Report to the New York City Council Committee on Veterans

An Assessment of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence, the VA Grant and Per Diem Program, and Public Accountability

Prepared by: Timothy Pena
Founder, Veterans Justice Project

Executive Summary

Key Findings

• The Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence is New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) transitional housing program.
• Public funding has increased substantially while significant expenditures have been directed toward administration, contracted security, maintenance, and behavioral health services.
• Approximately 1,365 emergency calls were associated with the facility between August 2024 and December 2025.
• More than 70 arrests occurred during a separate three-year period from September 2022 through December 2025, including felony assaults, weapons offenses, and numerous misdemeanor assaults.
• Approximately 60 percent of publicly available emergency-call records contain no recorded disposition, limiting independent review of incident outcomes.
• Historical reporting, public testimony, Veterans Advisory Board discussions, and emergency-response records collectively identify longstanding concerns regarding safety, accountability, transparency, and recovery-oriented programming.
• The report identifies opportunities for additional oversight regarding financial priorities, public safety, program implementation, and veteran recovery.

Narrative

The Department of Veterans Affairs established the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program to provide homeless veterans with more than temporary shelter. Congress envisioned a transitional housing model that combines safe housing with individualized case management, employment assistance, healthcare coordination, behavioral health services, transportation, independent living instruction, and permanent housing placement. The objective is to help veterans successfully transition from homelessness to stable, independent living through recovery-oriented services rather than custodial shelter operations.

The Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence occupies a unique position within New York City's homeless services system because it serves as the City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program. Consequently, the facility represents the primary entry point for veterans seeking federally supported transitional housing within New York City.

This report reviews publicly available financial records, Department of Homeless Services budget documents, New York City Police Department emergency-response records, arrest records, Veterans Advisory Board discussions, historical reporting, and personal observations from my five months as a resident. Collectively, these materials identify several areas warranting additional review.

Financial records indicate that public investment in the residence has increased substantially during recent fiscal years. Budget documents identify significant expenditures supporting administration, contracted security, maintenance, counseling, and behavioral health programming. While these expenditures may serve legitimate operational purposes, the reviewed documents also raise questions regarding the relative emphasis placed upon veteran-centered programming such as recreation, community integration, employment preparation, peer support, and independent living instruction.

Emergency-response records identify approximately 1,365 emergency calls associated with the facility over a sixteen-month period. Public arrest records further identify more than 70 arrests during a separate three-year period. The available dispatch records indicate that approximately 60 percent of emergency calls contain no publicly available disposition, limiting independent evaluation of incident outcomes.

The report also examines the broader effect that safety, privacy, transparency, and operational priorities may have upon veterans recovering from PTSD, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury, homelessness, and other service-related conditions. Recovery depends not only upon housing, but also upon trust, dignity, stability, and confidence that supportive services are effectively advancing veterans toward permanent housing.

Rather than reaching conclusions regarding misconduct or regulatory violations, this report identifies documented information that may assist policymakers in evaluating whether current operations remain consistent with the intended objectives of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program.

Introduction

Purpose of this Report

• Evaluate the operation of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence.
• Compare current operations to the objectives of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program.
• Review publicly available financial information.
• Examine emergency-response activity.
• Evaluate arrest data.
• Assess transparency and accountability.
• Consider the impact upon veteran recovery.
• Present recommendations for continued oversight.

Narrative

Veteran homelessness remains one of New York City's most significant public policy challenges. Veterans entering transitional housing frequently arrive after prolonged periods of homelessness, unemployment, untreated physical illness, behavioral health disorders, military trauma, substance use disorders, financial hardship, or family instability. Transitional housing programs therefore play a critical role in helping veterans stabilize their lives before moving into permanent housing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs established the Grant and Per Diem Program specifically to address these challenges. Unlike traditional emergency shelters, GPD programs are expected to provide structured, recovery-oriented services that promote long-term independence. Safe housing represents only one component of the program. Veterans are also expected to receive individualized case management, healthcare coordination, employment assistance, transportation, life-skills instruction, behavioral health services when clinically appropriate, and assistance obtaining permanent housing.

