Program housing · 10/21/2026
Queens veterans shelter faces complaints after city drops federal grant
Veterans at the Borden Avenue Shelter in Queens described cramped rooms, security concerns and a leaking roof at a City Council oversight hearing. The city withdrew from a VA grant, saying its terms would require turning away transgender veterans. DSS Commissioner Erin Dalton said city tax funds will keep beds open, with shower partitions planned within six to eight weeks.
Reported by NY1Read the original ↗
What happened
Veterans living at the Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter in Queens are complaining about conditions there, NY1 reported. The shelter houses about 200 veterans facing homelessness. Residents described cramped quarters, security concerns, plastic mattresses instead of regular ones, and a leaking roof, with parts of the building covered by tarp.
City Council members heard those concerns at an oversight hearing on Wednesday. Frank Morano, chair of the Council's Committee on Veterans, said the city has nearly 700 homeless veterans. That is down from more than 1,500 in 2015 but up from nearly 500 in 2022.
The hearing came as the city steps away from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grant program the shelter has historically relied on. The city said last month that it had withdrawn. Officials said the VA offered up to $1.3 million this year, compared with nearly $4 million in previous years. Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton said the grant's terms would have required the city to turn away transgender veterans, which she said would violate state and local anti-discrimination laws.
Dalton said the Department of Homeless Services will use city tax funding to keep services running and beds open. She said DHS plans to install partitions between all 32 showers within six to eight weeks after privacy complaints. Officials also plan a $4.3 million capital project for roof repairs, set to begin in 2027 and run through the end of 2029. Michael Matos of the advocacy group Five Borough Veterans questioned whether that funding will materialize, since the city has not identified where it is coming from.
Key facts
- Facility
- Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter, Queens
- Residents
- About 200 veterans facing homelessness
- Federal grant declined
- Up to $1.3 million this year from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, versus nearly $4 million in previous years
- Reason given
- Grant terms would have required turning away transgender veterans, which DSS says conflicts with state and local law
- Agency
- Department of Social Services / Department of Homeless Services
- Shower partitions
- To be installed between all 32 showers within six to eight weeks
- Roof repair cost
- $4.3 million capital project, 2027 through end of 2029
- Homeless veterans citywide
- Nearly 700, down from more than 1,500 in 2015, up from nearly 500 in 2022
What it means
Caseworkers
DHS says beds and services at Borden Avenue will continue using city funds despite the lost federal grant. Clients may still raise conditions issues such as mattresses, security and roof leaks, and the shower partitions are promised within six to eight weeks.
Tenants and voucher holders
Veterans staying at the shelter should not lose their beds because of the grant decision, according to the DSS commissioner. Major roof repairs are not scheduled to start until 2027 and are expected to run through the end of 2029.
The highlights
- Borden Avenue houses about 200 veterans; parts of the building are covered by tarp.
- The VA grant offered up to $1.3 million this year, down from nearly $4 million before.
- A $4.3 million roof repair project is planned from 2027 through the end of 2029.
Why it matters Caseworkers
Caseworkers placing homeless veterans can expect DHS to keep Borden Avenue beds open on city funds while roof repairs wait until 2027.
What to do: Check conditions and repair timelines before referring veterans to Borden Avenue.
Not known yet
- Which city budget line will cover the lost federal money and the $4.3 million roof project
- Whether the declined grant affects any other veterans shelters or programs in the city
- What specific steps, if any, the city plans on security and mattress complaints
- Whether the Council will take any follow-up action after the hearing
Background
In New York City, the Department of Homeless Services runs the municipal shelter system and operates under the Department of Social Services, which also includes the Human Resources Administration. The city has a long-standing legal obligation to provide shelter to people who need it. City Council committees hold oversight hearings where agency officials testify and answer questions, but those hearings do not by themselves change funding or rules.
Summary written by Bulwark from NY1’s reporting. The original story is at ny1.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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