PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Timothy Pena, Founder of Veterans Justice Project, on Veteran Homelessness and Shelter Issues
1:40:56
ยท
5 min
Timothy Pena, founder of Veterans Justice Project, provided testimony on his personal experience with veteran homelessness and issues within the Borden Avenue shelter. He highlighted problems with the supportive housing system, long wait times for housing, and concerns about the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
- Criticized the reported 295-day average stay in shelters, stating it's much longer in reality
- Raised concerns about non-veterans occupying VA-funded beds at Borden Avenue
- Highlighted issues with donations and access to the shelter for veteran support organizations
- Mentioned potential HIPAA violations occurring within the shelter
Timothy Pena
1:40:56
Hello all.
1:40:57
Thank you for allowing me to speak today.
1:41:00
My name is Timothy Pena.
1:41:01
I run an organization.
1:41:03
I own a company called Veterans Justice Project, which advocates for homeless and incarcerated veterans.
1:41:12
I also run an organization called The Forgotten Veteran.
1:41:17
On topic of the supportive housing and transitional services, I spent five months in Borden Avenue myself waiting for my paperwork.
1:41:31
My apartment was empty at the time.
1:41:35
There are still two empty apartments in my building for veterans, that have been empty for in excess of now two and a half years since I came to New York.
Robert F. Holden
1:41:45
Where is this?
Timothy Pena
1:41:46
This is, through, a HASA program and, supportive housing over in Chelsea.
1:41:54
And I so I end I know what coming into supportive housing program is like.
1:42:08
I because I went through the paperwork, I have a HASA voucher or with a HUD VASH voucher.
1:42:16
So I have a HASA program HUD VASH voucher.
1:42:18
I've been there for two years.
1:42:20
It took about a year to even get the paperwork done for so we could have sign a lease.
1:42:28
So by the time I got moved in, there was no paperwork ever done.
1:42:33
I got threatened by board and staff, security, And, so I was taken out of there for my own personal safety.
1:42:43
And then they wanted to send me over to Colonial House, but I insisted on going to my apartment, which was empty and waiting.
1:42:51
And so that's I had my keys.
1:42:53
I got threatened by about 8AM, after testifying in front of the New York State Assembly.
1:43:00
This was in 2022.
1:43:02
By 03:30, I had my keys to my apartment.
1:43:05
So they can get it done.
1:43:08
I'm insulted by the 295 average because that's absolutely not true.
1:43:15
It's much longer.
1:43:17
The VA's grant per diem program, which is sharing space with veterans who have not earned their benefits that the rest of us have and who are doing criminal damage, making assaults, engaging in drug and gang activity are ruining it for the rest of us who have served our country honorably and have earned these benefits.
1:43:49
The two this idea that we are keeping veterans in Borden Avenue for them to reach mental health stability is a crock.
1:44:09
Councilwoman Marmarado, you said yourself, your father was much better after he left the shelter.
1:44:17
So why is DHS leaving us in the shelters?
1:44:20
The reason why is because the VA is paying them to leave us in the shelters for up to two years, which is the extent of the GPD program.
1:44:31
Those 154 beds that they're collecting almost $4,000,000 a year only have about 116.
1:44:39
The rest of those VA paid for, VA funded beds are filled with non VA veterans.
1:44:49
Donations that are coming in, we saw this, with Francesca, we're not in we're not allowed in there.
1:44:59
We're not embraced.
1:45:01
As veterans, we come in.
1:45:02
We couldn't even serve coffee because they wouldn't allow us in the door.
1:45:06
So we had to serve coffee in what?
1:45:08
26, 20 seven degrees and out on the park bench, the only bench outside of that facility.
1:45:17
If you notice the article I gave you, this guy is inside Borden Avenue filming veterans, promising them claims, then posting them on his nonprofit website, and then asking for donations.
1:45:45
This is the type of people that DHS will allow inside Borden Avenue to film and violate their HIPAA, their VA rights and policies under the VA.
Robert F. Holden
1:46:00
Thanks, Tim.
1:46:01
Tim, we got Okay.
Timothy Pena
1:46:02
Okay.
1:46:02
So I I I appreciate