Because Borden Avenue serves as New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program, its operation carries significance beyond the residents currently participating in the program. Program performance affects public confidence in veteran services, utilization of taxpayer resources, cooperation between federal and municipal agencies, and New York City's broader strategy for reducing veteran homelessness.

This report draws upon publicly available records together with personal observations from my five months as a resident. Where available records do not establish definitive conclusions, those limitations are acknowledged. The purpose of the report is to identify areas where additional transparency, evaluation, and oversight may strengthen veteran services while ensuring that public investments continue to support recovery-oriented programming.

Part 4

Public Safety, Emergency Response, and Community Impact

Key Findings

• Approximately 1,365 emergency calls were associated with the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence between August 2024 and December 2025.
• Emergency responses averaged more than two incidents per day during the sixteen-month period reviewed.
• The most frequently reported incidents involved:
• Ambulance responses
• Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) incidents
• Violent EDP incidents
• Assaults
• Suspected overdoses
• Harassment complaints
• Disputes
• Injuries
• Cardiac emergencies
• Unconscious persons
• Approximately 60 percent of publicly available emergency-call records contained no recorded disposition, limiting independent evaluation of incident outcomes.
• The volume of emergency responses represents a significant utilization of NYPD, FDNY EMS, emergency departments, psychiatric services, and other publicly funded resources.

Emergency Response Activity

The publicly available Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) records reviewed for this report identify approximately 1,365 emergency calls associated with the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence during the sixteen-month period between August 2024 and December 2025.

While emergency calls are expected within facilities serving vulnerable populations, the frequency documented at Borden Avenue warrants careful examination because the residence operates as New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program.

The records reflect an environment requiring continual intervention by law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, firefighters, hospitals, and behavioral health professionals. Averaged across the review period, emergency responders were dispatched to the residence more than two times each day.

This level of emergency activity raises broader policy questions concerning resident safety, environmental stability, and whether current operational practices effectively support recovery-oriented transitional housing.

Categories of Emergency Calls

Major Incident Types

Emergency-response records identify repeated dispatches involving:

• Serious ambulance cases
• Emotionally Disturbed Persons (EDP)
• Violent EDP incidents
• Assaults in progress
• Past assaults
• Suspected overdoses
• Unconscious persons
• Cardiac emergencies
• Heavy bleeding
• Difficulty breathing
• Harassment complaints
• Physical fights
• Knife-related disputes
• Larceny complaints
• Trespassing
• Disorderly persons
• Requests to investigate possible crimes

The variety of incident types demonstrates that emergency responses extended well beyond routine medical assistance and included criminal investigations, behavioral health crises, interpersonal violence, and other events requiring immediate intervention.

Although many veterans residing within the program experience significant physical or behavioral health conditions, the overall volume of emergency activity illustrates the complex operational challenges associated with managing a large congregate transitional housing environment.

Mental Health Emergencies

Key Findings

• Numerous emergency responses involved Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) incidents.
• Several incidents were classified as Violent EDP events.
• Multiple emergency calls resulted in hospital transport.
• Other incidents resulted in referrals to outside agencies or psychiatric evaluation.

Narrative

Behavioral health emergencies represent one of the most common categories of emergency response documented within the reviewed records.

Many veterans entering transitional housing experience PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, traumatic brain injury, substance-use disorders, or other service-related behavioral health conditions. Consequently, emergency responses involving mental health crises should not be interpreted as unusual by themselves.

However, the frequency of EDP responses documented at Borden Avenue raises questions regarding whether additional interventions, clinical support, or environmental modifications could reduce repeated emergency responses while strengthening veteran recovery.

