Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, introduced a bill Tuesday to ban further sale or commercial development of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus.
Less than two miles from the UCLA campus, the West Los Angeles VA campus is located between Brentwood and Westwood and houses the Veterans Garden as well as medical facilities.
This is not the first time legislative efforts have been made to preserve the property.
In 1988, Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., succeeded in establishing commercial-development restrictions on 109 acres of protected property. Waxman said in a press release that he hoped to expand that restriction to the entire 388-acre campus.
“I have fought efforts to sell or otherwise commercially develop the West L.A. VA property for years,” he said.
The West Los Angeles Veterans Administration currently leases space to private companies such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car and a bus company, and Waxman and other officials have deemed these unacceptable uses of the land, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Waxman also opposed the FBI’s recent efforts to construct its regional headquarters across the street from the West L.A. VA campus, property currently occupied by the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard. The FBI eventually abandoned those plans because of pressure from community members.
Waxman said he believed the proposed legislation will also have long-term implications for future veterans.
“This legislation assures permanent protection of the land. Today, soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are returning home to face shortages in services. We owe our veterans an iron-clad guarantee that their needs are our priority,” he said in the press release.
Jim Duvall, chief of public affairs of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, was unable to comment on the proposed policy.
“It is (VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s) policy not to comment on pending legislation,” he said.
Jean Shigematsu, cochairwoman for the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce said the committee has not convened to discuss the new legislation, as Waxman’s proposal was announced the day after their monthly meeting.
But she said the Chamber of Commerce would likely support the bill.
“In the past, we’ve discussed this ““ leaving veteran land for veterans’ use. … We’re supporters of this,” she said.
Shigematsu said she expects the committee to vote on their stance on the proposed legislation after their next meeting.
Waxman’s press release also said the legislation would require the VA to create a comprehensive master plan, as per a 1988 congressional mandate. The plan would govern the way the property is used to effectively address the future needs of veterans.