Be the Story: NYC Department of Veterans Services in Crosshairs

Wheeler went on to say that being in a shelter is, "not supposed to be totally comfortable" and that he "has people (from DVS) embedded at Borden Ave." But, during numerous conversations going back over a year discussing dire and untenable conditions at Borden to include inedible food, lack of housing resources, assaults, overdoses, and deaths, Wheeler told me that veterans must be thankful for Borden Ave. because, "that's all you get." He went on to strongly caution me about repeating those claims. 

Borden Avenue Veterans’ Residence / Shelter

The problem: BAVR is a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Congressional transitional program for veterans experiencing homelessness, and not a shelter. Neither Wheeler nor Commissioner of DVS James Hendon ever use the term ‘transitional.’ The DVS website does not mention homeless services although Wheeler claims to be committed to “having” veterans in shelters.  A reference to having a veteran's "back."

The VA Grant and Per Diem Transitional Program

The Grant and Per Diem program is specifically designed as a transitional program for VA-eligible veterans with access to housing resources, financial stability, and medical and mental health wellness. Veterans Affairs Homeless Services (VHA) grants awards to about 600 GPD transitional programs serving 14,500 veterans across the country. The only program run by a city homeless system in NYC Dept of Homeless Services.

Nearly all the others are by charities and non-governmental organizations. The GPD program is for 154 veterans, yet there are non-VA-eligible veterans in those beds and a recent FOIA indicated only about 2/3 of the veterans are receiving services with hundred of others wallowing in shelters without assistance, including homeless women veterans.

Veterans Affairs Rights and Responsibilities

Borden Ave also falls under the VA’s Community Living Center and veterans are protected under the Veterans Affairs Rights and Responsibilities of VA Patients and Residents. Not only are veterans entitled to a full range of resources and supportive services provided by DVS and ICL including outreach activities, transportation, a safe and drug-free environment, but veterans are entitled to file complaints with the Veterans Affairs OIG and request protections for whistleblowers.

Yet, Manhattan Director of Homeless Services Karen Fuller has refused to address dozens of complaints from veterans while also knowingly signing off on criteria while then shelter staff take steps to retaliate against veterans with expulsion from the GPD Program and red flagging the veterans, who are then sent to NYC’s most violent shelters as punishment. These otherwise VA-eligible veterans are then denied transitional services, access to housing and other supportive services, instead subjected to assaults and untenable living conditions. Read more…

Security Providing Cover for Violent Crimes

Oftentimes, the culprits committing crimes in Borden Ave are either on probation or parole and crimes that would otherwise result in arrest, even a return to prison, but provided ‘cover’ by shelter security contracted for over $1.08 Million / year that then runs interference for them with NYPD as Level One engagements and therefore, not subjected to reporting. VA-eligible veterans in the GPD program have accused staff of having them assaulted by non-veterans and then being arrested and ejected from the only transitional veteran’s program in the five boroughs.

Shelter staff regularly will serve breakfast, clean toilets, hand out laundry, and then serve lunch. Although NYC DHS mandates at $11/day for meals, veterans budget indicates only $6.60/day or $2.20/meal is allocated while the kitchen is closed to host a culinary school as veterans are served leftover cold rice and green beans from other shelters.

Veterans Affairs OIG Investigation Denied by NYC Veterans Task Force

Following a series of articles, “Be the Story” and three deaths in eleven days, I was invited to join the NYC Veterans Task Force where I was subjected to ridicule and comments such as, “We’re sorry you feel that way.” After criticizing the other NYC agencies on the VTF board for a 40% increase in veteran homelessness in two years, I was denied whistleblower protections and an investigation by VA representative and task force co-chair Theresa Santiago while being terminated from the task force, and in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act even though I was forced to sign an NDA and a W-9 for $25/month compensation and denying my First Amendment Rights of free speech. A request that cannot be denied after the VA scheduling scandal in 2014 that resulted in Congressional hearings.

Timothy Pena initially traveled to NYC at the invitation of RIP Medical Debt founder and U.S. Navy Veteran Jerry Ashton to collaborate for his project, Veterans Mission Possible. Soon after arriving, Tim decided he would rather be homeless in NYC than commit suicide in Phoenix and spent five months in a violent, drug-infested shelter before obtaining his HUD/VASH voucher for supportive housing while detailing his journey from homeless to homeness with a series of articles called, 'Be the Story'. He has testified before the NYS Department of Veterans Affairs, is a member of the NYC Veterans Task Force and Military Veterans in Journalism, while founding The Forgotten Veteran non-profit.