Committee on Veterans (2026)

Part 16 — Findings and Recommendations: Restoring the Mission of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program



Key Findings

The findings presented throughout this report identify a central concern regarding the operation of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence (BAVR), New York City's only federally funded Veterans Affairs Grant and Per Diem (GPD) transitional housing program: whether the current model is meeting the original purpose of a veteran-focused transitional program designed to move veterans from homelessness into long-term stability.

The GPD program was created to provide more than temporary shelter. Its mission includes safe housing, healthcare coordination, recovery support, employment preparation, independent living skills, community reintegration, and successful transition into permanent housing.

The issues identified throughout this review—including public safety concerns, emergency-response activity, limited access to VA resources, gaps in services for vulnerable veterans, financial priorities, and inconsistent outcome tracking—demonstrate the need for a comprehensive review and reform strategy focused on improving outcomes for veterans.

Independent Review of Borden Avenue

The first recommendation is an independent review of Borden Avenue's operations, funding, safety conditions, and program outcomes.

This review should examine whether the facility is operating consistent with the intent of the VA GPD program by evaluating:

• Safety and security conditions
• Emergency-response trends
• Staffing and service delivery
• Access to VA healthcare
• Housing outcomes
• Veteran satisfaction
• Financial priorities

An independent assessment would provide transparency regarding whether taxpayer resources are being used effectively and whether veterans are receiving the services necessary to successfully transition into permanent housing.

Align Borden Avenue With VA GPD Standards

A major finding of this report is the need to ensure that Borden Avenue operates as a transitional veterans program rather than a traditional shelter model.

The GPD program should prioritize:

• Connection to VA healthcare and benefits
• Employment and education opportunities
• Financial independence
• Recovery services
• Peer support
• Community integration
• Housing readiness

The goal should not simply be moving veterans through the shelter system. The goal should be preparing veterans to leave homelessness permanently.

Improve Safety and Access to VA Resources

A successful transitional environment requires stability and trust.

Emergency-response records reviewed in this report identified significant public safety concerns involving police responses, medical emergencies, behavioral health crises, and resident safety issues. These conditions affect not only community resources, but also veterans attempting to recover from PTSD, disabilities, homelessness, or incarceration.

Improving safety should include better incident tracking, stronger accountability measures, and ensuring veterans can participate in programming without fear.

Access to VA resources must also become a priority. Veterans should have consistent connections to:

• VA medical appointments
• Mental health treatment
• Disability claims assistance
• HUD-VASH coordination
• Employment resources
• Veteran service organizations

Establish a Bellevue Veterans Transitional Program

This report recommends evaluating the creation of a Bellevue Veterans Transitional Program as a comprehensive alternative model serving the full veteran community.

Located near the Manhattan VA Medical Center, Bellevue provides an opportunity to create a recovery-focused program built around direct access to healthcare, transportation, and veteran services.

A redesigned program should serve:

• Male veterans
• Women veterans
• Veterans with children
• Veteran families
• Veterans transitioning from incarceration
• Veterans with disabilities

New York City's veteran population has changed, and services must reflect those changes.

Improve Outcome Tracking and Annual Reporting

Success should be measured by long-term outcomes rather than simply available beds or program enrollment.

Annual reporting should include:

• Successful housing exits
• Returns to homelessness
• VA healthcare enrollment
• Employment progress
• Emergency-response activity
• Resident feedback
• Follow-up after housing placement

The VA Office of Inspector General has emphasized that accurate GPD outcome data is essential because unreliable reporting prevents proper evaluation of whether programs are achieving their intended purpose.

Strengthen Oversight and Accountability

Ending veteran homelessness requires coordination among:

• Institute for Community Living
• Department of Homeless Services
• Department of Veterans' Services
• Veterans Task Force
• Veterans Advisory Board
• City Council oversight bodies
• Veterans with lived experience

Each organization has a role, but accountability requires clear responsibility, documented follow-up, and measurable improvement.

Conclusion

The purpose of the VA Grant and Per Diem Program is not simply to manage homelessness. Its purpose is to end homelessness by giving veterans the resources necessary to rebuild their lives.

The findings in this report demonstrate the need to return the focus of New York City's veteran transitional housing system back to the veteran. Safety, healthcare access, accountability, and successful permanent housing outcomes must become the primary measures of success.

Veterans entering these programs have already served their country and often arrive after experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. The responsibility of government agencies and service providers is to ensure that the next step is not another cycle through homelessness, but a genuine transition toward stability, independence, and long-term success.