U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Federal veterans department; courts found it discriminated against disabled homeless veterans on its 388-acre West LA campus

Agency· United States · in the record since Dec 2025

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Contracts

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In 2016 the VA let the private Brentwood School keep using 22 acres of its West LA veterans campus for $850,000 a year plus $918,000 in in-kind consideration; the Ninth Circuit held the lease unlawful.$850K

annual, from Nov 2016Brentwood SchoolCash payment per year; plus $918,000 annual in-kind consideration. The panel held Brentwood's lease violated the Leasing Act and the APA because it principally benefited Brentwood's students.

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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Powers v. McDonough, No. 24-6338)DocumentBackgroundIn November 2016, after the Valentini settlement, the VA entered into a new agreement with Brentwood. Pursuant to the agreement, the VA allowed Brentwood to continue using the 22 acres in exchange for an annual payment of $850,000 and $918,000 in in-kind annual consideration, consisting primarily of upkeeping and maintaining the 22 acres and providing services to veterans.

Roles

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Doug Collins is Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

2025Doug Collins

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Stars and Stripes — VA budget for 2026 tops $440 billionVA Secretary Doug Collins pledged to prioritize critical VA programs in 2026 that address suicide risks, homelessness, substance abuse, chronic pain and access to rural health care, according to the budget documents.

Figures

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Courts ordered the VA to build 1,800 permanent and 750 temporary housing units for disabled homeless veterans at its West Los Angeles campus; the Ninth Circuit upheld the order.

Amount is housing units (1,800 permanent + 750 temporary), not money. Powers v. McDonough, 9th Cir. No. 24-6338.

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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Powers v. McDonough, No. 24-6338)DocumentSyllabus, p. 9Addressing the propriety of the district court's permanent injunction with respect to the Rehabilitation Act claims, the panel held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by ordering the VA to construct 1,800 permanent housing units and 750 temporary housing units

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In its 2016 plan the VA committed to building 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing on the West LA campus by 2030, with 770 to be finished by 2022.

2016 to 2030Amount is housing units, not money.

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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Powers v. McDonough, No. 24-6338)Documentp. 16In the 2016 Plan, the VA committed to building 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing on the Campus by 2030, with 770 units to be completed by 2022.

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The VA requested a $441.3 billion budget for fiscal 2026, a 10% increase over 2025.$441.3B

FY2026Budget request, not enacted amount; the House passed a $435.3 billion VA plan in June 2025.

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Stars and Stripes — VA budget for 2026 tops $440 billionFor fiscal 2026, which starts Oct. 1, the VA is requesting $441.3 billion — a 10% increase from 2025, according to a budget summary released Friday.

Topics

Discrimination & civil rights1