The Grant and Per Diem Program emphasizes individualized treatment planning and coordinated case management precisely because behavioral health stabilization is often essential to achieving successful permanent housing.

Assaults and Violence

Key Findings

Emergency-response records identify repeated responses involving:

• Assaults in progress
• Past assaults
• Physical fights
• Harassment
• Threats
• Knife-related incidents
• Weapons-related complaints

Separate arrest records covering September 2022 through December 2025 document more than 70 arrests, including felony assault, misdemeanor assault, resisting arrest, weapons possession, and other criminal offenses.

Narrative

Emergency-response records demonstrate that violence represented a recurring reason for police response at the residence.

Several incidents involved ongoing assaults requiring immediate police intervention. Other calls involved harassment complaints, disputes escalating into physical altercations, and reports involving weapons.

Public arrest records similarly identify numerous arrests associated with the facility over approximately three years. These arrests include both felony and misdemeanor offenses and demonstrate that criminal activity requiring law enforcement intervention occurred repeatedly during the review period.

The purpose of documenting these incidents is not to characterize every resident or suggest that violence defines the facility. Rather, the frequency of police intervention provides an objective measure of operational conditions that should be considered when evaluating whether the environment effectively supports veterans recovering from trauma and homelessness.

Overdoses and Medical Emergencies

Key Findings

Emergency-response records include numerous incidents involving:

• Suspected overdoses
• Unconscious persons
• Cardiac emergencies
• Difficulty breathing
• Heavy bleeding
• Serious ambulance cases
• Hospital transports

Narrative

Medical emergencies accounted for the largest category of emergency responses identified within the reviewed records.

Many incidents involved serious ambulance cases requiring immediate emergency medical intervention. Other responses involved unconscious individuals, suspected overdoses, cardiac emergencies, traumatic injuries, and respiratory distress.

Veterans residing in transitional housing often experience chronic medical conditions requiring ongoing care. Nevertheless, repeated emergency responses also illustrate the substantial burden placed upon New York City's emergency medical system.

Each ambulance response requires emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency department staff, physicians, nurses, diagnostic services, and hospital resources. Consequently, repeated emergency responses should also be viewed within the broader context of healthcare utilization and taxpayer expenditures.

Community Impact

Key Findings

The emergency-response activity affects:

• NYPD 108th Precinct
• FDNY Emergency Medical Services
• Emergency departments
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Queens criminal courts
• Correctional facilities
• Neighborhood residents
• New York City taxpayers

Narrative

Emergency-response activity at Borden Avenue extends beyond the immediate needs of residents.

Every dispatch requires public resources funded through municipal, state, and federal government budgets. Police officers responding to repeated emergency calls become unavailable for other community priorities. Ambulance crews responding to repeated incidents likewise remain unavailable for emergencies elsewhere within Queens.

Repeated utilization of emergency services also increases demands upon emergency departments, psychiatric hospitals, prosecutors, public defenders, correctional personnel, probation departments, and parole officers.

Although emergency responses are an expected component of serving vulnerable populations, the cumulative effect documented within the available records demonstrates that the operation of Borden Avenue has broader implications for public safety and municipal resource allocation.

Transition to Transparency

Emergency-response records provide valuable information concerning the operational environment of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence. However, one of the most significant findings emerging from the review is not simply the number of emergency calls, but the limited information available concerning their outcomes.

The following section examines the substantial number of emergency-call records that contain no publicly available disposition, the implications for public accountability, and why complete incident documentation is essential to evaluating program effectiveness.

End of Part 4

Part 5

Transparency, Accountability, and Veteran Recovery

Key Findings

• Approximately 60 percent of the publicly available emergency-call records contain no recorded disposition.
• Based on approximately 1,365 emergency calls, this represents roughly 819 incidents for which publicly available records do not identify an outcome.
• The absence of disposition information limits the ability of policymakers, oversight agencies, researchers, journalists, and the public to evaluate emergency-response outcomes.
• Publicly available records frequently do not indicate whether an incident resulted in:
• Arrest
• Hospital transport
• Psychiatric admission
• Criminal investigation
• Referral to another agency
• No further action
• Greater transparency would improve accountability while strengthening public confidence in New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem program.

