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- Veteran Kicked Out of VA Campus Housing
A veteran is finally able to move back into her tiny home on the VA campus in West LA after she was kicked out. Aired on NBC
- Rihanna Visits Veterans in Los Angeles
The pregnant singer, 33 — who is expecting her first baby with boyfriend A$AP Rocky — visited the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus in California on Sunday and surprised veterans who have been battling homelessness. Activist and Mr. Checkpoint app founder Sennett Devermont shared several photos from Rihanna's appearance, thanking her for her "amazing heart, time and energy." "Thank you @badgalriri for pulling up with all the love and support and most importantly your ears to listen to Veterans," he wrote alongside Instagram photos of the two. Article: people.com
- Veterans Demand Answers to Homeless Crisis Outside Ted Lieu’s West LA Office
Veterans took to the streets and marched from the West LA VA campus to the office of Ted Lieu, seeking answers about what is being done about Veteran homelessness. This video brought to you by Santa Monica College. Watch video here.
- Ex-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Slams Homeless Sleeping In Tents
Ex-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Slams Homeless Sleeping In Tents On United States Department of Veterans Affairs Property, 'It Pisses Me Off' Arnold Schwarzenegger is not holding back when spilling his thoughts on the state of veterans in the country, especially during Veterans Day. Radar obtained an exclusive video of the former governor saying he is furious after learning that people who have fought for the country have to live in tents on the government's property. The clip was filmed by a community organizer for the AFTP foundation named Sennett Devermont. This week, the 74-year-old actor-turned-politician visited the United States Department Of Veterans Affairs property to honor the veterans and offer his support. However, after discovering the living conditions of some veterans, he claimed, "It pisses me off." Devermont came up to him to ask his opinion on the servicemen who sought shelters within the building. Arnold said, "First of all, no one deserves to live in a tent except if you wanna go out hiking and you wanna go camping and stuff, then you can sleep in a tent." The former Austrian body-builder continued to make a point about the veterans' terrible living conditions saying, "No human being should be forced to sleep in a tent" before adding, especially the ones "who had fought for this country." This comes after the actor was spotted in Santa Monica with his son Christopher who recently had lost a dramatic amount of weight following his graduation from college. The father and son enjoyed some bonding time over lunch at R+D Kitchen on Wednesday afternoon. During the outing, Arnold kept in casual in the fashion department by wearing a tight black t-shirt and fitted pair of trousers, displaying his billowing form. Meanwhile, his 24-year-old son sported The Lakers with a black NBA Champions shirt with Mickey Mouse on the front. He completed his look with a blue Michigan Wolverines baseball cap, grey shorts, and matching trainers. As Radar previously reported, Christopher gradually lost weight since he embarked on a health and fitness journey ahead of his college graduation. An insider revealed to HollywoodLife the youngest son of Arnold and his ex-wife Maria Shriver had decided to set a "goal to get healthy," including "working out" and "make better food choices." "He made his goal to get healthy for graduation, and he stuck to it," the source claimed. "He started working out and making better food choices. He was away at school living like a typical college kid for a few years, but he's growing up now and ready to take better care of himself." And the results have spoken for themselves. Earlier this week, Christopher's older brother Patrick posted a photo of him while the siblings gathered for their mom's birthday, writing, "My dawg in better shape than me." Read full story here.
- Homeless Veterans in California Have Moved From ‘Veterans Row’ Onto a Safer VA Property
They will still be sleeping in tents, but the area has more security, plus regular access to food, showers and VA services. Until now, Navy veteran Scott Baty has been living in a tent in a Los Angeles homeless encampment nicknamed “Veteran’s Row.” He is now one of many military veterans who get to move to a better location. “Oh, we’re happy about it,” Baty said. “Get out of here and get somewhere safe. I was assaulted maybe eight times out here, slugged in the face, knocked out. It hasn’t been fun.” Baty and about 40 other vets who have lived on the street are being moved onto property owned by the Veterans Administration. They will still be sleeping in tents, but the area has more security, plus regular access to food, showers, and VA services. Baty says he’s grateful just to move within the VA’s gates. “I’m happy to get inside of there, and then my social worker has lined up an apartment for me down the street. So if that goes through then, I’ll be leaving there immediately and going into my apartment.” According to Sennett Devermont from the Always for the People Foundation, letting the veterans sleep on their large lawn is the least the VA can do. “It’s three times the size of Disneyland, and it gets a lot of funding, as we all know,” he notes. “So, how is it possible we have homeless veterans dying in the street?” According to Darryl Joseph from Veterans Affairs Community Engagement and Reintegration, getting unhoused vets off the streets has taken a little bit of time. “We have been working diligently to get each one of them housed,” he said. “Each one has a different set of needs.” According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, over 11,400 veterans are experiencing homelessness in California alone. Click here for full story.
