Avella Says Veterans Should Be Prioritized for Public Housing

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, wants the city to prioritize public housing eligibility for veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces in the years following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The senator joined a group of veterans groups and advocates today on the steps of City Hall to introduce a bill that would require public housing authorities to grant a preference to veterans who have served in the armed forces between Sept. 14, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2014 as well as their surviving spouses.

Avella said the 13-year window of service reflects the period from a resolution authorizing the use of force against those responsible for 9/11.

“Today, just as we did in the Vietnam War era, we are seeing more and more of our soldiers returning home having served our country through lengthy deployments in hostile theatres with nowhere to live,” he said. “We should feel obliged to look out for those who selflessly risked everything to ensure our safety.”

Avella’s legislation would also mandate that public housing authorities give preference to veterans who have a military service connected disability.

Currently, disabled veterans do not have such a preference in city public housing authorities, the senator said.

Joe Bello, a long-time city veterans advocate, said he believed the bill would go a long way to helping soldiers who are returning from service in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“It seems like a small step but will make a major impact on returning combat weary soldiers and their families and is one way to help prevent them from falling into homelessness,” he said.