Donovan Secures Housing Assistance Increase for Staten Island Student-Vets
Staten Island, NY—April 16, 2018....Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11), joined by Staten Island veterans and leaders from the College of Staten Island, today announced that Staten Island student-veterans will receive a 4.5% increase from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) “Basic Allowance for Housing” (BAH) program. Staten Island is the only borough in New York City to receive a boost in benefits. The positive news resulted from Donovan’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which required DOD to redo its Staten Island’s housing analysis and come up with new numbers for the borough.
Congressman Donovan said, “Our community is home to some of the bravest men and women who have served our nation valiantly, and today’s news will have a positive impact on their lives. Staten Island student-vets had a raw deal for too many years, but this increase is a big step in the right direction. I vowed to help our veterans since my first day in Congress, and I’m proud that my advocacy has brought needed change.”
William J. Fritz, President of the College of Staten Island, said, “Equalization of the Basic Allowance for Housing is a battle that CSI, our Veterans community, and Congressman Donovan have been fighting together for some time. I congratulate Congressman Donovan’s efforts, which have brought about a more equitable housing allowance for student-veterans on Staten Island, and we will work with him as this process continues.”
Laura Scazzafavo, Director of Veteran Support Services at the College of Staten Island, said, “Congressman Donovan’s hard work and perseverance has helped to achieve an increase in the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for military veterans on Staten Island, and has paved the way for more Staten Islanders to pursue their education where they live. The College of Staten Island looks forward to working with Congressman Donovan’s Office as we continue to pursue greater equity in the military housing allowance within NYC.”
Before the Donovan-led increase, student-veterans who attended college on Staten Island received substantially less in housing assistance than student-vets in other New York City boroughs – even though Staten Island isn’t immune from high housing costs. The disparity creates a huge disincentive for student-veterans who wish to attend school on Staten Island, even if that choice would be the most appropriate fit for their career aspirations. In 2017, for example, Staten Island student-veterans with no dependents received an average Basic Allowance for Housing of $2,623.38 per month, which is 48% less than the average in the other four boroughs. Next year, because of Donovan’s change, Staten Island student-veterans with no dependents will receive an average of $2,758.75 per month, which is a 20-percentage point decrease in the gap with the rest of the city. Donovan has vowed to continue the fight for full parity between Staten Island and the other four boroughs, testifying just last week before the House Armed Services Committee on the matter.
Donovan has led the effort in Congress to advocate on behalf of local veterans and fix this problem. He amended the National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law last year, to require the DOD to redo its 2014 analysis of Staten Island housing costs. In addition to his legislation, Donovan also sent a letter to the DOD calling for the department to adjust its current BAH formula, testified before the House Rules Committee on the issue, and brought together local veterans and education officials to request the DOD to expedite its reevaluation of Staten Island’s housing costs.
Today, Donovan was joined by stakeholders from the College of Staten Island, including President William Fritz and Director of Veteran Support Services Laura Scazzafavo, as well as local veterans groups. The new rates will go into effect starting January 1, 2019.
Issue background
The Department of Defense, through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, provides housing assistance to veterans attending a college or university. The amount of assistance is pegged to the military’s standard Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), which offers rental assistance to service members when government quarters are not available. The Department of Defense has a formula to determine BAH payments by calculating average rental prices in 300 different Military Housing Areas. New York City has two Military Housing Areas: one for Staten Island, and one for the other four boroughs. The military provides BAH assistance to student-veterans according to the Military Housing Area in which their school is located, not according to where the veteran actually lives.
U.S. Census data shows Staten Island’s median gross rent is within $50 of Brooklyn’s and $100 more than the Bronx. But students attending a Brooklyn or Bronx college receive up to $1,413 per month more than students attending a Staten Island college. This disparity creates a disincentive for student-veterans in New York City to attend college on Staten Island.
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