Not All Veterans Are Created Equal

Timothy Pena • April 30, 2025

NYC Council and Mayor Must Do Better for VA-Eligible Veterans

The New York City Council has recently placed blame on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the inadequacies in veteran services, particularly in regards to the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program, without acknowledging that the VA already provides significant resources for veterans. The real issue, however, lies in the mismanagement and corruption within the city’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS), which has consistently failed veterans despite receiving substantial federal funding.


DHS is allocated over $4 million annually to provide safe, drug-free housing and support services for veterans. Yet, facilities like the Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter continue to fail those they are meant to serve. The shelter has been plagued by unsafe living conditions, including a leaking roof for over ten years, lack of basic hygiene products, and insufficient transportation to VA healthcare appointments. DHS has also misallocated federal funds intended to support veterans’ transition from homelessness into permanent housing, diverting these resources to other uses that do not directly benefit VA-eligible veterans.


The Grant and Per Diem program, which is supposed to assist veterans in securing stable housing, has been hijacked by DHS. Instead of providing veterans with the resources they need, the Borden Avenue shelter has been converted into a MICA (Mental Illness and Chemical Abuse) facility, housing veterans alongside individuals with severe mental health issues and substance abuse problems. This mismanagement exacerbates veterans’ trauma rather than helping them heal. Furthermore, the city’s loose definition of a "veteran" contributes to the issue. Many individuals at Borden Avenue do not meet the federal VA’s eligibility criteria, but are still placed in these facilities, leaving true VA-eligible veterans to suffer unsafe conditions without proper care.

Corruption within the Institute for Community Living (ICL) further compounds the issue. ICL, which operates shelters that receive federal funds for veterans through DHS, reported $188.6 million in revenue in 2023, yet continues to provide substandard care. 


Despite generating millions in revenue, ICL executives earn large salaries, including nearly $500,000 for the CEO, while veterans languish in poor conditions. The organization hosts expensive fundraising events, but none of the money raised seems to benefit veterans. This points to a clear pattern of financial mismanagement and corruption, where the funds designated for veterans’ services are not being used appropriately.


The City Council has the power to address these issues by removing the GPD program from DHS and ICL and reallocating it to more competent organizations, such as Catholic Charities or Samaritan Village. These organizations have a proven track record of effectively managing veteran services and can provide the care that New York City’s veterans desperately need. Additionally, there must be an immediate investigation into how DHS and ICL are using federal VA funds. These funds are not intended for personal gain or mismanagement, but to directly support the veterans who have earned them through their service.

Veterans have kept their promises to this country, and it is time for New York City to honor its promises to them. The City Council must take action to ensure that veterans receive the resources they need and that agencies like DHS and ICL are held accountable for their misuse of federal funds. The time to act is now, before more veterans continue to fall through the cracks.



Not All Veterans Are Created Equal (printable pdf)

Timothy Pena is a service-connected disabled Navy veteran for PTSD and has written about his experiences with mental health, homelessness, and the judicial system. Suffering mental illness, he initially visited NYC to collaborate on a documentary for veteran suicide but decided to stay after realizing he would rather be homeless in NYC than dead in Phoenix. He has been writing stories and blogs about his journey from “homeless to homeness” in the NYC Dept of Homeless Services system and possible corruption within DHS and Veterans Affairs Grant & Per Diem Transitional Program.