The city has covertly turned a former hotel into a facility housing sex offenders, including those of severe risk.
Currently, at least five Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders live in a homeless shelter located at 61 Chrystie St., just 243 feet away from Hester Street Playground in Chinatown. One of these offenders, for instance, committed acts against a 7-year-old.
Chin, a parent with a four-year-old son and a nine-year-old daughter, expressed his disbelief: “I honestly don’t even know where to begin with this.” He has now stopped taking his children to that playground.
A furious neighborhood advocate discovered that the city had placed these offenders in a shelter by the children’s park, funded by taxpayers. He remarked, “It’s shocking to think the city has hidden child predators in hotels right next to a children’s park.”
He highlighted that a significant concentration of sex offenders is residing in that one facility. The prospect of them being able to wander freely near parks and schools is, understandably, alarming.
State laws actually prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from living within a quarter-mile of playgrounds, schools, and childcare centers.
Chin also voiced concerns about the unknown number of Level 1 offenders at the shelter, as they aren’t required to register publicly.
Originally a boutique hotel called Hotel MB, the site transitioned from a Comfort Inn to a homeless shelter in the summer of 2021. It’s unclear when the city began placing sex offenders there or how many currently reside there. City officials did not respond to inquiries regarding this matter.
The shelter is managed by a Bronx-based nonprofit named Neighborhood Association (NAICA), which has reportedly secured nearly $1.3 billion in city contracts over the last decade.
This particular shelter is part of a four-year, $160.5 million contract with the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), providing a total of 467 beds across multiple locations. Though the contract expired on June 30, a one-year extension worth $42.2 million has already been established, but the new contract hasn’t yet been registered.
The state’s sex offender registry indicates that some offenders residing there include:
- Darren Jackson, 63: A Level 3 offender, convicted for repeatedly raping a 7-year-old and sentenced to three years.
- Lemar Jackson, 57: A Level 3 offender who was found guilty of coercing two girls, aged 12 and 9, into sexual acts under threat, serving two to four years.
- Elvin Vega, 57: Convicted in 1998 for forcing a child into sexual activity and serving 18 months to three years.
- Legrand Jones, 63: A Level 2 offender convicted of sexual abuse, sentenced to 2-4 years.
- Terrence Brown, 59: A Level 2 offender who was convicted in 2009 for inappropriate touching and sentenced to six months.
Some activists had initially raised concerns in 2021 when the hotel was repurposed as a parole shelter, yet no action was taken. Jackie Wong, managing director of the Greater Chinatown Civic Union, mentioned, “Both DHS and the hotel owners previously assured us that this shelter would be closed in June 2022, but they didn’t follow through. It’s still operational.” She linked the presence of such facilities to rising crime and security issues in the area.
Reports indicate that violent crimes like murder and robbery have surged in Chinatown. NYPD data shows two murders in the precinct this year compared to none last year, a 29% increase in robbery, and an 80% rise in reported rapes.
Wong also noted the terrifying attack on an elderly woman not far from the shelter.
John Kinnons, a 42-year-old resident, expressed his fear upon learning about the sex offenders near a playground: “It’s alarming.” He described himself as someone ready to take action, though not in a reckless manner.
Chin believes the city should have at least notified parents about this situation. “It’s New York City; anything can happen, and it doesn’t feel safe,” he stated.
He intends to continue advocating for change. “We need to hold people accountable for placing these offenders across from parks where children play. I believe I represent the concerns of many parents.”
NAICA did not respond to requests for comment.
