Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dr. Cleopatra Brown, Chairperson of Veterans Affairs Committee at Brooklyn Community Board 16
2:27:30
ยท
4 min
Dr. Cleopatra Brown, a Cold War veteran and Chairperson of Community Board 16's Veterans Affairs Committee, testified on the need to increase the veterans budget in New York City. She emphasized the importance of improving housing support, outreach, and services for veterans.
- Requested creation of city VASH vouchers and hiring of housing coordinators to assist veterans before they become homeless
- Called for hiring additional staff to help veterans obtain benefits, disability compensation, and attend veteran-specific events
- Advocated for funding local veteran organizations and community boards with veteran committees to conduct outreach events
Dr. Cleopatra Brown
2:27:30
Good afternoon chair chair Holden, councilwoman Sandys, and the members of the committee on veterans.
2:27:37
My name is doctor Cleopatra Brown.
2:27:39
I am a Cold War veteran with a service connected disability.
2:27:43
Currently, I serve as the chairperson of community board sixteen Veterans Affairs Committee.
2:27:50
I would like to thank the New York City Council Committee on Veterans for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the community board three and sixteen veterans committee and those veterans who are unable to attend this budget hearing.
2:28:04
I come before this committee to respectfully request that the veterans budget be increased for the following reasons.
2:28:11
One, to create city VASH vouchers and hire housing con coordinators to assist veterans with obtaining vouchers and finding apartments for them before they face homelessness.
2:28:24
No veteran should have to become homeless in order to receive a housing vet a housing voucher.
2:28:31
We request currently on Housing Connect, residents of community boards are given a 20% preference, and the city employees receive 5% preference, while veterans, those who have served, protected, and fought for this country, receive no preference at all.
2:28:50
Rather than allocating funds to support veterans who have served and fought for this country, the city has recently increased funding for 2,000 migrants to receive housing vouchers for all undocumented family members regardless of income.
2:29:08
Meanwhile, you have veterans living in shelters are required to work at least ten hours per week to qualify for a city for HEPS voucher and remain on the waiting list for a HUD VASH voucher due to the shortage of case managers.
2:29:25
We also need to hire additional staff to be assigned to nonveteran health care facilities, colleges, veteran organizations, and community board veterans to identify and assist veterans in obtaining the necessary benefits, disability compensation, veteran Pacific events, and assigned to shelters to work with the city in locating apartments for veterans.
2:29:49
In the previous administration, the engagement community outreach specialist was assigned to community board three and sixteen to attend meetings, provide resources, and assist with veterans events.
2:30:03
It will be a blessing if we can have someone to fill that position.
2:30:07
Also, to hire an advertisement and marketing agency that will conduct direct mailing and emailing campaigns, create monthly newsletter to highlight veteran organizations, services, and resources available to veterans, promote veteran specific events, and conduct service to assess the needs of veterans in each district, also to provide grants to veteran and legal services organization that assist veterans in submitting and appealing claims for disability compensation and discharge upgrades.
2:30:41
This assistance is especially important for those who have been unfairly given other than honorable or dishonorable, discharges.
2:30:51
Also, to allocate funds to local veteran organizations such as, but not limited to, the American Legion Post, the disabled American veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Black Vets for Social Justice, and services for under under the served, just to name a few, who are providing services to veterans.
2:31:10
In addition, providing funding to community boards with veteran committees to conduct outreach events aimed at providing veterans with resources and informing them of the benefits to which they are entitled.
2:31:24
We also respectfully request that the New York City Council Committee on Veterans establish a law the local law to amend the administrative code of the New York City Department of Finance in relation to implementing the real property tax exemption for cold water cold war veterans under the New York State Property Tax section four five eight, the tax exemption for cold
Robert Holden
2:31:48
Thank you, Cleopatra.
2:31:49
We gotta move on.
2:31:50
Thank you so much.
2:31:51
And I I agree with everything you said.
2:31:53
Thank you for your service to the community board too.
2:31:56
Thank you.