Missing Emergency Call Dispositions

One of the most significant findings identified during this review concerns the absence of disposition information within the publicly available emergency-response records.

Of approximately 1,365 emergency calls reviewed between August 2024 and December 2025, approximately 60 percent do not contain a publicly available final disposition. Based upon the records examined, this represents approximately 819 emergency incidents for which outside reviewers cannot determine the final outcome.

Disposition information is important because it documents how responding agencies resolved an incident. Depending upon the circumstances, a disposition may indicate that an individual was transported to a hospital, referred to another agency, arrested, admitted for psychiatric evaluation, treated at the scene, or that no police action was required.

Without that information, it becomes difficult to fully understand emergency-response patterns or evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

The absence of publicly available dispositions should not be interpreted as evidence that information was intentionally withheld or that misconduct occurred. Emergency dispatch systems may omit final outcomes for a variety of administrative, technical, or reporting reasons. Nevertheless, incomplete records substantially reduce transparency and limit meaningful public oversight.

Why Dispositions Matter

Disposition records help answer important questions

• Did police make an arrest?
• Was a crime report completed?
• Was a resident transported to a hospital?
• Was psychiatric treatment initiated?
• Was EMS refused?
• Was the complaint unfounded?
• Was another agency responsible for follow-up?
• Was the incident resolved without police action?

These questions are particularly important when reviewing repeated emergency activity at publicly funded facilities.

Emergency-response statistics alone provide only part of the picture. Understanding how incidents were resolved allows policymakers to identify recurring behavioral health needs, evaluate operational practices, measure program effectiveness, and determine whether additional services may reduce future emergency responses.

Without complete outcome information, independent reviewers are unable to distinguish isolated incidents from recurring patterns requiring corrective action.

Transparency and Public Accountability

Key Findings

Effective oversight depends upon:

• Accurate reporting
• Complete documentation
• Independent review
• Public accountability
• Reliable outcome measurements

Narrative

The Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence occupies a unique position within New York City's homeless services system because it represents the City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program.

Programs operating with substantial public funding should be capable of demonstrating measurable outcomes through reliable documentation. Transparency benefits not only oversight agencies but also program administrators by providing objective information regarding operational strengths, emerging trends, and opportunities for improvement.

Complete emergency-response records allow agencies to evaluate whether repeated incidents involve the same residents, whether behavioral health interventions are effective, whether additional staffing or services may be required, and whether program modifications could reduce emergency utilization.

Similarly, transparent reporting allows elected officials and taxpayers to evaluate whether public investments are producing measurable improvements in veteran recovery and long-term housing stability.

Veteran Recovery and Environmental Stability

Key Findings

Recovery-oriented transitional housing depends upon:

• Physical safety
• Emotional security
• Medical privacy
• Trust in staff
• Confidence in reporting systems
• Access to healthcare
• Stable case management
• Hope for permanent housing

Narrative

Recovery from homelessness involves considerably more than obtaining temporary shelter.

Veterans entering the Grant and Per Diem Program frequently arrive after years of instability resulting from military trauma, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, chronic illness, unemployment, family separation, financial hardship, or substance-use disorders.

The transitional housing environment therefore becomes an important part of the recovery process.

When veterans believe they are living in a stable, predictable environment, they are more likely to participate in healthcare, counseling, employment programs, educational opportunities, and housing planning. Conversely, repeated exposure to violence, behavioral health crises, emergency responses, or uncertainty may affect veterans' willingness to fully engage in treatment.

Recovery is built upon confidence.

Veterans who believe that staff, healthcare providers, and public agencies are working toward their long-term success are more likely to remain engaged in services and pursue permanent housing.

