Operated through the city’s shelter and nonprofit contractor system, the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence houses hundreds of veterans with a wide range of physical, mental health, and social service needs. Intended as a bridge between homelessness and permanent housing, BAVR plays a significant role in the city’s veteran shelter network and the Veterans Affairs Grant and Per Diem (GPD) transitional housing system.
Over the years, concerns have been raised regarding conditions inside the facility, including safety, sanitation, overcrowding, and access to supportive services. Veterans and advocates have reported challenges related to consistent case management, privacy, food quality, and access to housing placement assistance. Veterans in the Veterans Affairs GPD program are housed with non-eligible veterans with Bad Conduct Discharges, violent sex offense convictions, and drug offenses.
The environment has also been criticized for exposing vulnerable Veterans Affairs eligible veterans in the federally-funded GPD program to violence, substance abuse, and repeated interactions with law enforcement, creating additional barriers for individuals attempting to stabilize their lives after military service.
IT'S TIME TO FIGHT BACK!!
After years of complaints from veterans, and unkept promises from Institute for Community Living and complicity by supposed NYC leaders, the NYC Council Committee on Veterans, the Veterans Advisory Board, the NYC Dept. of Veteran Services, the NYC Veterans Task Force, and NYC Dept. of Homeless Services, I have taken the bold move to sue the whole lot of them in federal court. SDNY Case: 26-CV-0176
One click on the links above and the message is clear:
HOMELESS VETERANS DON'T EXIST.
HOMELESS VETERANS DON'T MATTER.
One look at their websites is a clear indication of how much veterans are exploited for our service. Most of these organizations say they support homeless veterans yet, we NEVER see them at Borden Avenue speaking to the veterans. We NEVER see them inviting veterans to meetings and roundtables. We NEVER see them with tickets to a baseball game. They will NEVER address homeless veterans. The only time we see them is when they are BLAMING veterans for not self-identifying. If it weren't for veterans being exploited to get more money from taxpayers, we wouldn't even hear from them at all
The intention is to initiate this lawsuit individually with the judgement setting the stage for a class action by the thousands of veterans that have been denied access to resources and treatment consistent with the Veterans Affairs Grant & Per Diem (GPD) transitional program.
While Borden Ave and the GPD program is earmarked for VA-eligible veterans and federally-funded, DHS and ICL have designated Borden as a Mentally-Ill, Chemical Abuse (MICA) shelter, so every veteran who enters that door is automatically 'branded' as crazy or a drug addict. Veterans who prey on other veterans are allowed to stay because of this designation.
Despite what you have been told, "The GPD program is NOT a mental health program and veterans are NOT required to have a mental health diagnosis to receive VA benefits through the GPD program. That is a LIE."
How safe was Borden Avenue? Did you feel respected? Were you assaulted by other veterans? Did you witness open drug use?
I want to hear from YOU! Please complete the 10-question Borden Avenue Safety Evaluation by clicking HERE.
Advocates have called for increased oversight, improved transparency, stronger veteran-centered support systems, and reforms that prioritize long-term housing stability, individualized care, and safe living conditions for veterans transitioning back into civilian life.
Read more. Borden Avenue Veterans Residence Experience
Read more: A Tale of Two Transitional Programs
Catholic Charaties MANA House - Borden Avenue Veterans Residence Visual Comparison