessica Miles
- Joshua Robert Petitt
"Me alisté el 13 de septiembre de 2001, en respuesta a los atentados del 11-S, y serví en algunos de los peores combates de Irak. La mitad de mi unidad murió o resultó herida, y recibí tres Corazones Púrpuras. Ahora tengo TEPT. Se supone que tengo servicios de la VA. Pero tengo que vivir en un cobertizo en el campus de Los Ángeles Oeste para poder recibir tratamiento. Cumplí con mi deber. Creo que la VA debería cumplir lo que me prometió". -JoshPetitt
- Glenn Surrette
- Naryan Stibbie
Organizaciones asociadas
Rob Reynolds con el grupo de defensa AMVETS.
"La Administración de Veteranos de Los Ángeles Oeste tiene 388 acres de propiedad que fueron donados y cedidos para ser un hogar para veteranos discapacitados a perpetuidad. La propiedad funcionó como hogar para veteranos durante casi 80 años hasta que la VA empezó a arrendar ilegalmente el terreno y a dejar que los edificios se deterioraran. Como resultado, los veteranos están muriendo en nuestras calles, y Los Ángeles se ha convertido en la capital nacional de los veteranos sin hogar." - Rob Reynolds
Equipo jurídico
Consejo Público
- Mark Rosenbaum, Senior Special Counsel for Strategic Litigation
- Kathryn Eidmann, President & CEO
- Amanda Mangaser Savage, Sullivan & Cromwell Strategic Litigation Counsel
- Amelia Piazza, Staff Attorney
- Yi Li, Stanford Fellow
- Suzanne Castillo, Organizer/Paralegal
- Juliette Ford, Paralegal
Co-Consejero
Centro Jurídico de la Ciudad Interior
Inner City Law Center lucha por la vivienda y la justicia para inquilinos con bajos ingresos, familias trabajadoras pobres, inmigrantes, personas con VIH/SIDA u otras discapacidades y veteranos sin hogar. ICLC, el único proveedor de servicios jurídicos ubicado en Skid Row, aboga por políticas de vivienda equitativas y presta servicios jurídicos para prevenir y poner fin a la situación de las personas sin hogar. Desde 1998, el Proyecto de Veteranos sin Hogar de ICLC ha prestado servicios a veteranos con discapacidades que viven sin una vivienda adecuada o estable para garantizar las prestaciones, la atención sanitaria y la vivienda a las que tienen derecho como consecuencia de su servicio.
Fundado en 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy es un bufete de 20 abogados con sede en Baltimore, Maryland, y una oficina en Washington, DC. El bufete ha mantenido una próspera práctica nacional llevando casos de todo tipo, desde litigios comerciales y derechos civiles hasta defensa penal y derecho de familia complejo. Por encima de todo, Brown, Goldstein & Levy es un bufete de abogados centrado en el cliente y tiene décadas de experiencia en la defensa apasionada y eficaz de las luchas de nuestros clientes por la justicia.
Robins Kaplan es uno de los principales bufetes de abogados litigantes del país, con más de 220 abogados ubicados en Bismarck, N.D.; Boston; Los Ángeles; Minneapolis; Naples, Fla; Nueva York; Silicon Valley; y Sioux Falls, S.D. El bufete litiga, media y arbitra disputas complejas y de alto riesgo, ganando repetidamente reconocimiento nacional. Entre los clientes del bufete figuran, tanto como demandantes como demandados, numerosas empresas de la lista Fortune 500, empresas de mercados emergentes, empresarios y particulares.
