Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on June 4 applauded the recent opening of Building 209 at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Campus, which will provide housing for homeless veterans. Feinstein has worked closely with the Department of Veterans of Affairs to complete the project.

“[This] is a great day for the West L.A. VA. The opening of Building 209 has been years in the making and will provide housing for 65 homeless veterans,” Feinstein said. “There are more homeless veterans in Los Angeles than any other city in the country, and no one who’s served this country should sleep on the street. The opening of Building 209 is an important step as we continue toward the goal of ending veteran homelessness in Los Angeles.”

In 2010, Feinstein worked with former Congressman Henry A. Waxman and former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to secure a commitment from VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to allocate $20 million for Building 209’s renovation. Over the past five years, Feinstein has worked with the department and congressional colleagues, including Sen. Barbara Boxer, to secure $35.5 million for the project.

Feinstein, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also worked to include $35 million in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 for Building 205, which is the next step in the renovations at West L.A. VA. Another $35 million for Building 208 is included in the fiscal year 2016 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which has been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.