My Experience at Borden Avenue

My observations as a resident illustrate the importance of environmental stability within transitional housing.

During my five months at the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence, I witnessed repeated emergency responses involving police officers, ambulance crews, behavioral health crises, and interpersonal conflicts among residents.

These experiences contributed to significant stress and affected my confidence in the recovery-oriented environment envisioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs Grant and Per Diem Program.

The purpose of including my experience is not to suggest that every veteran shared identical concerns. Rather, it demonstrates how perceptions of safety, privacy, and stability can influence recovery.

Veterans recovering from trauma often remain highly sensitive to their surroundings. An environment perceived as unpredictable or unsafe may reinforce hypervigilance rather than promote healing.

The Importance of Hope

Key Findings

Successful transitional housing should help veterans:

• Restore dignity
• Build confidence
• Develop independence
• Reconnect with healthcare
• Obtain employment
• Rebuild family relationships
• Secure permanent housing

Narrative

Hope represents one of the least measurable, yet most important, outcomes of transitional housing.

Many veterans entering the Grant and Per Diem Program have experienced repeated personal setbacks before arriving at transitional housing. Military trauma, homelessness, financial hardship, illness, incarceration, unemployment, and family separation frequently combine to produce feelings of discouragement and isolation.

The purpose of transitional housing is to reverse those experiences.

Every interaction between staff and residents should reinforce the belief that permanent recovery is achievable.

Programs emphasizing dignity, accountability, structure, and individualized support provide veterans with the confidence necessary to pursue employment, maintain treatment, strengthen relationships, and successfully transition into independent living.

When veterans lose confidence in the environment, recovery becomes significantly more difficult.

For that reason, transparency, accountability, and continual program evaluation remain essential components of successful veteran services.

Transition to Part 6

Financial accountability, emergency-response activity, and transparency each provide measurable indicators of program performance. The next section examines how these operational factors affect specific veteran populations, including veterans recovering from PTSD, veterans living with HIV, LGBTQ+ veterans, and other individuals whose recovery may depend upon privacy, trust, and access to supportive services.

Part 6

Vulnerable Veterans, Privacy, and Access to Recovery Services

Key Findings

• The VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program is intended to serve all eligible veterans, regardless of disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or religion.
• Veterans entering transitional housing often experience multiple service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, traumatic brain injury, substance use disorders, and chronic medical conditions.
• Veterans living with HIV and veterans who identify as LGBTQ+ may have additional concerns regarding privacy, confidentiality, stigma, and access to healthcare.
• Confidence in a transitional housing program depends upon veterans believing they can seek medical care, behavioral health treatment, and supportive services without fear of discrimination or unnecessary disclosure of sensitive personal information.
• Protecting privacy is consistent with the recovery-oriented objectives of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program.

Recovery Requires Trust

The Department of Veterans Affairs established the Grant and Per Diem Program to provide an environment where veterans can safely recover from homelessness while addressing the underlying issues that contributed to housing instability. Recovery requires veterans to trust the professionals responsible for assisting them and to feel confident that their personal information will be handled appropriately.

Veterans entering transitional housing often disclose deeply personal information concerning military service, combat experiences, mental health treatment, substance use disorders, criminal justice involvement, financial hardship, and chronic medical conditions. The willingness to disclose that information depends upon confidence that it will be treated with professionalism and respect.

For many veterans, trust develops gradually. It is strengthened through consistent case management, respectful communication, and confidence that staff are focused upon helping veterans achieve permanent housing rather than merely maintaining occupancy within a shelter environment.

Veterans Living with PTSD

Key Findings

Veterans living with PTSD frequently experience:

• Hypervigilance
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances
• Social isolation
• Difficulty trusting unfamiliar environments
• Increased sensitivity to conflict
• Difficulty adjusting to congregate living

Narrative

Many veterans entering the Grant and Per Diem Program have experienced military trauma that continues to affect daily life long after separation from military service.

