From Lincoln to Los Angeles: The History of the West LA VA and a Renewed Community Vision

By Benjamin Perdue, LCSW

US Navy Veteran / Executive Director, Village for Vets

The West Los Angeles VA campus has stood as a symbol of America’s commitment to its Veterans since President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation to care for disabled Union soldiers in March 1865, just one month before his assassination. Over the decades, the campus expanded into one of the nation’s most significant medical and residential centers for Veterans. Today, amid ongoing challenges including Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles, a range of public agencies and community partners are working to strengthen services and restore the campus’s founding mission.

A Legacy Begins: Lincoln’s Vision for Veteran Care

As the Civil War came to a close, President Lincoln signed legislation establishing the first national system of homes for disabled Union soldiers. This act created the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and marked a turning point in how the nation cared for those who had served. Lincoln’s pledge “to care for him who shall have borne the battle” later became the enduring motto of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

That early federal commitment laid the foundation for a national system of Veteran healthcare and residential services that would continue to evolve for more than a century.

The West LA VA: A Historic Campus of Care

The West Los Angeles campus traces its origins to 1888, when it opened as the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Selected for its climate and open land, the site developed into a unique blend of residential cottages, hospitals, recreational facilities, and long-term care services.

Through World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and subsequent conflicts, the campus served generations of Veterans. Its historic architecture reflects a long tradition of institutional care, while its modern medical facilities now serve thousands of Veterans annually through the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

The campus remains one of the largest VA properties in the country and continues to play a central role in Veteran healthcare in Southern California.

Challenges of a New Era

In recent decades, Los Angeles has faced one of the highest concentrations of Veteran homelessness in the nation. Rising housing costs, untreated trauma, substance use disorders, and service coordination gaps have contributed to the crisis. At times, the contradiction has been stark: Veterans experiencing homelessness on or near property originally deeded for their care.

Federal, state, and local agencies have expanded housing-first strategies and supportive housing programs to address these realities. At the same time, community-based organizations have stepped in to help bridge service gaps, particularly in areas such as transportation, daily needs support, and peer connection.

A Community-Driven Response

Among those involved in supporting Veterans near the West LA campus is Village for Vets, a nonprofit organization that emerged in response to visible service gaps affecting unhoused Veterans in the surrounding area.

Working alongside the VA and others, the organization fills crucial gaps when entitlement programs are exhausted. Having housed almost 1000 Veterans since 2016, the organization has focused on practical interventions: providing Veterans access transportation to medical appointments and employment opportunities, supporting peer-led programming, and assisting with basic necessities when other systems are delayed or overstretched. The approach to fill gaps gets the job done when others fail.

These efforts reflect a broader principle seen across many community responses to homelessness: while government systems provide structure and scale, local organizations often move quickly to address immediate needs.

Honoring History by Addressing Today’s Needs

The history of the West LA VA campus is ultimately a story of evolving responsibility. From Lincoln’s 1865 legislation to modern housing initiatives, the mission remains rooted in care, dignity, and opportunity for those who served.

Today’s efforts to expand housing, strengthen partnerships, and improve access to services reflect an ongoing attempt to align the campus’s historic purpose with current realities. As federal agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations continue collaborating, the goal remains consistent with its founding vision: ensuring that Veterans not only receive healthcare but have the stability and support necessary to thrive.

About Village for Vets

Village for Vets fills critical gaps in key services for homeless and at-risk Veterans on their journey to stability and independence in greater Los Angeles and beyond. Village for Vets prioritizes programs that make it easier for homeless and at-risk Vets to access a wider range of support. All of our programs move Veterans to the next higher level of care and/or support Veterans in newly acquired housing. Visit https://www.villageforvets.org for more information.