BGL legal professionals Eve Hill and Jamie Strawbridge, together with a workforce of civil rights advocates, have helped safe a serious victory on behalf of a category of unhoused veterans with disabilities in a lawsuit towards the Division of Veterans Affairs for its failure to offer everlasting housing and providers on its 380-acre campus in West Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the homeless veterans’ capital of the USA, with about 3,000 unhoused veterans as of 2024, accounting for roughly 10 % of the nationwide whole. Along with Eve and Jamie, the plaintiffs are represented by Mark Rosenbaum of Public Counsel and Roman Silberfeld of Robins Kaplan LLP.
The criticism, filed in November 2022, sought an order giving the company six months to create over 3,500 everlasting supportive housing models for veterans with disabilities on or close to the West Los Angeles campus. It additionally sought to require the VA to make sure that parts of the campus at present leased to different entities are used primarily for veterans. U.S. District Court docket Decide David O. Carter ruling that the case would proceed in February 2024. After being authorized as a class motion lawsuit in Might, the case went to trial in August. Decide Carter sided with the plaintiffs, ruling that the VA violated its mandate to finish veteran homelessness when it leased land on its West Los Angeles campus to third-party builders.
The evolution of the case has been intently adopted and reported on by main information shops together with CNN, NPR, the Los Angeles Occasions, NBC Information, ABC, Fox, and extra.
“The reality of the matter is that nothing has prevented the VA from doing its responsibility in the direction of our veterans with disabilities – they’ve the land, they’ve the funds. It has been profoundly disappointing to see the extent to which the company has merely lacked the desire,” stated Eve. “Whereas there may be nonetheless a protracted option to go to make sure the VA absolutely upholds its guarantees, I’m thrilled my shoppers will lastly get entry to housing that was rightfully theirs from the very begin.”
Decide Carter additionally stated in his 124-page ruling that leases on parts of the VA property to UCLA, non-public faculties, and companies are unlawful as a result of they don’t profit veterans. He ordered the VA to construct 750 non permanent housing models inside 12 to 18 months and gave the company six months to plan one other 1,800 models of everlasting housing. He additionally ordered the company to start building inside 18 months on a city heart and wellness space for veterans on the almost 400-acre campus.
The lawsuit was constructed on guarantees the VA made in settling a 2011 case introduced by 10 veterans with extreme disabilities, the place the VA agreed to offer housing and supportive providers for veterans, setting a purpose of 770 models by 2022. Nonetheless, they did not ship, with solely 54 housing models having been accomplished in 2022.
Rob Reynolds, an Iraq Warfare veteran who advocated for the homeless veterans within the West Los Angeles space, spoke to the LA Occasions about how glad he was that the case was determined within the veterans’ favor.
“I felt all alongside if this went in entrance of a decide, he would see what we now have all seen for years. The info are indeniable. I feel it is a nice begin to finish veteran homelessness and get this property again to its authentic meant use as a troopers’ dwelling,” he stated.
ABOUT EVE HILL:
Eve Hill is among the nation’s main civil rights legal professionals, identified particularly for her work with shoppers with disabilities and LGBTQ+ shoppers. She has been acknowledged by Law360 as considered one of simply 12 “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” for 2023, in addition to by Lawdragon as one of many 500 Main Legal professionals in America (2022 and 2023). Her wide-ranging expertise enhances Brown, Goldstein & Levy’s many years of dedication to high-impact incapacity rights instances and its advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities and their households. Eve chairs the Board of Trustees for the Decide David L. Bazelon Heart for Psychological Well being Regulation, a nationwide authorized advocacy group advancing and defending the civil rights of adults and youngsters with psychological sickness. Eve additionally leads Inclusivity, BGL’s Strategic Consulting Group, which works with organizations to advertise the training, engagement, and employment of individuals with disabilities. Study extra about Eve right here.
ABOUT JAMIE STRAWBRIDGE:
Jamie Strawbridge’s apply focuses on representing people with disabilities in claims below the People with Disabilities Act. He additionally has important expertise representing tenants in housing-related instances. He has represented plaintiffs at school actions difficult unlawful charges assessed by landlords and lawsuits alleging sub-standard dwelling circumstances and housing discrimination. He additionally has defended tenants in eviction proceedings; and fought to protect people’ housing-related advantages in administrative actions. Study extra about Jamie right here.
ABOUT BGL:
Based in 1982, Brown Goldstein & Levy is a legislation agency based mostly in Baltimore, Maryland, with an workplace in Washington, D.C. The agency is nationally acknowledged in all kinds of apply areas, together with complicated civil and industrial litigation, civil rights, well being care, household legislation, and felony protection. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered legislation agency that brings many years of expertise and passionate, efficient advocacy to your struggle for justice.
FIND MEDIA COVERAGE BELOW:
VA should construct extra housing on West L.A. campus, and UCLA and Brentwood College leases are unlawful, decide guidelines | Los Angeles Occasions (September 6, 2024)
Decide orders 1000’s extra houses for unhoused veterans, calls out ‘damaged guarantees, corruption and neglect’ | LAist (September 6, 2024)
VA ordered to construct 1000’s extra houses for veterans on West Los Angeles campus | CNN (September 6, 2024)
LA homeless veterans win decades-long struggle in new courtroom ruling | NPR (September 6, 2024)
Decide orders extra housing for veterans on VA West L.A. campus | ABC 7 (September 6, 2024)
West LA’s VA campus known as ‘corrupt,’ should construct extra veteran housing, decide guidelines | FOX 11 (September 6, 2024)
VA Should Flip LA Campus Into Vets’ Housing, Decide Says | Law360 (September 6, 2024)
Decide blasts VA, orders extra housing for army veterans on West LA campus | LA Day by day Information (September 6, 2024)
Decide orders VA to construct extra housing for homeless veterans in Los Angeles | NBC Information (September 6, 2024)
Homeless vets sued the VA and gained. Now the federal government has to construct 1000’s of houses | Job & Function (September 6, 2024)
Federal Decide guidelines for homeless veterans suing VA | Day by day Journal (September 6, 2024)