PTSD frequently alters how veterans perceive their surroundings. Environments characterized by repeated emergency responses, interpersonal conflict, or unpredictable activity may reinforce hypervigilance rather than support recovery. Veterans recovering from trauma often benefit from stability, routine, and confidence that the environment remains focused upon rehabilitation.

The VA designed the Grant and Per Diem Program with these realities in mind. Structured programming, individualized case management, behavioral healthcare, employment services, and permanent housing planning are intended to reduce instability while helping veterans rebuild confidence in civilian life.

A recovery-oriented environment therefore requires more than clinical treatment. It also depends upon maintaining an atmosphere where veterans feel physically and emotionally secure.

Veterans Living with HIV

Key Findings

Veterans living with HIV may require:

• Confidential medical treatment
• Privacy regarding health information
• Specialized medical care
• Coordination between healthcare providers
• Stable housing
• Reliable transportation to medical appointments
• Confidence that sensitive information will remain protected

Narrative

Veterans living with HIV often depend upon consistent medical treatment, prescription medications, laboratory monitoring, and coordinated healthcare services to maintain long-term health.

Stable housing plays an essential role in achieving successful medical outcomes. Housing instability frequently disrupts treatment, increases stress, and complicates coordination between healthcare providers and social-service agencies.

During my participation in the housing process, I pursued supportive housing through the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA). As part of that process, I became increasingly concerned about maintaining medical privacy within a congregate housing environment. My concerns centered upon the possibility that sensitive medical information could become known among residents through routine interactions or housing-related processes.

Although I was not physically assaulted because of my HIV status, I personally came to believe that my medical condition may have influenced aspects of my housing process. That belief reflects my own experience and perception and should not be interpreted as an established finding regarding the actions or intent of any individual or agency.

Regardless of the reasons for those experiences, they reinforced my belief that protecting medical confidentiality remains essential for veterans participating in transitional housing.

LGBTQ+ Veterans

Key Findings

LGBTQ+ veterans may experience concerns regarding:

• Privacy
• Personal safety
• Harassment
• Stigma
• Access to healthcare
• Access to behavioral health services
• Confidence in reporting procedures
• Housing stability

Narrative

The VA Grant and Per Diem Program serves veterans from every background and every community. Recovery-oriented services should therefore provide an environment where all veterans feel respected and able to participate fully in treatment and supportive programming.

Veterans who identify as LGBTQ+ may have concerns regarding privacy or fear discrimination based upon previous personal experiences. Whether those concerns arise from military service, homelessness, family rejection, or prior interactions with institutions, they can influence willingness to seek assistance.

A successful transitional housing program should minimize those barriers by fostering an environment in which veterans believe complaints will be taken seriously, personal information will remain confidential, and supportive services will be provided without bias.

Creating that level of confidence benefits every veteran residing within the program by reinforcing professionalism, accountability, and mutual respect.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Key Findings

Effective transitional housing should protect:

• Medical confidentiality
• Personal information
• Healthcare decisions
• Housing information
• Veteran dignity
• Resident privacy

Narrative

Privacy represents a fundamental component of recovery.

Veterans entering transitional housing frequently disclose information concerning disabilities, mental health treatment, military sexual trauma, HIV status, criminal justice involvement, financial hardship, and family circumstances. Such information is often necessary to coordinate healthcare, housing placement, and supportive services.

Protecting that information encourages veterans to participate fully in treatment while strengthening confidence in the program.

Conversely, concerns regarding confidentiality may discourage veterans from discussing medical issues, seeking behavioral healthcare, pursuing supportive housing opportunities, or participating openly in case management.

Because recovery depends upon trust, confidentiality should be viewed not simply as an administrative responsibility but as an essential component of effective veteran services.

Equal Access to Recovery

The Grant and Per Diem Program was established to ensure that every eligible veteran has an opportunity to recover from homelessness and successfully transition into permanent housing.

