The NYC Veterans Alliance is pleased to announce the release of our new report:

This report details the results of the 2015 Survey of NYC Veterans Policy Priorities, which we conducted earlier this year. This is the first survey attempting to reach the estimated 220,000 veterans and service members residing in NYC, as well as their estimated 250,000 spouses, partners, significant others, and close family members. It also attempted to capture the input of service providers who work in the city and the surrounding areas.

Sixteen proposed or in-progress policy initiatives were presented in the survey, and a majority of respondents indicated strong support for each of them. The majority of comments also showed strong support for these initiatives and other actions to improve policies affecting veterans. Given this strong support, it is clear that veterans, family members, and others connected with veterans who live and work in NYC believe that change in local policy is essential.

This report represents weeks of writing, research, and discussion, as well as the input and collaboration of a number of members of the NYC Veterans Alliance and the NYC veterans community on these city-level initiatives:

• Linking 311 with VA Suicide Hotline
• Vetting VSOs that Receive NYC Funds
• Improving Services for Homeless Veterans
• Increasing NYC’s Budget for Veterans
• Coordinating with VA Healthcare
• Integrating Aging Veterans into NYC Services
• Reforming the Veterans Advisory Board
• Tracking and Reporting Veterans Receiving NYC Services
• Veterans Preference for NYC Government
• Establishing Veterans Treatment Court in Manhattan
• Creating NYC Department of Veterans Affairs
• Making Veteran Businesses Competitive for NYC Contracts
• Placing Veterans Benefits Counselors in Each Borough
• Including Veteran Status on NYC ID Cards
• Expanding Veteran Eligibility for Pension Buyback
• Inclusive Definition of Veteran

New York City is the greatest city in the world, and we are home to one of the largest veterans populations in the country. But by our count, NYC government puts little more than $3 per veteran in city tax dollars each year toward veterans affairs. In comparison, the City of Yonkers just to our north puts $55 per veteran in their city tax dollars each year toward the same mission. Take a look the information and talking points  in our report to see what’s missing and ways we can ask city government to make realistic, cost-effective changes that will ensure NYC’s veterans, service members, and their families have full access to the recognition, benefits, and services they have earned.

Click here to read the Report on the 2015 Survey of NYC Veterans Policy Priorities