- ‘Veterans Row’ Homeless Encampment Near Brentwood Cleared Out Monday
BRENTWOOD (CBSLA) — A large homeless encampment, better known as “Veterans Row,” located outside the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center near Brentwood, was in the process of being cleared out Monday. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and L.A. Public Works Department began clearing the sidewalk at around 8 a.m. Monday. Clearing the encampment was not solely about housing, but also about safety. In the last six months, there have been two homicides in the encampment. The goal was to avoid a repeat of the violent clashes when an encampment in Echo Park was cleared out back in March. So far Monday, the process was going along smoothly. “We’re happy about it,” Navy veteran Scott Baty told CBSLA Monday. “Get out of here and get somewhere safe. I was assaulted maybe eight times out here. Slugged in the face, knocked out, it hasn’t been fun.” Baty is not moving far. He’s moving into a tent just to the other side of the fence on the VA’s campus, where he will have access to food, showers and services. “I’m happy to get inside of there, and then my social worker has lined up an apartment for me down the street,” Baty said. “So if that goes through, then I’ll be leaving there immediately and going into my apartment.” Baty is not complaining about how long it took for him to finally get on the path to permanent housing. However, some community activists who have been helping him say allowing homeless veterans to set up tents on their property is the least the VA can do. “It’s three times the size of Disneyland, and it gets a lot of funding, as we all know,” said Sennett Devermont with the Always for the People Foundation. “So how is it possible we have homeless veterans dying in the street?” The veterans group AMVETS has worked for months to get private donations for the tents that are part of the shelter on the VA’s property. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility was unable to provide many of its services. “We get into a position where people show up in the evening or they don’t get processed in time. Then, they end up on the sidewalks,” said Rob Reynolds with AMVETS. “The focus has been to not rush the process.” LAHSA spokesperson Amy Perkins said most of the veterans are being moved into motels, with some going into tents or directly into permanent housing. “We have been working diligently to get each one of them housed,” said Darryl Joseph with VA Community Engagement and Reintegration Service. “Each one has a different set of needs, and so it’s taken a little bit of time.” LASD, which has jurisdiction over the sidewalk, sent deputies who are military veterans to help with the transition. “Having the veteran deputies connect with the veterans, who have walked the walk, and served in the manner that they did, it helped them connect in a place of trust,” LASD Lt. Geff Deedrick said. “Last man out here, it’s fine,” Iraq War veteran Lavan Johnson, who has been living in the encampment, said Sunday. For Johnson, who said his piano saved his life, the plan is to move into a building where the piano will be safely stored, as he transitions with his friends to the other side of the VA’s fence. “I know for a fact, I have faith in knowing that everything is going to be okay,” Johnson said. Read full story here.
- 1 year after George Floyd's murder, activists reflect on what has changed in the fight for justice
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A year ago, people across the country and across the world took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd. "Derek Chauvin's conviction came as the result of people's willingness to stand up," said Melina Abdullah, the co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement in Los Angeles. Abdullah says they are still fighting to defund the police and use that money for other things. "Spend on things like housing and mental health resources, and after school programs and libraries and parks as the world opens back up," Abdullah said. "And we don't want to spend on violent policing." "I don't want this to be just a moment, as this is a movement," said pastor Oliver E. Buie from the Angeles Mesa Presbyterian Church. He and Jonathan Moseley from the National Action Network both took part in protests last year. They saw the reaction in the streets. "Last year was a real shocking awakening because sometimes people hear about it, but to actually see it and they had to really digest 'Is this really America?'" said Moseley. It was the disturbing video of George Floyd on the ground that led to demonstrations. "I'm someone that advocates to always film the police," says Sennett Devermont. He also took part in the protests last year. At that time last year, he told Eyewitness News, "The officer needs to be called a murderer. All four officers should be charged and any officer who didn't help in that scenario, I also think should be charged." One year later, Devermont remembers what he felt as he marched with thousands of others in Santa Monica. Moment of silence marks year since murder of George Floyd "There is so much trauma in these communities. There's so much pain," he said. "I think for this time, for people to be able to express and let it out, in a lot of ways, it's a very powerful moment." Abdullah said she will continue to push for change in the way cities do policing. "We want people to understand what the Floyd family is also saying, that Derek Chauvin's conviction is only one step," Abdullah said. Buie said he sees positive signs as we move forward. "In the movement there are people of all races, all religions, all socioeconomic status coming together for justice, coming together to live together," Buie said. "That's one of the positives I've seen." Read the full story here.