Regardless of background or personal circumstances, veterans should reasonably expect:

• Respect
• Dignity
• Professional treatment
• Consistent case management
• Confidential healthcare coordination
• Safe housing
• Equal access to supportive services
• Opportunities to achieve permanent housing

Maintaining these principles strengthens confidence in the program while reinforcing the Department of Veterans Affairs' commitment to serving all veterans.

Part 7

The preceding chapters have examined financial priorities, public safety, emergency-response activity, transparency, and the experiences of vulnerable veteran populations. The final section of this report examines oversight, policy recommendations, and opportunities to strengthen New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program through increased accountability, measurable outcomes, and continued legislative review.

Oversight, Recommendations, Conclusion, and Sources

Oversight and Accountability

Key Findings

• The Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence is New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) transitional housing program.
• The program represents a significant investment of federal, state, and municipal resources.
• Public accountability is strengthened through transparency, measurable outcomes, and independent oversight.
• Financial records, emergency-response activity, occupancy information, and publicly available records provide a basis for continued program evaluation.
• Independent review benefits veterans, taxpayers, service providers, and policymakers alike.

Narrative

The Grant and Per Diem Program represents one of the Department of Veterans Affairs' principal initiatives for reducing veteran homelessness through transitional housing and recovery-oriented services. Because Borden Avenue serves as New York City's only federally funded GPD program, its operation has implications extending well beyond a single residence.

The documents reviewed throughout this report identify substantial public investment, significant emergency-response activity, and ongoing discussion regarding program priorities. These records do not, standing alone, establish regulatory violations or financial misconduct. They do, however, identify several areas where additional evaluation may assist policymakers in determining whether current operations remain fully aligned with the objectives established by Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Oversight should not be viewed as criticism of the program or the professionals working within it. Rather, periodic review represents a normal and appropriate function of government intended to improve services, strengthen accountability, and ensure that veterans receive the highest quality transitional housing possible.

As New York City continues investing significant public resources into veteran homelessness programs, regular evaluation of measurable outcomes remains essential. Financial accountability, resident safety, successful transitions into permanent housing, and efficient utilization of taxpayer resources should remain central performance measures for any publicly funded transitional housing program.

Recommendations

Program Evaluation

• Conduct an independent review of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence to evaluate consistency with the objectives of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program.
• Review measurable outcomes relating to permanent housing placements, employment, and veteran independence.
• Evaluate program performance using recovery-oriented outcome measurements rather than occupancy alone.

Financial Review

• Review annual operating budgets.
• Evaluate funding priorities supporting transitional programming.
• Examine occupancy methodologies and reimbursement calculations.
• Review expenditures supporting contracted services, maintenance, behavioral health programming, and administration.
• Continue periodic financial audits as appropriate.

Public Safety

• Review emergency-response trends.
• Obtain complete NYPD Computer Aided Dispatch records where appropriate.
• Review EMS response documentation.
• Evaluate patterns involving repeated emergency responses.
• Continue coordination among law enforcement, emergency medical services, behavioral healthcare providers, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veteran Recovery

• Continue emphasizing recovery-oriented services.
• Expand opportunities supporting employment and independent living.
• Strengthen peer-support opportunities.
• Increase community engagement activities.
• Continue promoting permanent housing placement as the primary program objective.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Continue protecting confidential medical information.
• Review resident privacy procedures.
• Ensure veterans understand available reporting procedures.
• Continue promoting respectful treatment of all veterans regardless of disability, medical condition, or personal background.

Transparency

• Increase public reporting concerning measurable program outcomes.
• Improve documentation supporting program evaluation.
• Continue legislative oversight through the New York City Council.
• Encourage collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeless Services, and community partners.