Pulse
Comunicadosde prensa
- Federal Judge Issues Groundbreaking Ruling in Favor of Disabled Veterans, 9/6/24
- Veterans’ Lawsuit Sparks Major HUD Policy Change, Expanding Access to Affordable Housing for Disabled Vets, 8/8/24
- Historic Trial to Hold VA Accountable for Failing to Provide Housing and Healthcare for Disabled Veterans Begins This Week, 8/6/24
- U.S. District Court Allows Veterans’ Claims for Housing to Go Forward, 12/14/23
- Una demanda busca acabar con la indigencia de los veteranos discapacitados de Los Ángeles, 15/11/22
Historias de los medios de comunicación
- CNN, VA ordered to build thousands more homes for veterans on West Los Angeles campus, 9/6/24
- LA Times, VA must build more housing on West L.A. campus, and UCLA and Brentwood School leases are illegal, judge rules, 9/6/24
- NPR, LA homeless veterans win decades-long fight in new court ruling, 9/6/24
- NBC News, Judge orders VA to build more housing for homeless veterans in Los Angeles, 9/6/24
- ABC 7, Judge blasts Veterans Affairs, orders more housing on West L.A. campus, 9/6/24
- LAist, Judge orders thousands more homes for unhoused veterans, calls out ‘broken promises, corruption and neglect’, 9/6/24
- NBC 4, West LA VA campus ordered by judge to build more housing, 9/7/24
- LA Times, “VA’s illegal leases on West L.A. campus pose a tough choice for a federal judge,” 8/27/24
- Long Lead, “Judge Carter tours the West Los Angeles VA property,” 8/22/24
- KTLA 5, “Federal judge tours West L.A. VA campus amid lawsuit over housing,” 8/21/24
- NBC4 News, “Judge tours West LA land use for homeless veterans,” 8/21/24
- News Nation, “VA changes rental, housing assistance rules for disabled veterans,” 8/11/24
- Task and Purpose, “VA changes rules, expands housing assistance for disabled veterans,” 8/10/24
- ABC7, “HUD eases income requirements to help disabled homeless veterans get housing,” 8/9/24
- KQED, “Advocates Applaud Changes that Will Help Disabled Veterans Find Housing,” 8/9/24
- Military.com, “Housing Agency Scraps Catch-22-Type Rule That Kept Disabled Homeless Vets from Receiving Rent Vouchers,” 8/9/24
- NBC News, “More disabled homeless veterans may qualify for subsidized housing,” 8/8/24
- LA Times, “U.S. Housing officials to scrap a rule that denies housing to the most disabled veterans,” 8/8/24
- LAist, “Federal government ends policy that blocked unhoused LA veterans from housing,” 8/8/24
- Stars and Stripes, “Disability income for veterans will no longer disqualify them from rental assistance,” 8/8/24
- HousingWire, “HUD expands supportive housing program for veterans,” 8/8/24
- Home of the Brave, “Day 1: Opening Statements in Powers v. McDonough,” 8/7/24
- Spectrum News 1, “Landmark trial underway against Veteran Affairs department over housing,” 8/7/24
- CNN, “Veterans Affairs Dept. on trial over housing for homeless vets,” 8/7/24
- Fox11, “Homeless vets head to trial against VA,” 8/6/24
- Fox11, “Veterans file lawsuit demanding permanent housing for homeless Los Angeles vets,” 8/6/24
- LA Times, “After half a century of grievances, veterans’ housing demands on West L.A. VA campus go to trial,” 8/5/24
- The Nation, “…Homeless Vets Sue the VA,” 7/31/24
- LA Times, “VA housing policy discriminates against disabled veterans, federal judge rules,” 7/15/24
- LAist, “Judge finds illegal discrimination blocks some disabled veterans from housing at West LA VA campus,” 7/15/24
- Courthouse News, “Judge blasts VA for renting out land meant to house homeless vets,” 7/15/24
- LAW360, “VA Campus Income Limits are Discriminatory Judge Finds,” 7/15/24
- MyNewsLA, “Judge: VA’s Land Leasing in West LA Discriminates Against Disabled Veterans,” 7/15/24
- CNN, "Essu tierra: Judge Green-Lights Veterans' Lawsuit Against Government,"18/12/23
- LA Times, "Veterans' demand for more housing in West Los Angeles to go forward in federal court," 18/12/23
