By Jonathan Friedman
Lookout Staff

January 13, 2010 -- Council member Bobby Shriver several years ago proposed that three buildings on the Veterans Administration grounds in Westwood should be used to house and treat some of Los Angeles County’s 17,000 homeless veterans. The money to fund that program could soon be available.

A $133.9 billion federal spending package for military construction and veterans affairs signed into law last month includes $50 million for renovating empty buildings to providing housing and services for homeless veterans.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said his office is working with Congressman Henry Waxman and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to get at least some of that money for the Westwood buildings. Yaroslavsky might travel to Washington D.C. later this month to lobby for the cause.

“I think we would have as strong a proposal as there is in the country because so much work has been done on it,” Yaroslavsky said.

The plan is to provide therapeutic care for the veterans. Shriver said he heard “there’s a mental health model being discussed by the VA medical leadership.

"It sounds like a very exciting way of addressing homeless veteran issues in Los Angeles,” Shriver said.

The supervisor said Los Angeles County could get enough money to renovate at least one of the buildings, which he estimates would cost as much as $10 million to $15 million. He said the VA has the resources for the program and would not need further funding after the building renovation.

If the program is successful with one building, Yaroslavsky said, this could pave the way to get money for the other two buildings.

“I think if we have a successful project here, it will give the VA something to hang their hat on and ask for Congress to give additional funding,” Yaroslavsky said.

Yaroslavsky said the reason it is important to provide the program in these buildings is because they are on the VA campus where there are other services available, and everything could be provided “in a concentrated fashion in one facility,” creating onvenience and saving money in the process.

Previous attempts to gain funding for the building renovations have failed. This includes seeking money from the private sector. Yaroslavsky called the new possibility “a breakthrough.” Shriver also had high praises.