Conclusion

The Department of Veterans Affairs created the Grant and Per Diem Program to provide homeless veterans with an opportunity to rebuild their lives through structured transitional housing and individualized supportive services. Housing alone was never intended to represent the program's ultimate objective. Rather, transitional housing serves as the foundation upon which veterans reconnect with healthcare, employment, education, community support, and ultimately permanent housing.

The documents reviewed throughout this report demonstrate the significant public investment supporting the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence. They also identify substantial emergency-response activity, extensive utilization of public resources, continued financial growth, and opportunities for additional evaluation regarding program priorities and measurable outcomes.

Throughout this report, emphasis has been placed upon documented financial information, publicly available emergency-response records, arrest data, historical reporting, Veterans Advisory Board discussions, and the objectives established by the Department of Veterans Affairs for transitional housing. Collectively, these materials identify areas where continued review may strengthen accountability while supporting the long-term recovery of veterans participating in the program.

New York City's homeless veterans have already demonstrated resilience through military service and the challenges that followed. Transitional housing should continue reflecting the principles established by the VA Grant and Per Diem Program:

• Safety
• Dignity
• Recovery
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Permanent Housing
• Independent Living

Continued evaluation of program performance will assist policymakers in ensuring that public resources remain focused upon those objectives while strengthening public confidence in New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program.

Sources and References

Federal Laws, Regulations, and Guidance

1. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

• VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program
• VA Homeless Programs
• Grant and Per Diem Program Manual
• GPD Program Guidance
• Performance Monitoring Guidance

1. 38 U.S.C. §§ 2011–2065

• Homeless Veterans Programs

1. 38 C.F.R. Part 61

• VA Grant and Per Diem Regulations

1. Public Law 109-461

• Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006

1. VA Grant and Per Diem Transitional Program Overview

Federal Records

1. Department of Veterans Affairs FOIA Records

• GPD Occupancy Reports
• Occupancy Reimbursement Records
• VA Homeless Program Documentation

New York City Government

1. New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS)

• Annual Review Budget Summaries
• FY2020 Budget Documents
• FY2021 Budget Documents
• FY2022 Budget Documents
• FY2023 Budget Documents
• FY2024 Budget Documents
• Contract Budget Amendments
• Prevailing Wage Adjustments
• Repairs Allowances
• Mental Health Services Adjustments

1. New York City Police Department (NYPD)

• Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Records
• Emergency Response Records
• FOIL Responses
• Arrest Records (September 2022–December 2025)

1. FDNY Emergency Medical Services

• EMS Incident Categories
• Ambulance Response Records

New York State Records

1. New York State Sex Offender Registry
2. New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS)

Public Meetings

1. Queens Veterans Advisory Board

• April 29, 2026 Meeting Minutes
• Public Discussion Regarding Borden Avenue
• Justice-Involved Veteran Discussions

1. New York City Council

• Committee on Veterans
• Committee on General Welfare
• Public Testimony

Institute for Community Living

1. Institute for Community Living (ICL)

• Organizational Mission
• Annual Financial Statements
• IRS Form 990
• Annual Reports
• Program Information

1. Charity Navigator

• Institute for Community Living Financial Profile
• Executive Compensation
• Revenue and Expense Summaries

Historical Sources

1. Historical newspaper coverage regarding the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence (2003)
2. Historical reporting concerning management and operational issues (2008)
3. Subsequent reporting concerning veteran housing, public safety, and Borden Avenue operations.

Supporting Documents

1. Borden Avenue Budget Summaries
2. Financial Impact Analysis
3. Emergency Response Analysis
4. Arrest Analysis
5. VA Occupancy Analysis
6. Veterans Advisory Board Minutes
7. Public Testimony
8. Testimony regarding LGBTQ+ veterans and veterans living with HIV
9. Historical reporting compiled for this report
10. Publicly available demographic information
11. NYPD FOIL Records
12. Department of Veterans Affairs FOIA Records
13. Department of Homeless Services Budget Records
14. Veterans Justice Project Research Files