- Daily Journal, "Federal Judge warns VA to settle case over homeless veterans," 18/12/23
- KNX, "Lawsuit pursuing housing for L.A. veterans to move forward,"18/12/23
- Stars and Stripes, "Un juez de California rechaza detener una demanda colectiva que exige viviendas para veteranos discapacitados", 14/12/23
- LAist,"'Historic' Ruling Paves Way To House LA's Unhoused Veterans With Disabilities, Attorney Says," 12/14/23
- Westside Current, "Veterans' Lawsuit Against VA Over Homelessness Crisis Nears Trial," 9/25/23
- Vigour Times, "Progressive Legal Action Advances in the Battle for Housing Homeless Veterans in LA," 9/21/23
- My News LA, "Lawsuit Seeking Housing for Homeless LA Veterans Moves Forward," 21/9/23
- LA Times, "Veterans' claims over misuse of the VA West L.A. campus may go to trial," 20/9/23
- LAist, "Veteranos sin vivienda: High-profile VA case will go forward,"9/18/23
- Santa Monica Mirror, "Latest Twist in Veterans Fight Over Land Use at West L.A VA," 8/14/23
- LAist, "LA's Veterans Fight To Secure Housing: 'It Took Me 10 Years To Get Here',"17/7/23
- LAist, "A Bureaucratic Mix-Up Blocked Disabled Veterans From Housing. That's Changing After LAist Asked Questions,"17/7/23
- LAist, "120 nuevos apartamentos para veteranos sin vivienda estaban 'listos para mudarse'. Months Later, Most Sit Empty,"13/7/23
- LA Times, "Vets must fight bureaucratic war to get promised VA housing in L.A,"19/6/23
- LAist, "Unhoused Veterans Will Get New Apartments in West LA, Though VA Is Years Behind On Its Promises," 5/2/23
- PBS NewsHour, “The obstacles preventing homeless veterans from finding housing in Los Angeles,” 4/28/23
- CNN, "New housing opens for 59 homeless veterans on VA land in Los Angeles - 6 years after 1,200 units were promised," 2/28/23
- Invisible People, "Veterans Sue VA, City of LA for Failure to Provide Adequate Housing," 30/11/22
- US Times Post, "Lawsuit demands housing on VA's West Los Angeles campus", 17/11/22
- Vets Advocacy Newsletter, "Attorneys and advocates announce lawsuit to end homelessness for veterans in LA," 17/11/22
- CNN, "Veterans sue VA demanding land be used for homes and not rented out to a college and private school," 16/11/22
- LA Times, "Lawsuit seeks to speed housing on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus," 16/11/22
- KCRW, "Homeless veterans in Los Angeles sue VA, demanding housing," 16/11/22
- Courthouse News, "Homeless vets sue over lack of housing on West LA campus," 11/16/22
- MyNewsLA.com, "Lawsuit Seeks Housing for Homeless Veterans at VA Campus in West LA," 16/11/22
- KFI AM, "Lawsuit Seeks Housing for Homeless Veterans at VA Campus in West LA," 16/11/22
- Washington Examiner, "VA sued by homeless veterans in Los Angeles over broken housing promise,"16/11/22
- NPR, "Homeless veterans in Los Angeles sue the VA over promised housing," 16/11/22
Landmark Trial: Powers v. McDonough
A historic trial will commence on Agosto 6, 2024, in Los Angeles to address the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) failure to redress veteran homelessness and provide permanent supportive housing and healthcare for disabled veterans, with national implications for how the VA manages veteran care and fulfills its obligations to those who have served and suffered traumatic injuries. It is the most significant trial in the nation’s history examining how the federal government treats our veterans.
WHEN: The trial starts on Agosto 6, 2024, at 8:30 A.M. PDT, and is expected to run through Agosto.
WHERE: U.S. Courthouse, 350 W. First Street, Courtroom 1, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
WHO: The legal team will call an extensive array of witnesses, including formerly unhoused veterans, real estate expert Steve Soboroff; Dr. Benjamin Henwood, Professor of Social Policy and Health at USC; veteran advocates; VA leadership; and HUD representatives.
WITNESSES & DATES
*Dates will be updated as the trial progresses.
