Report: Questions Raised Over New York City's Only Federally Funded Veterans Transitional Housing Program

Timothy Pena • July 4, 2026

Financial burden of repeated emergency responses extends far beyond the shelter itself, costing New York City taxpayers millions.

The New York City Council Committee on Veterans have shown to be apathic to the violence and drug issues at Borden, instead focusing on clothing drives with donations going to staff and not the veterans as intended. Chairman Morano (Staten Island, Republican) regularly calls on Pena to testify last so others can leave

READ THE REPORT


A Program Intended to Restore Lives


The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program was established to help homeless veterans transition from homelessness to permanent housing through structured, recovery-oriented services. Unlike a traditional emergency shelter, the program is intended to provide safe housing, individualized case management, employment assistance, healthcare coordination, transportation, life-skills training, behavioral health services, and support in securing permanent housing.


The Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence in Long Island City serves as New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program, making it a critical component of the City's response to veteran homelessness. A newly completed report compares publicly available financial records, emergency-response data, arrest records, and VA program requirements to evaluate whether current operations remain aligned with the objectives established by Congress for transitional housing.


The Cost to the Community Extends Beyond the Shelter


According to the report, approximately 1,365 emergency calls were associated with the residence between August 2024 and December 2025—an average of more than one emergency response every nine hours. During a separate three-year period, public records identified more than 70 arrests, including felony assaults and weapons-related offenses.


Each emergency response requires taxpayer-funded resources, including NYPD officers, FDNY Emergency Medical Services, emergency departments, psychiatric professionals, prosecutors, public defenders, correctional personnel, and court resources. The report estimates these responses may have cost between $4 million and $8 million over sixteen months or $4.5 million per year, in addition to the operating costs of the residence itself. This does not include the $1.08 million in no-bid contract for security. It concludes that repeated emergency activity affects not only veterans residing at the facility but also surrounding communities by diverting emergency resources from other calls throughout Queens. 


Financial Priorities


The report analyzes Department of Homeless Services budget documents and notes that funding for the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence increased substantially between FY2020 and FY2024.


Among the largest FY2024 expenditures were:

• $1,088,422 for contracted security

• $1,644,074 in direct care costs 

• $539,473 for food 

• Significant funding for administration, counseling, maintenance, and behavioral health services 

• Additional appropriations for repairs and prevailing wage adjustments 

The reviewed budget also identified no dedicated funding for recreation, no client stipends, and no kitchen personnel allocation. Continues reports that donations from the community are either stolen by staff and security or sent to otThe report states that veterans have reported concerns regarding the nutritional quality of meals, limited transportation to Department of Veterans Affairs medical appointments, and limited access to VA healthcare resources and benefits available through the Grant and Per Diem Program. 


A $214 Million Organization


The report places the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence within the broader context of its operator, the Institute for Community Living (ICL).


According to ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer ICL reported $214.3 million in annual revenue, $211.8 million in annual expenses, and approximately $145 million in total assets. The organization's IRS Form 990 reports that CEO Jody Rudin received $515,814 in salary and $40,373 in other compensation, for total reported compensation exceeding $556,000. 


The report notes that the CEO's annual salary is approximately equal to the entire FY2024 food budget for the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence, which totaled $539,473. The report presents this comparison alongside veterans' reported concerns regarding nutrition, transportation, and access to VA services as part of its review of program priorities.


Transparency and Oversight


The report found that approximately 60% of publicly available emergency-call records—roughly 819 incidents—contained no recorded disposition, limiting the ability of outside reviewers to determine whether incidents resulted in arrests, hospitalizations, psychiatric evaluations, criminal investigations, or security cover-up. A substantial number of veterans are registered sex offenders and additional charges should result in arrest and possible return to prison.

The report also notes what it describes as a lack of sustained public attention by the New York City Council Committee on Veterans despite the continued financial costs associated with repeated emergency responses, law enforcement activity, emergency medical care, and court involvement. It concludes that the impact of the Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence extends beyond veteran services and represents an issue of public safety, fiscal responsibility, and government accountability.


The report concludes that the success of New York City's only federally funded VA Grant and Per Diem program should ultimately be measured by its ability to help veterans obtain permanent housing, reconnect with Veterans Affairs healthcare, achieve employment, and rebuild independent lives while reducing long-term costs to the community.

Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence

Facts & Figures Spreadsheet

Financial Impact, Emergency Response Costs, and Spending Analysis

Operator                                                              Institute for Community Living (ICL)

ICL Annual Revenue                                            $214.3 Million

ICL Annual Expenses                                          $211.8 Million

ICL Assets                                                           Approx. $145 Million

CEO Compensation — Jody Rudin                      $556,000 total compensation

FY2024 Borden Food Budget                            $539,473 total ($6.60 day)

Borden FY2024 Total Funding                           $9.24 Million

Funding Increase FY2020–FY2024                   $3.73M → $9.24M

  Approx. 148% Increase

   

FY2024 Borden Avenue Budget Breakdown

  Budget Category                                                   Amount

Direct Care                                                           $1,644,074

Contracted Security                                              $1,088,422

Fringe Benefits                                                     $805,828

Counseling                                                           $644,821

Food                                                                     $539,473

Maintenance Personnel                                        $515,155

Office Expenses                                                   $394,284

Administration                                                     $382,613

Maintenance / Repairs                                         $150,617

Client Transportation                                           $32,379

Recreation                                                                 $0

Client Stipends                                                          $0

Kitchen Personnel                                                     $0

   

Emergency Response Impact

    Public Safety Category  Figure

Review Period                                                  August 2024 – December 2025 (485 days)

Total Emergency Calls                                                      Approx. 1,365 Calls

Average Frequency                                  One emergency response approximately every 9 hours

Ambulance / Medical Emergencies                               Hundreds of responses

Mental Health Related Calls (EDP)                                   Approx. 218 Calls

Violent EDP Incidents                                                       Approx. 85 Calls

Calls Without Recorded Disposition                                 Approx. 60%

Estimated Calls Without Final Outcome                          Approx. 819 Incidents

Emergency records include ambulance responses, assaults, emotionally disturbed persons, overdoses, injuries, harassment complaints, disputes, and other public safety responses.


Arrest Activity

  Category  Figure

Review Period                                                 September 2022 – December 2025 (3 years)

Total Arrests                                                                             70+ Arrests

Felony Arrests                                                                           Approx. 21

Common Categories                                 Assault, weapons, narcotics, threats, public safety offenses

Location                                                                           21-10 Borden Avenue

 

Estimated Community Financial Impact

         Cost Category                                                                 Estimated Impact

NYPD Responses                                                  Patrol, supervisors, investigation time

FDNY / EMS Responses                                   Ambulance dispatch and emergency treatment

Hospital Emergency Treatment                                   ER care, overdose response, injuries

Psychiatric Emergency Services                                      EDP evaluations and admissions

Arrest Processing                                                              NYPD, booking, detention costs

Criminal Justice Costs                                                    Courts, prosecutors, public defenders

Estimated Emergency Cost (16 months)                                   $4 Million – $8 Million

Midpoint Estimate                                                                     Approx. $6 Million

Annualized Estimate                                                                  Approx. $4.5 Million per year

Approximate Cost Per Veteran (190 residents)                           Approx. $23,000 annually per Veteran

Estimated 20-Year Impact                                                          Potentially $100+ Million

   

Comparison: VA GPD Mission vs Reported Spending Priorities

     Veterans Affairs GPD Transitional Goal  Borden Avenue Budget Concern Identified

Permanent housing preparation                                      Heavy spending on facility operations

Employment readiness                                                    No separate employment allocation identified

Community reintegration                                                 Recreation budget listed as $0

Veteran independence                                                     Client stipends listed as $0

Medical connection                                                         Reports of limited VA access support

Transportation to care                                                     Transportation budget only $32,379

Health recovery                                                               Concerns reported regarding nutritional quality

Safe therapeutic environment                                         Security budget exceeds $1 million

   

Key Summary Figures

  • $214.3 Million — Institute for Community Living annual revenue
  • $9.24 Million — Borden Avenue annual funding
  • $1.08 Million — Contracted security
  • $539,473 — Food budget
  • $515,814 — CEO reported salary
  • $32,379 — Client transportation
  • $0 — Recreation funding identified
  • $0 — Client stipends identified
  • 1,365 — Emergency calls
  • 819 — Approximate calls lacking final disposition
  • 70+ — Arrests over three-year period
  • $4M–$8M — Estimated sixteen-month community emergency cost


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Timothy Pena is a service-connected disabled Navy veteran for PTSD and has written about his experiences with mental health, homelessness, and the judicial system. Pena initially visited NYC to collaborate on a documentary for veteran suicide but decided to stay after realizing he would rather be homeless in NYC than dead in Phoenix. He has been writing stories and blogs about his journey from “homeless to homeness” in the NYC Dept of Homeless Services system and possible corruption within DHS, Institute for Community Living, and Veterans Affairs Grant & Per Diem Transitional Program.