Rally against homeless shelter in Bensonhurst
Hundreds of people occupied the intersection of 25th Street and 86th Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, on Saturday afternoon, blocking the opening of a homeless shelter, per FOX 5.
Hundreds of people flooded the streets of Brooklyn this weekend to protest the establishment of a men-only homeless shelter.
Residents, politicians, local business owners neighborhood of bensonhurst On Saturday, people banded together to protest the creation of a shelter expected to house 150 homeless men, including some with mental health issues.
Marie Bourlo, who has lived in Bensonhurst for the past 58 years, told Local Associated Press. fox 5“It’s just going to cause more problems than it already has. Crime is going to increase. People are going to fight crime. There’s going to be a war here.”
Some participants at the rally held signs calling for more affordable housing instead of temporary shelters, which they say cannot truly help the homeless, while others are concerned about community safety and Some highlighted concerns about proximity to schools and playgrounds.
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Marie Bourlo of Bensonhurst holds a sign calling for homeless shelters to be moved away from playgrounds and schools. (Screenshot from FOX 5)
Michael Huang, a local father who participated in the protest, expressed concerns about the shelter and the danger it poses to children attending nearby schools.
“I’m concerned that homelessness will affect the safety of our children,” Huang said.
City officials plan to open an evacuation center later this year, but this has met opposition from local residents. Bensonhurst, which has a predominantly Asian population, is one of the few areas without a shelter, and residents have known about the plan since November, they said.
But some local elected leaders are planning to fight back, joining residents opposed to the new facility.
District Councilor William Colton does not agree with the shelter plan.
“This is the wrong place, this is the wrong policy. Homeless shelters are not helping homeless people, and we are not going to be silent on this issue,” Colton said, according to FOX 5.
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A large crowd protested a new homeless shelter in Bensonhurst. (Screenshot from FOX 5)
New York state Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, whose district includes Bensonhurst, opposed the shelter, saying: press release“Instead of building a permanent solution to the housing crisis, the city has resorted to housing people in shelters that offer no temporary resources to get their lives back on track. Only a few people from six different schools Placing a homeless shelter blocks away in Bensonhurst would not only be unfair and unsafe for the surrounding community, but also because the federal government would increase opportunities for cities to build more affordable housing. It also shows a lack of leadership given the actions taken.”
The city’s proposed shelter would include a 32-room hotel that would provide case management and housing placement through a partnership with the nonprofit Project Renewal, which would help incarcerated men find jobs. We plan to guide them to permanent housing. .
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A woman holds a sign against New York City Mayor Eric Adams during a protest at a homeless shelter in Bensonhurst. (Screenshot from FOX 5)
“This will be the first shelter in this community district to provide New Yorkers experiencing homelessness with a critical opportunity to receive quality care as they get back on their feet. As part of this, we are ensuring that every community has a safety net.”There is a lack of resources to help vulnerable neighbors, but this community district has no shelter, so this We look forward to bringing critical resources to our community,” DSS officials told FOX 5.
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