Full list of plaintiffs’ proposed witnesses here.
| NAME | TESTIMONY DATE* | NATURE OF TESTIMONY |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Carrillo | Completed (Aug. 6) | Mr. Carrillo is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Bandini Foundation. Mr. Carillo was also previously the President of the Santa Monica Historical Society and the President of Los Californians. Mr. Carrillo is expected to testify about the historical use of the WLA Grounds, the 388-acre parcel that was donated to the VA. |
| Shad Meshad | Completed (Aug. 6) | Mr. Meshad is the Founder and President of the National Veterans Foundation (“NVF”). NVF is a veteran-run organization located in Los Angeles that provides life-sustaining services for veterans throughout the country, but in particular for unhoused veterans living on the streets of Los Angeles. The NVF’s Homeless Veteran Outreach Program provides outreach missions each week to areas of Los Angeles with high concentrations of homeless individuals to assist unhoused veterans living in encampments and other circumstances obtain food, water, and, for the past few years, supplies to reduce the likelihood of contracting COVID-19. The Street Outreach team identifies homeless veterans and works to get them into programs that will get them off the streets. This work is an integral part of NVF’s mission to stop veteran suicide, the rates of which are double that of non-veteran counterparts. |
| Rob Reynolds | Completed (Aug. 6-7) | Mr. Reynolds is a veteran and currently an independent contractor for Concourse Federal. Mr. Reynolds is intimately familiar with Plaintiffs and their housing situation and is expected to provide testimony regarding his attempts to assist homeless veterans obtain housing, including daily outreach to homeless veterans. He is an advocate for veterans and will testify regarding his efforts to unsuccessfully work with Federal Defendants and the problems that persist. |
| Jeffrey Powers | Completed (Aug. 8) | Mr. Powers is a veteran with a 90% service-connected disability rating. Mr. Powers is expected to provide testimony about his efforts to obtain treatment and permanent supportive housing from Federal Defendants and the obstacles that he has encountered in trying to obtain treatment for his service-connected disability |
| Benjamin Henwood | Agosto 9 | Dr. Henwood is a licensed clinical social worker and the Frances L. and Robert G. Feldman Professor of Social Policy and Health at USC. He is expected to provide expert testimony regarding the definition of permanent supportive housing, the target population that permanent supportive housing was designed to serve, the evidence base for permanent supportive housing, key elements for its effectiveness, and its importance in addressing veteran homelessness. |
| Sally Hammitt | Completed (Aug. 8) | Ms. Hammitt is the Chief of the Community Engagement & Reintegration Service at VAGLAHS. She is expected to testify about the by-name list and the number of homeless veterans in the Greater Los Angeles Area. In addition, Ms. Hammit is expected to provide testimony regarding the services that VAGLAHS provides to homeless veterans and the efforts to secure housing for veterans. |
| Alan Trinh | Agosto 9 | Mr. Trinh is the acting Executive Director for Ambulatory Care for VAGLAHS. Prior to his current position, Mr. Trinh was the Chief of the Office of Strategic, Facility and Master Planning and oversaw the development and implementation of the master plan including the infrastructure for the construction projects on the campus. |
| John Kuhn | Aug. 9 & 12 | Mr. Kuhn is the Deputy Medical Center Director of VAGLAHS. Mr. Kuhn is responsible for the VA’s efforts in providing housing and services to homeless veterans in the Greater Los Angeles area, including efforts to secure permanent housing and temporary housing for homeless veterans. |
| Steven Braverman | Agosto 12-13 | Dr. Braverman is the Interim VISN 22 Network Director of the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network. He was previously appointed as the Medical Center Director of the VAGLAHS. He is expected to provide testimony regarding the operations of VAGLAHS and activities as well as the implantation of the master plans for the WLA Grounds. |
| Keith Harris | Agosto 13 | Mr. Harris is the Senior Executive Homelessness Agent for VAGLAHS. He is expected to provide testimony regarding the implementation of the master plan on the WLA Grounds and the supervision of employees who provide outreach, case management, health care, and housing services to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. |
| Brett Simms | Agosto 13-14 | Mr. Simms is the Executive Director of the Office of Asset Enterprise Management. Mr. Simms is knowledgeable about the VA’s enhanced used lease program and the construction of housing on the WLA Grounds and is expected to provide testimony on such issues. |
