WLA VA BUILDING 300 - EIN 85-3353491 (Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Copies of any and all written records, including but not limited to: emails, agreements, correspondence, leases, licenses, planning documents, minutes, vendor data, contractor data, grant data, applications, financial transactions, minutes and logs - regarding an entity named "WLA VA BUILDING 300".

Schedule R of the 2020 IRS Form 990 Tax Return for United States Veterans Initiative, reports a Disregarded Entity named WLA VA BUILDING 300 with EIN 85-3353491, located at 800 West 6th Street, Ste 1505, Los Angeles, California 90017. The entity's Primary Activity is reported as "Development of Veteran Housing" with a Total Income of $1,892,208.00 USD and End Of Year Assets of $4,946,563.00 USD; and it's Direct Controlling Entity is Reported as "United States Veterans Initiative". Despite the entity reportedly being Organized in California, the California Secretary of State has no Reocord of any business named WLA VA BUILDING 300.

Some background information regarding this Request is as follows:

Responses to prior FOIA's may not have produced any land use agreements for Building 300 at the WLA VA Soldiers Home.

United States Veterans Initiative is among entities promoted as "Principle Developers", which have been awarded invalid and illegal Enhanced Use Leases, Leases, Revocable Licenses and Access Agreements to privately acquire, control and sub-lease redevelopment of the WLA VA Soldiers Home for purposes including an approximately 450,000 square-foot commercial retail district (aka "Town Center") and other illegal uses of the Deed-Restricted WLA VA Soldiers Home in Our Nation's Capital of Veteran homelessness - on a for-profit basis over 50-99 year terms.

Building 300 is a funtional and operational facility developed by the U.S. Federal Government at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home that is under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' management. Private developers (including United States Veterans Initiative) either intend to obtain or claim to have authorities to convert Building 300 into private property under their private control within Los Angeles County's jurisdiction.

US DVA / VA GLAHS Contractor, Concourse Federal, a company in the business of privatizing and liquidating Federal Public Land and Facilities, has at least $85,000,000.00 USD in US DVA consulting fees regarding WLA VA Soldiers Home land use - may have developed, administered and / or coordinated transactions regarding Building 300 at the WLA VA Soldiers Home.

Prevailing authorities at Public Law expressly prohibit private developers from accounting for VA Facilities and land (lawfully) acquired under Enhanced Use Leases as financial collateral. Given the legal intent of US DVA Enhanced Use Leases are to, among other things, provide cost-saving benefits to US DVA supporting the agency's efforts to care for those who bore the battle - it may be of significant concern that US DVA may have paid any lessee nearly two-million dollars in Public Funds to a disregarded entity, regarding any land use agreement for Building 300 at the WLA VA Soldiers Home.

Recent FOIA's and Federal Contract databases produce no Responsive Documents for legally mandated bids, awards, SDVOSB status, competitor information, congressional reports and other related info about the so-called "Principal Developers". Furthermore, the so-called Principal Developers and VA GLAHS executives primarily operate on a non-transparent and secretive basis; thus little to no additional information beyond a few concept drawings and paragraph about contemplated land use are available to provide regarding Building 300 at this time.

Other so-called Principal Developers are: Thomas Safran & Associates, Century Housing Corporation and Housing Corporation of America. Collectively with United States Veterans Initiative, the entities have Organized many California LLC's to mitigate their liabilities regarding unlawful, private WLA VA Soldiers Home redevelopment projects for-profit. Despite such, they've yet to declare what entities will be the general partner in most to all of the projects they conspire to complete.

While somewhat off-topic, I'll note it appears the illegal US DVA Enhanced Use Lease Agreement with so-called Principal Developers for Building 207 at the WLA VA Soldiers Home, may obligate US DVA to make an approximately $10,500,000.00 USD lump-sum cash payment to the LESSEE; despite that LESSEE already having obtained approximately $50,000,000.00 USD in Public subsidies to remodel the existing building into housing for formerly homeless senior-citizen Veterans with low incomes and HUD VASH Vouchers (as opposed to homeless Veterans risking death on U.S. streets today)... Whereat said LESSEE hasn't delivered a single unit of such housing in approximately five years. Said Enhanced Use Lease also appears to NOT obligate the LESSEE to pay any lease fees / rents.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

Freedom of Infomation Act Appeal (Regarding FOIA of VA OIG Tracking Number 23-00012-FOIA)

On 10/01/2022 I submitted an FOIA to the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the following Information quoted in the following two paragraphs...

