PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mount Lacey, Disabled Homeless Veteran
1:45:05
·
5 min
Mount Lacey, a disabled homeless veteran, testifies about his experiences with the New York City Department of Home Services' grant and per diem program for veterans. He describes various issues including mistreatment, an assault incident, legal troubles, and difficulties in returning to the program despite it being designed for veterans like him.
- Lacey claims the city has overridden federal guidelines for the veteran program with local policies, treating veterans like any other homeless individuals
- He recounts a violent incident in a bathroom at Borden Avenue Veterans Residency program, which led to his arrest and subsequent legal challenges
- Lacey expresses frustration with various levels of government, including law enforcement, public defenders, and the Department of Homeless Services, feeling failed by the system designed to help veterans
Mount Lacey
1:45:05
Yeah.
1:45:06
My name is Mount Lacey, and I identify as a 70% service connected disabled homeless veteran.
1:45:14
I'm here to explain why my civic engagement has been hindered.
1:45:20
By the New York City Department of Home Services through their grant and per diem program.
1:45:30
The grant and per diem program is a congressional aid congressional program that is guaranteed to qualify veterans, to provide a secure, safe, and drug free environment, free of retaliation, discrimination, and retribution.
1:45:56
As I've lived at Borden Avenue, I found that the city has overrun all of the GPD program guidelines with DHS policy.
1:46:10
They treat us as any other homeless person in New York City.
1:46:15
They laugh at the grant per diem guidelines as if they don't have to follow them.
1:46:22
They mock us when we try and show them the policy.
1:46:27
They say it's just another shelter.
1:46:29
It's not.
1:46:30
It's a residency program, and that title's on the building.
1:46:37
Boarden Avenue Veterans Veterans Residency program.
1:46:44
Now, some of my testimony is as I was attacked in the bathroom by what I believe was not 2 veterans.
1:46:52
There are non veterans at Borden Avenue.
1:46:56
I was hit in the back of my head multiple times.
1:47:00
I tried to leave the situation and run out of the bathroom.
1:47:03
The door opens this way.
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I could not I had to turn around and defend myself.
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I got someone in a in a choke hold and put him to sleep.
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I let I let them go.
1:47:12
They bumped their head and started bleeding.
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Because they had 2 of them I got arrested.
1:47:18
Borden Avenue refused to give the security footage to the police, and the foundational statement that got me arrested was that I followed them into the bathroom.
1:47:27
It was 3:30 in the morning.
1:47:28
I had no shirt on.
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It only socks.
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Those two men followed me into the bathroom and proceeded to try to beat me to death.
1:47:36
I got charged with 2 serious felonies that I was facing over 10 years in Rikers Island form.
1:47:43
The DA did not have any evidence.
1:47:47
The the public defender would not do anything that I asked them to do.
1:47:51
In fact, he said, I'm a former DA.
1:47:53
I know they're not gonna do anything.
1:47:55
I said, sir.
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I'm not going off of your experience and your hope that they won't do nothing.
1:48:00
I wanna build a case on facts and evidence.
1:48:02
He recused himself from my case.
1:48:04
I got another one who did nothing.
1:48:07
Every level of government has failed me in New York City from the the police to the public defender of the DA, the judge.
1:48:17
They let me sit on the street for 6 months and only gave me the choice of the street or the one of the most dangerous shelters in the DHS system, where a DHS police station has to be stationed, 65100 Jerome Avenue.
1:48:32
I chose the streets of Long Island City because they're safer.
1:48:36
Even in the winter.
1:48:38
I am still not being allowed to go back to the grant per diem program.
1:48:43
The DHS commissioner won't even give commissioner hold it pending a solid answer.
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Every answer that I have received from Karen Fuller who who who is the the oversight of of the VA program.
1:49:10
Every reason has been given like, multiple reasons have been given.
1:49:13
Every time I defeat that reason, they come up with a new one.
1:49:16
Now they're trying to get me to fill out reasonable accommodations.
1:49:20
That Borden already provides for.
1:49:22
I don't need reasonable accommodations to go back to Borden.
1:49:25
That place is built from me, and I wanna be with my people.
1:49:31
And I want one of the first things you look at on the on the signage is that you are able to practice your civil rights.
1:49:42
What they do to protect themselves from their violations of us is they tell us we're not allowed to record.
1:49:51
Record being a citizen journalist is a constitutionally protected activity, especially within your residence.
1:49:58
That policy is our HIPAA rights.
1:50:02
They're taking our HIPAA rights from us.
1:50:05
To protect their misconduct.
Robert F. Holden
1:50:08
Alright.
1:50:08
Alright.
1:50:09
We gotta wrap up, but Yeah.
1:50:10
Let's go to them.
Mount Lacey
1:50:11
I got those videos, and they'll be posted on the Internet instead.
Robert F. Holden
1:50:14
I'd like to hear.
1:50:15
I'd like to know.
Mount Lacey
1:50:16
The transcript
Robert F. Holden
1:50:17
Alright.
Mount Lacey
1:50:17
That I'm going to put on the website, and I encourage everybody to go look at it.
Robert F. Holden
1:50:22
When when were you listed Bordon?