| Jonathan Sherin | Agosto 14 | Dr. Sherin is a board-certified Psychiatrist and Neurologist. He has dedicated his life to the study and eradication of homelessness, and in particular, the eradication of homelessness among veterans. Dr. Sherin is expected to provide expert testimony regarding the inadequate response of the VA to veteran homelessness, the development of an intentional community of the WLAVA Campus, the targeting of multiple veteran populations to prevent unacceptable outcomes, the urgent need to develop temporary housing units, the creation of permanent housing units, and the creation and expansion of a full range of resources and services for homeless veterans. |
| Michael Dennis | Agosto 14 | Mr. Dennis is the Senior Program Advisor of the Office of Public Housing & Voucher Programs. Mr. Dennis is expected to provide testimony on the HUD-VASH Program along with HUD’s partnership with the local public housing authorities for the distribution of HUD-VASH vouchers. |
| Joshua Petitt | Possible: Aug. 14, 15 | Mr. Petitt is a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability rating. Mr. Petitt is expected to provide testimony about his efforts to obtain treatment and permanent supportive housing from Federal Defendants and the obstacles that he has encountered in trying to obtain treatment for his service-connected disability. |
| Lavon Johnson | Possible: Aug. 14, 15 | Mr. Johnson is a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability rating. Mr. Johnson is expected to provide testimony about his efforts to obtain treatment and permanent supportive housing from Federal Defendants and the obstacles that he has encountered in trying to obtain treatment for his service-connected disability, including the AMI Rule. |
| Gennifer Yoshimaru | Agosto 15 | Ms. Yoshimaru is the Assistant Head of School at Brentwood School. She is expected to provide testimony regarding Brentwood School’s use of its facility on the WLAVA Campus and its violation of the West Los Angeles Leasing Act. |
| Barbara Davis | Agosto 15 | Ms. Davis is an administrator for Safety Park. She is expected to provide testimony regarding Safety Park’s obligations under and violation of the West Los Angeles Leasing Act. |
| Carlos VanNatter | Agosto 15 | Mr. VanNatter is the Director of Section 8 Housing at HACLA. Mr. VanNatter is expected to testify about Federal Defendants’ partnership with local public housing authorities relating to the HUD-VASH program, including but not limited to, the implementation of the HUDVASH program, the voucher referral process, the number of veterans in the HUD-VASH program, and the utilization or lack thereof of the HUD-VASH vouchers in the Greater Los Angeles area. |
| Joseph Fields | Agosto 15 | Mr. Fields is an Army veteran with a 100% service-connected disability rating. He is expected to testify about his efforts to obtain treatment and housing from VAGLAHS and the obstacles he has encountered in trying to obtain treatment for his service-connected disability. |
| Laurienn Wright | Agosto 15 | Ms. Wright is a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability rating. Ms. Wright is expected to provide testimony about her efforts to obtain treatment and permanent supportive housing from Federal Defendants and the obstacles that she has encountered in trying to obtain treatment for her service- connected disability, including having to travel from Lancaster, California to the WLAVA Campus because of the lack of available |
| Anthony DeFrancesco | Agosto 21 | Mr. DeFrancesco is the Chief Liaison and Executive Director for the UCLA Veterans Initiatives and Partnerships. Mr. DeFrancesco is expected to provide testimony regarding UCLA’s use of its facilities on the WLAVA Campus, the UC Regents’ obligations under the West Los Angeles Leasing Act, and UCLA and the UC Regents’ violation of the West Los Angeles Leasing Act. |
| Steve Soboroff | Agosto 21 | Mr. Soboroff has worked on real estate projects spanning 5 decades and has devoted his career to “finish line” implementation by breaking down extremely complex projects into simple day-by-day tasks to achieve project completion. He is expected to provide expert testimony regarding the current use of the WLAVA Campus and what can be done to use the property effectively to provide a community which include quality temporary housing, an increase in permanent housing, and other important services and facilities for homeless veterans. In particular, Mr. Soboroff will identify sites for the placement of temporary supportive housing units, the overview of the planning and execution of the project for housing on the WLAVA Campus, the need for more permanent supportive housing, and the inadequacies of the current master plan and concept. |
| Randy Johnson | Agosto 21 | Mr. Johnson is a real estate developer with over 40 years of experience. He is expected to provide expert testimony regarding the existing situation on the WLAVA Cam- pus and what can be done to use the property effectively to provide both temporary and permanent housing on the property to help alleviate veteran homelessness. |
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