Bellevue Intake and Borden Avenue Veterans' Residence Reconfigure Proposal

Prepared By:

Timothy Pena

Veterans Justice Project

tim.pena@vetjuspro.com

(602) 663-6456


Submitted to:

• New York City Council Committee on Veterans

• New York City Department of Homeless Services 

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 


This proposal recommends a restructuring of homeless veteran intake and transitional housing operations within New York City through the operational reconfiguration of the Bellevue Intake Shelter at 400 East 30th Street in Manhattan and the Borden Avenue Veterans Residence in Long Island City.

The proposal is based upon ongoing safety concerns publicly acknowledged by city officials regarding the Bellevue intake facility, as well as firsthand accounts and documented concerns involving conditions at the Borden Avenue Veterans Residence (“BAVR”), currently the only Veterans Affairs Grant & Per Diem (“GPD”) transitional housing program in New York City.

 

Executive Recommendation


This proposal recommends:

1. Converting Bellevue Shelter into a structured veterans transitional stabilization program operating under the Veterans Affairs Grant & Per Diem framework; 


2. Reconfiguring Borden Avenue into a centralized intake and emergency stabilization center better suited for high-volume shelter intake operations;

 

3. Establishing separate accommodations for: 

  • Single male veterans 
  • Women veterans 
  • Women veterans with children 
  • Veteran families 

4. Expanding veteran-specific housing navigation, transportation, counseling, and peer-support services modeled after successful GPD programs such as MANA House in Phoenix, Arizona. 


Background


The City of New York has publicly stated that conditions at the current Bellevue intake facility present significant safety concerns requiring relocation of intake operations. Simultaneously, veterans housed within the Borden Avenue GPD program have reported ongoing violence, overdoses, mental health crises, inadequate housing coordination, and conditions inconsistent with the intended purpose of federally funded transitional housing. 


Current operations often place veterans experiencing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, addiction recovery, and other service-connected conditions into chaotic congregate shelter settings alongside individuals with severe untreated mental illness and active substance abuse issues. Veterans pursuing stable housing are therefore exposed to destabilizing conditions that undermine recovery, housing placement, and long-term reintegration.


Proposed Operational Reconfiguration


Bellevue Shelter – Veteran Transitional Housing Center


The Bellevue facility would transition into a veterans-focused stabilization and transitional housing program emphasizing:

  • Structured veteran intake screening 
  • Housing-first placement strategies 
  • HUD-VASH and CityFHEPS coordination 
  • Transportation access to Manhattan VA services 
  • Peer support and veteran navigation 
  • Mental health counseling 
  • Workforce development 
  • Veteran-specific case management 

The facility’s proximity to the Manhattan VA Medical Center makes it uniquely positioned for veterans requiring ongoing medical and behavioral healthcare access.


Unlike current congregate shelter models, the proposed structure would emphasize transitional recovery, accountability, and individualized housing preparation in compliance with federal GPD standards under Public Law 109-461 and 38 C.F.R. Part 61.

Borden Avenue – Intake and Emergency Stabilization Center


This proposal further recommends converting Borden Avenue into a centralized intake and emergency stabilization facility for broader shelter operations.


The Borden Avenue location possesses several operational advantages for intake functions, including:

  • Industrial zoning removed from dense residential corridors 
  • Reduced proximity to schools and playgrounds 
  • Rapid emergency response access for NYPD and EMS 
  • Existing high-capacity shelter infrastructure 
  • Access to major transportation corridors and subway lines 

Given the City’s own statements regarding safety concerns at Bellevue, Borden Avenue may be operationally better suited for emergency intake functions requiring enhanced security, rapid stabilization, and short-term placement coordination. 


Program Goals


The proposed restructuring seeks to:

  • Reduce violence and instability experienced by veterans in congregate shelters 
  • Improve continuity of care and housing placement outcomes 
  • Separate long-term veteran transitional housing from emergency intake operations 
  • Expand services for women veterans and veteran families 
  • Restore compliance with federal GPD recovery-oriented standards 
  • Improve coordination between DHS, DVS, and VA Homeless Services 

Conclusion


New York City currently faces a critical opportunity to modernize and restructure its veteran homelessness response system. Veterans experiencing homelessness deserve safe, dignified, and recovery-oriented housing environments specifically designed to address the unique challenges associated with military service, trauma, and reintegration into civilian life.


By converting Bellevue into a dedicated veterans transitional housing program and redesignating Borden Avenue as an intake and stabilization center, New York City can create a more effective, humane, and operationally appropriate shelter system while improving outcomes for vulnerable veterans throughout the city.