Morano questions Dalton on empty beds at BAVR
Morano notes 231 capacity but only 168 residents and asks why 63 beds are empty; Dalton says 198 are filled as of today, DHS is moving veterans from other shelters, and seven units are offline due to tarps.
Last question I'll ask for now.
I have a number of other questions, but I know my colleagues do as well.
Your testimony says that Borden Avenue has capacity for 231 residents, but only 168 were living there as of last week.
That means approximately 63 beds were unoccupied.
At a time when hundreds of veterans are experiencing homelessness in New York City, why are so many beds empty?
Is that 63 more beds that could be used to make sure veterans are not sleeping on the street?
Yeah, no, thank you.
I'll start and then I'll let the deputy commissioner add.
Actually, as of today, there are 198 beds filled.
We've been working, DHS, the deputy commissioner and others, have been working hard to move veterans from other shelters into the residence at Borden now that we control that eligibility entirely and expect to
continue to make transfers up into the space that the capacity allows for, acknowledging that there are seven units offline because of the tarps.
So we have moved with speed to fill the facility since the grant ended, and we'll have that facility up to the full census quickly.
So in terms of beds that are unavailable because of roof leaks or repairs, it's about seven?
Seven is my understanding.
Okay.
I have a number of other questions, but I'll defer to Chair Hudson and my colleagues.