Topline:
The Department of Veterans Affairs has ended some commercial leases at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center Campus, which it says helps pave the way to serve more veterans, including those experiencing homelessness.
Why now: As of Monday, the VA ended its leases with the Brentwood School, a private school with a sports complex on the property, and a company that ran a parking lot on the campus. The department also revoked an oil company’s drilling license.
The VA described the leases and the license as “wasteful” and “illegal.”
Why it matters: The move follows court rulings that found the leases and license violated federal law.
Last December, a U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling found the agency had “strayed from its mission” by leasing land to commercial interests instead of caring for veterans.
The VA said it also found last year that it has been underpaid by more than $40 million per year based on the fair market value of the properties.