BUENA PARK : Veterans Say City’s Pushing Group Out

Members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter believe city officials are driving them out of town.

“They don’t want us here. It feels like they want to boot us out,” said Frank Longoria, commander of Post 8954.

For the past five years, VFW members and city staff have been trying to find a place to relocate the post from its building on Homewood Avenue and 8th Street. The post has been in the same location for more than 30 years.

Two months ago, the veterans thought they had found another site in an industrial area, away from residences. But city regulations requiring fire sprinklers in the building and a paved parking lot have made the move too costly, Longoria said.

Post members said they were forced to back out of the deal because of the $100,000 it would cost them to meet city codes in a portion of the building that would be rented to the public for weddings and other events.

“We can’t even afford to buy the property, even if we didn’t have to bring it up to code,” said Stan Delmore, a VFW member and spokesman.

Delmore said the post needs to rent out the building to the public in order to raise money. The city won’t allow the VFW post to rent out its current hall because of past complaints about noise and parking problems. The complaints forced the organization to seek a new home away from residential areas.

Veterans addressed the City Council last week and criticized officials for making it difficult for the post to remain in town. But council members told them the city has done its best to find them a new home. “We care very much about the veterans,” said Councilwoman Rhonda J. McCune.

Thomas E. Lynch, director of development services, said the city has exhausted its efforts in trying to find another location for the post.

Because the post’s current hall is in a redevelopment area, the city’s Redevelopment Agency has offered to buy the property for $50,000, provide another $50,000 in relocation costs, and pay $20,000 toward asbestos removal, Lynch said.

Delmore said the offer is not enough to pay for another site.

“All we want is another building like the one we have,” he said. “All we want is for the city to be fair. We want the same consideration as if they were moving a homeowner.”