200+ LA HOMELESS VETERANS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED DUE TO WILDFIRES

The Los Angeles wildfires continue to spread as the second-largest city in America struggles to tame the flames. Sadly, neighborhoods continue to face life-threatening conditions, which has affected the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Over 200 Veterans were evacuated from the grounds where makeshift shelters are in place as most of the Vets are homeless. LA homeless Veterans throughout the City of Angels are facing virtually unprecedented threats.

LA Homeless Veterans Forced to Evacuate Due to Palisades Fire
For LA homeless Veterans, there are a number of obstacles facing their everyday lives under normal conditions. However, the start of 2025 has been anything but normal.
It’s no secret that Los Angeles is prone to wildfire threats but the events taking place in January are catastrophic, abnormal, and a constant threat to life in the city.
Over 200 homeless Vets living in temporary housing on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center were forced to leave because of poor air quality and the threat of fires in the area.
"Ultimately, I think it was a necessary move. Hats off to all the people involved…but it was still a mess. It's been quite chaotic. The bottom line now…you're doing good just to have a cot to sleep on," said Navy Veteran Jack Clark, a resident of one of the small structures found on the West LA VA property.
On the north side of the West LA campus, there are “tiny homes” for homeless Veterans that are a part of the Care Treatment and Rehabilitation Services (CTRS) program. These Vets have been evacuated as conditions worsened over the weekend.
However, homeless Veterans aren’t the only ones on the move. Elderly nursing home patients in the Community Living Center, those in residential treatment and transitional housing, as well as staff were all taken away from the area.
West LA VA Services
Despite evacuating many LA homeless Veterans from the grounds, VA services in the area are still running, including the main hospital at the West LA campus, emergency services, and all clinics.
This includes the San Gabriel Valley VA Clinic, which reopened after being in an evacuation zone beforehand.
According to VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes, residents of the Community Living Center at West LA were moved to other VA locations, and a shelter for those needing to relocate was set up with Los Angeles County and the American Red Cross at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall.

A Struggle Within a Struggle
Difficulties are unfortunately nothing new for the LA homeless Veterans relocated due to the Palisades fire.
Beyond the many mental, physical, and social problems affecting the community, it has been a struggle just to get the VA to provide resources for them in the first place.
A federal judge in Los Angeles ruled in favor of homeless Veterans after a hard, lengthy legal battle, which forced the West LA Veterans Campus to provide housing for Vets.
This includes providing temporary housing before permanent structures could be installed, despite property on the campus being rented for private education and golf course usage.
Resources for LA Homeless Veterans Affected by Wildfires
The heartbreaking images continue to roll in from the fires that are still a ways away from being contained as of this writing.
If you or a loved one are a Veteran in need of disaster-related assistance due to the LA wildfires, reach out to the VAGLAHS line at 1 (877) 251-7295 to learn more about the resources available.
Furthermore, you can reach the VISN 22 Clinical Contact Center 24/7 at 1 (800) 952-4852, Option 2, for help with your pharmacy needs, virtual healthcare options, and more.
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