Correspondence from a whistleblower involved with private redevelopment of West Los Angeles VA Soldiers’ Home regarding notice to the Veterans Community Oversight and Engagement Board (VCOEB) Federal Advisory Committee about current public corruption charges against Curren Price identifying Thomas Safran & Associates (TSA) as the source of bribe payments related to the VA Building 207 project. After the federal advisory committee board refused to take any action on the notice while still supporting Thomas Safran & Associates, the board member submitting the notice suddenly found themself off the board.
———- Forwarded message ———
From: XXXXX XXXXXXXXX <XXXXXXXXXX@XXXXXXX.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 21, 2023 at 9:58 AM
Subject: VCOEB Action Needed in Response to TSA Allegations
To: John Hopper Jr <jhop1048@gmail.com>, Rob Begland <begland@icloud.com>, Joshua Bamberger <joshdbamberger@gmail.com>
Good Morning, General Hopper & Rob & Josh:
I know you all are already aware that one of the three firms that comprise the Principal Developer Team (responsible for delivery of at least 900 units of permanent supportive housing on VA’s WLA Campus), Thomas Safran & Associates (TSA), is ‘implicated’ in a Criminal Complaint against LA City Councilmember Curren Price, alleging embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest. The Criminal Complaint is pretty explicit and a quick OC search shows that TSA incorporated/registered two entities (Beach Avenue Housing LP & Town Meadows LP), paid Curren’s wife, and then received $4.6M+ in HHH Funding along with a donation of City Property to their Missouri & Bundy Housing LP. Both of the incorporated firms under TSA were registered within 3 weeks of each other, one by Andrew Gross (former President & Principal of TSA) and the other by Jordan Pynes (current President). The LP that received the City funding was registered by Thomas Safran (current Chairman).TSA has denied any awareness of this; however, the ‘facts’ of the case seem pretty straightforward.
In my time at VA & LAHSA, I too had allegations lobbed against me; so, despite the egregious nature of the charges, I recognize & respect the need for due process. That said, when allegations were pointed at me in my role at WLA, I had the responsibility to swiftly & transparently respond and in all cases, disproved the allegations. TSA should be accountable to the same standard before being allowed to proceed with further work on the Campus.
Given the storied history of fraud, waste, and abuse on the WLA Campus, I believe this is a time when the VCOEB needs to lean far forward into the “oversight” in our title, to ensure we protect the interests of Veterans & the Campus by taking the following actions:
- Request documentation, copies of checks, copies of deliverables/services provided by Del Richardson & Associates (when I first got to CERS I terminated a Welcome Center Contract with Del Richardson & Associates, who received tens of thousands of dollars but served less than 10% of the Veterans they were funded to) a full response from TSA regarding the allegations made, etc.
- Pause any future applications or funding and/or development rights for TSA (including TCAC, CDLAC, etc.) until the allegations are adjudicated; next up for TSA in B400 (Lot 49)
- VCOEB to recommend that VA issue a competitive RFP for the Town Center/end the Principal Developer’s campaign to self-perform this
To give TSA the benefit of the doubt, I recommend allowing TSA to maintain their role in B207 lease-up/operation and B402 construction so as not to delay housing for Veterans.
Happy to jump on a call or discuss further, but given the timing of these allegations and the VCOEB meeting, I do feel we need to take swift action to ensure the interest of Veterans is preserved, above all else. For your reference, the Complaint is attached, as well as a few articles – Article_001, Article_002, Article_003, and Article_004
Thank you,
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Criminal Complaint Referenced in the Email (click here)
The below screenshots are from the recent amended complaint. You can see the full amended complaint here.
