Veterans have also recently reported what they believe to be an ongoing tick infestation at the facility, describing repeated bites and discarded donated clothing and bedding because they feared contamination. Those reports have not been publicly confirmed by city agencies.
Questions About Veteran Priorities
Beyond conditions inside the shelter, Pena questioned whether local veteran leadership has placed sufficient emphasis on protecting vulnerable veterans.
He argued that public discussions by the Committee on Veterans and several veteran-serving organizations often concentrate on disability claims, discharge upgrades, and benefits enrollment while giving comparatively little public attention to the physical safety of veterans living in congregate housing.
According to Pena, this imbalance leaves some homeless veterans feeling that their experiences are valuable primarily as evidence of need rather than as urgent problems requiring immediate action. He contends that the success of veteran programs should be measured not only by claims processed or benefits awarded, but also by whether veterans feel safe enough to seek medical treatment, disclose sensitive health information, and trust the institutions established to serve them.
A Continuing Question of Accountability
The concerns raised this week are not new. Complaints regarding management, safety, and oversight at Borden Avenue date back more than fifteen years. In 2008, residents publicly criticized treatment by city officials and raised concerns about management following a Department of Homeless Services operation. In 2022, Queens Community Board 2 similarly criticized the Department of Homeless Services over shelter oversight and resident safety, including conditions affecting the Borden Avenue Veterans Residence.
For Pena, those earlier warnings, combined with his recent testimony, point to a broader issue of trust.
"If veterans believe their privacy will not be protected or that their safety is a secondary concern," he told the Council, "they stop identifying themselves, they stop seeking treatment, and they stop asking for help."
As city officials continue to debate veteran homelessness, the testimony challenges policymakers to consider whether transitional housing is truly fulfilling its intended purpose—not only by providing a bed, but by providing an environment where every veteran can safely begin rebuilding a life.
