John Follmer, an Iraq war veteran and adviser to Los Angeles County on military and veterans affairs, spends his Thursdays tending a Japanese garden on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus. Built in 1968, the garden had fallen into wild disrepair when Follmer discovered it six years ago and began cleaning it up. "We are here in the center of the largest city in the United States, and aside from an occasional helicopter, it's hard to imagine you're only a quarter mile away from the 405 freeway," Follmer said.

The garden fills a grotto on the north side of the 387-acre campus, which was donated in 1888 specifically for use by veterans. A chain of koi ponds with giant goldfish and newly planted Japanese maple trees creates an unexpected sanctuary amid ongoing construction. Veterans volunteer every Thursday—some spend hours breaking sticks into mulch as meditation, while others simply soak in the serenity.

What the Left Is Saying

Democratic lawmakers and veteran advocates have raised concerns about transparency on the campus development. Critics note that the White House has required VA officials and advocates to sign nondisclosure agreements about construction, drawing bipartisan complaints from Congress. "The lack of public information about what's happening with our veterans' housing is deeply troubling," said one congressional aide familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the NDAs.

Progressive groups have also pointed to what they describe as a disconnect between presidential promises and budget realities. While President Trump pledged to supercharge building at the campus, his administration's VA budget request did not fund a single new bed there. Advocates argue this signals that housing construction remains a lower priority than rhetoric suggests.

What the Right Is Saying

Administration officials say funding for additional beds will come through separate appropriations later in the fiscal year and point to significant progress already made. More than 1,200 veterans have been housed in new units built on the campus over recent years. "The president is committed to our nation's heroes," a VA spokesperson told NPR. "Construction continues at an unprecedented pace across the West LA campus."

Conservative commentators have praised private and community-driven initiatives like Follmer's garden as complementary to government efforts. They argue that such volunteer programs demonstrate what public-private partnerships can achieve when veterans take ownership of their communities.

What the Numbers Show

The VA campus spans 387 acres, donated specifically for veteran use in 1888. Housing has been built for more than 1,200 vets, with construction ongoing across multiple sites. However, development remains years behind original schedules set after a 2012 NPR investigation found the VA was using portions of the property for non-veteran purposes while thousands slept on Los Angeles streets.

Follmer and other volunteers work every Thursday from sunup to sundown with master gardeners. He estimates one year of consistent effort has reclaimed what he describes as "20 years of neglect."

The Bottom Line

The Japanese garden represents both the promise and challenges facing the West LA VA campus. On one hand, it demonstrates how community-driven initiatives can create meaningful spaces for veterans while formal construction proceeds slowly. On the other hand, advocates say NDA requirements and inconsistent funding commitments raise questions about transparency and prioritization.

Follmer sees the garden as essential to building a true community rather than simply a giant homeless shelter. "The vets are a little upset because they get this far up North Campus, and there's no supermarkets, there's no coffee shops," he said. "And I have to keep telling them, just hold on, something will come."

What happens next: Watch for whether Congress pushes for greater transparency around campus development and NDA requirements. The VA has told NPR funding for additional beds will arrive later in the budget cycle, though advocates say veterans need housing commitments now rather than promises.