Veterans who report misconduct or security violations at BAVR aren’t protected—they’re punished. Many are transferred out of the GPD program, and therefore removed from the HUD/VASH housing track, the federal permanent housing pipeline for veterans. This retaliatory cycle severely hampers their ability to access sustainable housing, often returning them to square one or forcing them into general shelters unfit for their needs.
It’s no surprise, then, that only 1 in 4 veterans in New York City self-identify as veterans when accessing city services. One reason is the “one-size-fits-all” approach that treats veterans the same as the general homeless population—stripping away community engagement, housing prioritization, and VA transitional programs such as transportation to/from healthcare appointments. When the system fails to recognize or protect their unique status, many veterans simply opt out of declaring it altogether.
Equally alarming is that the transitional housing program at BAVR is not available to women veterans at all—an exclusion that is discriminatory and unacceptable in a city committed to equity. As a result, VA-eligible women are left without access to GPD support in New York City, further marginalizing a population already underrepresented in service access.
With Speaker-designate Julie Menin preparing to appoint members to the Committee on Veterans, the time for action is now. This is not a programmatic flaw—it is a moral failure.
