Landmark Litigation Victory for Veterans

Los Angeles, CA (July 21, 2024) — In a landmark decision, a federal judge has ruled that by allowing third-party housing developers to impose income limitations that disqualify veterans from accessing affordable housing, the VA is discriminating against disabled veterans.

This ruling comes after Inner City Law Center, Public Counsel, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, and Robins Kaplan LLP filed a lawsuit in 2022 on behalf of fourteen veterans experiencing homelessness.

“While there are still significant issues that must be decided, this ruling lays a solid foundation for trial next month and reinforces the duty that the VA has to provide a home to our homeless veterans with severe mental illness,” said Inner City Law Center Supervising Attorney Amanda Powell.

Media Coverage

Los Angeles Times — VA housing policy discriminates against disabled veterans, federal judge rules
Laist — Judge finds illegal discrimination blocks some disabled veterans from housing at West LA VA campus
Courthouse News Service — Judge blasts VA for renting out land meant to house homeless vets

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About Inner City Law Center  

Inner City Law Center is a nonprofit, poverty-law firm located in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles and working to end the homelessness crisis by providing free legal services to the most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles.   

Inner City Law Center’s staff of more than 130 (including 70 lawyers), together with hundreds of volunteers, fight for people facing eviction, struggling with landlord harassment, fighting to secure their veteran or disability benefits, or standing up to slum housing conditions.   

Contact: Jacqueline Burbank, Communications Manager, jburbank@innercitylaw.org or (213) 947-7902