Sherman's Veterans Bill Clears Committee

Bill Provides for Therapeutic Housing for Homeless Vets at Sepulveda VA.

WASHINGTON - The House Committee on Veterans Affairs today passed Congressman Brad Sherman's bill to ensure that veterans' resources are used only to help veterans at a proposed homeless housing project in the San Fernando Valley. It would ensure that the project is the veterans-only, sober living facility with adequate staffing that was promised to veterans and the community.

The legislation, H.R. 1642, the Homeless Veterans Housing at Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center Promotion Act, passed the committee unanimously by a voice vote.

Homelessness among veterans is a pervasive problem. It is estimated that there are 20,000-30,000 homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area, most with substance abuse problems. Congressman Sherman has worked with veterans and the San Fernando Valley community for years to mobilize support for a veterans-only housing project at VA Sepulveda that would use two vacant buildings to provide housing and support services for these homeless veterans.

"With so many homeless veterans in the Greater Los Angeles area who need housing and supportive services, it is absurd that the VA would even consider lease proposals that would allow veterans' resources to be used for non-veterans," said Congressman Sherman. "Veterans' resources should be used to serve veterans."

The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to enter into a 75-year lease for the buildings, pursuant to a no-bid, sole-source arrangement that prevents qualified groups from submitting proposals. The recipient of this proposed lease has abandoned the proposal for the veterans-only, sober living facility that it originally promised - and now proposes to allow free use of alcohol and to have non-veteran residents.

The bill would force the VA to determine if there are qualified organizations willing and able to submit proposals to create an adequately staffed, sober living facility that is exclusively for veterans. If such an organization submits such a proposal, the bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a lease with the organization best-suited to deliver the project.

"It is outrageous that the VA would pursue an inferior long-term lease with one developer without determining if other developers can deliver the project that was promised and that is best for veterans," said Sherman. "We know that these no-bid, Halliburton-style procedures do not serve the public well. The VA should open the process and consider proposals from all qualified organizations for a homeless housing project at Sepulveda. I am confident that groups such as the Salvation Army and US Vets would submit proposals for the facility if given the opportunity, since the VA is offering a no-rent 75-year lease. My fear is that the Administration will try to enter into a no-bid sole-source deal before the full Congress can act on my bill."

"I am pleased that my bill received active support from Councilman Greig Smith who represents North Hills and who lobbied Republican members of the committee," Sherman continued. "I'm also pleased that the approach taken by the bill is endorsed by San Fernando Valley veterans including the Veterans Advisory Board, local chapters of Veterans of Foreign Wars and Jewish War Veterans, and several Valley veterans who wrote and called my office to urge me to take this action."

The next step for the bill is possible consideration on the floor of the House. The bill could appear on the suspension calendar, where the approval of 2/3 of those House members voting would be required to pass the bill and send it to the Senate for passage.