Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after sending a letterto Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), regarding the VA’s decision to relocate its Little Rock Drop-In Day Treatment Center for veterans, many of whom are homeless:
“I believe this country has an obligation to take care of our veterans and make good on the promises made to them. It is clear, however, that the VA made its decision to relocate the current Drop-In Day Treatment Center for our homeless veterans without seeking sufficient input from local residents, government officials, and community leaders, many of whom have raised legitimate concerns about the proposed location. That is why I’ve asked Secretary Shinseki to suspend the Center’s relocation so that the VA can consult adequately with local stakeholders to identify the most appropriate site for the Center.”
Below is an excerpt from Rep. Griffin’s letter to Sec. Shinseki. The full text of the letter can be found here.
Mayor Stodola himself has expressed to me his opposition to this particular site for the relocation of the Drop-In Day Treatment Center and has proposed an alternate location. He and local government officials are currently spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate a homeless shelter on Confederate Boulevard, and they have suggested that the VA use this site for the relocation of their Drop-In Day Treatment Center. According to the Mayor, this location will allow for transportation in and around the city, as it is located on a bus route, and it will provide a number of amenities to our homeless veterans. In addition to the Mayor’s suggested alternate location, there may be other locations that merit consideration. I believe that the most appropriate and best location could be identified with input from local residents, government officials, and community leaders in Little Rock, and I urge you to suspend the relocation of the Drop-In Day Treatment Center so that the VA can consult adequately with local stakeholders.
