Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins told Newsmax on Thursday he is slashing bloated contracts and reclaiming misused land at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center to refocus the sprawling campus on its core mission — serving America's veterans.
On "Ed Henry The Big Take," Collins said the sweeping changes follow President Donald Trump's push to transform the property into a hub aimed squarely at ending homelessness among veterans.
"We're following the president's lead on this," Collins said. "He wanted us to declare a center for independence of homelessness issue there at the West L.A. campus."
Collins described the West L.A. property as a prime asset that for years has been diverted from its intended purpose, limiting the VA's ability to expand housing and treatment for struggling veterans.
"We have over 300 acres at the West L.A. campus, apart from our hospital, and over the years, unfortunately, it has been misused and not used as it should be for the benefit of the veterans," he said.
Rather than ignore the problem, Collins said he took action soon after arriving to lead the department.
"When I got here last year, this was an issue that was presented to me, and everybody just wanted to say we don't need to deal with this; let it go," Collins told Henry. "I wasn't going to do that."
Among the arrangements drawing scrutiny is a land lease involving a private school, which Collins said is paying well below market value.
"We have a very elite private school, Brentwood School, that is supposed to be leasing land," he said. "They're doing it at far under market value, millions of dollars under market."
Collins added that other agreements — including parking lots and even an oil-related operation — occupy space that could be used to build out the VA's master plan for veteran housing and services.
Now, Collins said, the department is moving decisively to unwind wasteful deals and put the campus back in service to those who earned it.
"We're moving forward with that, and we're getting back to the true purpose of the West L.A. facility," he said.
That purpose, Collins said, is clear: Prioritize veterans — especially those with homelessness and serious health challenges — and give them the support needed to rebuild their lives.
"We're getting back to the true purpose of the West L.A. facility, and that is to enhance the lives of our veterans, especially those who are homeless and who need treatment for a lot of different things to get them back on their feet," he said.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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