"Copies of any and all written records, including but not limited to: emails, agreements, correspondence, leases, licenses, planning documents, minutes, vendor data, contractor data, grant data, applications, financial transactions, minutes and logs - regarding an entity named "WLA VA BUILDING 300".

"Schedule R of the 2020 IRS Form 990 Tax Return for United States Veterans Initiative, reports a Disregarded Entity named WLA VA BUILDING 300 with EIN 85-3353491, located at 800 West 6th Street, Ste 1505, Los Angeles, California 90017. The entity's Primary Activity is reported as 'Development of Veteran Housing' with a Total Income of $1,892,208.00 USD and End Of Year Assets of $4,946,563.00 USD; and it's Direct Controlling Entity is Reported as 'United States Veterans Initiative'. Despite the entity reportedly being Organized in California, the California Secretary of State has no Reocord of any business named WLA VA BUILDING 300."

Nearly three months later on 12/19/2022 - a "Government Information Specialist" for VA OIG responded with two documents:

1) A letter entitled "23-00012-FOIA Letter" dated 12/19/2022 from VA OIG via Supervisory Government Information Specialist Ruthlee G. Bellamy of VA OIG Release Information Office; stating the Request was received on 12/12/2022, was assigned tracking number 23-00012-FOIA, the Requested Records are not maintained by "we", "we" did not process the request, a 10/01/2022 VA GLAHS FOIA of undisclosed Tracking Number is considered the same as VA OIG 23-00012-FOIA, the VA GLAHS FOIA of undisclosed Tracking Number was responded to by VA GLAHS on 11/10/2022 and this FOIA (23-00012-FOIA) is being closed by VA OIG without further action.

2) A letter entitled "Admin Closure Letter 23-00053-F" dated 11/10/2022 from VA GALHS "Acting" VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System FOIA Officer Kevin Johnson - purportedly regarding VA GLAHS FOIA(s) Requested on 09/26/2022 and 10/04/2022 for Congressionally Mandated Annual Reports, land use agreements from 01/01/2021 onward and records pertaining to WLA VA BUILDING 300; and stating such Request(s) are administratively closed.

Regarding Building 300 at the WLA VA Soldiers Home - the VA OIG is Required by Federal Public Law 114-226 as Amended, to Audit and Report on all Land Use Agreements (including all leases and enhanced use leases) regarding the WLA VA Soldiers Home. Given WLA VA Soldiers Home Building 300 exists and is subject to a lease / land use agreement / EUL and in consideration of VA OIG's mandated performance in accordance with Public Law 114-226 - VA OIG must have Records Requested in my 10/01/2022 VA OIG FOIA that was assigned VA OIG Tracking Number 23-00012-FOIA and those Records are being unlawfully suppressed from VA OIG's False "No Records" Response to that FOIA... Unless VA OIG is alternatively evidencing a negligent failure to perform under Federal Public Laws regarding land use at the US DVA's largest managed facility with the highest operating budget; namely the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home in Our Country's Capital of Veteran Homelessness.

Despite the false VA OIG Response to 23-00012-FOIA dated 12/19/2022 purporting a VA GLAHS FOIA of undisclosed Tracking Number is somehow the same as a different FOIA Request to VA GLAHS; notice upon comparing the VA OIG letter to it's attached VA GLAHS letter of 11/10/2022; stated dates of Requests, quantity of Requests and even quantity of Requests are not the same between said letters.

To say the least this matter apparently concerns the integrity, performance and intent of VA OIG regarding Requested Information that VA OIG is Required by Federal Public Law to not only posess; but Report, Audit and Assess as well. It's also a matter pertaining to Information that will benefit the Public and especially disabled homeless Veterans thereamong, in their ongoing efforts to thwart the longstanding criminal racket at the Soldiers Home in Our Country's Capital of Veteran Homelessness that is so frequently, consistently and thoroughly reported on by the Press for decades and counting. Therefore I respectfully Demand VA OIG accurately, honestly and thoroughly perform in accordance with USC 5 and Public Law 114-226 as Amended by legitimately Responding to my VA OIG FOIA that was assigned VA OIG Tracking Number 23-00012-FOIA without further delay and negligence.

For your reference, copies of the aforementioned VA OIG FOIA and "Acting" VA GLAHS FOIA letters are attached to this correspondence.

Sincerely,

Ryan Thompson

Hello,

We have received your response letter to the appeal. We wanted to let you know we have mailed a duplicate appeal letter to your office in error. Please disregard this duplicate appeal.

Sincerest apologies,

MuckRock