Disabled American Veterans vans parked; congressional office, local leaders seek alternatives

Two vans used to transport Imperial County veterans to the San Diego VA have been parked for about a month, federal and local representatives said during public comment at the Imperial County Veterans Advisory Council meeting.

The council heard details from Sarah Solarsano, field representative for Congressman Raul Ruiz, who said the congressman’s office has prepared a request for HUD-VASH vouchers and is compiling facts to present to the congressman and the VA. “I have it completed for the request for HUD VASH vouchers to be allocated,” Solarsano said during the meeting.

Why it matters: Veterans who relied on the DAV-run shuttle faced sudden disruptions to outpatient care and specialist appointments in San Diego. Council members and the congressman’s office said they are exploring short-term driving resources and longer-term options, including local providers seeing VA patients or other transportation programs.

What was reported and who is responsible - Solarsano told the council that veterans reported the vans and drivers have been unavailable “as far back as about a month” and that office staff are investigating grant opportunities for paid drivers. She said the office is coordinating with local stakeholders before the congressman calls VA leadership to ensure accurate, consolidated facts. - Council members and staff clarified the vehicles are owned by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization and are staged at the Imperial County airport. A DAV lockbox holds keys for the vans, and the DAV maintains the vans and routes, not the county. - One council member said drivers reportedly received only food vouchers from the VA as compensation, and that low or inconsistent compensation may have contributed to the driver shortage.

Possible short- and longer-term fixes discussed - The congressman’s office said it will pursue HUD-VASH voucher advocacy and look for local grant-funded drivers or vendor partners to restore trips to San Diego. - Council members proposed reaching out to other local agencies, such as the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC) or county programs, to explore subcontracting rides or using paid drivers. - Council members also discussed recruiting regional DAV leadership and airport administrators for a joint meeting to clarify operations and responsibility.

Council and staff next steps - The council requested that local staff, the congressman’s representatives and DAV regional contacts meet to compile a timeline, identify current riders affected, and document routes and funding gaps. - Solarsano said she will collect casework and coordinate with staff and the VA before the congressman makes outreach so he can present a single, vetted set of facts.

Provenance: transcript excerpts - Topic intro: council public comment where Sarah Solarsano begins describing the vans being parked: "State my name is Sarah Solarsano, field representative for congressman Raul Ruiz here in Imperial County... I have it completed for, the request for HUD VASH vouchers to be allocated." (transcript segment start ~1378.45) - Topic finish: later remarks summarizing coordination with VA and local partners: "...I'm compiling things as veterans call...so it's not like I'm all over the place." (transcript segment end ~2139.71)

Ending: The congressman’s field office and the Veterans Advisory Council said they will continue to compile casework and pursue multiple avenues — grant funding, local drivers and VA coordination — to restore transport services while clarifying that the DAV owns and operates the vans and that the county does not run the program.