Queensboro Hill VFW Post Starts GoFundMe To Stay Afloat

FLUSHING, QUEENS — The Queensboro Hill Veterans of Foreign Wars post is struggling to stay afloat after a series of fines from the city's buildings department and the cost of related repairs buried it in bills.

Post #3427 of the veterans' services organization has gone without heat and hot water since 2017, and it could have another long winter ahead if it doesn't manage to replace its plumbing system in the coming months.

The VFW post teamed up with New York Assembly Member Nily Rozic and launched a $15,000 fundraiser this month in a last-ditch effort to fund the repairs and get itself back on its feet.

"The veterans in our community deserve to have a functioning space where they can gather and continue receiving services," Rozic said in a statement.

"Not only does our VFW post provide critical support for veterans, but it has always strived to give back to the community through clean-up efforts, outreach, and mentoring services."

The post's troubles began in 2015, when it installed a water heater without the proper permit and got fined for a code violation. The post eventually accrued $13,000 in fines from the buildings department, according to NY1.

In 2017, the agency shut off the post's boiler for failing safety tests, the news outlet reported.

Little has changed since then, according to Rozic's office.

The mounting fines — and related legal fees — mean the post can't afford making much-needed repairs and paying bills to keep the building running, Commander Raymond Ramos said on the post's GoFundMe page.

The $15,000 would pay for a new plumbing system and related bills, according to the GoFundMe.