New Plan for Greenpoint Shelter Still Unpopular
Although last month the nonprofit Help USA withdrew its proposal to run a homeless shelter at 400 McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, another nonprofit—Bowery Residents Committee—now wants to operate a 200-bed shelter for homeless men in the building. The Daily News reports that the new plan is once again unpopular with many in the neighborhood. One…
Although last month the nonprofit Help USA withdrew its proposal to run a homeless shelter at 400 McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, another nonprofit—Bowery Residents Committee—now wants to operate a 200-bed shelter for homeless men in the building. The Daily News reports that the new plan is once again unpopular with many in the neighborhood. One resident is quoted as saying that the “project could destroy our block,” and the article says around 1,500 members of the community have sent the city letters voicing opposition to the proposal.
Greenpoint Residents Seeing Red Over Proposed Homeless Shelter [NY Daily News] GMAP
Greenpoint Homeless Shelter Proposal Scrapped [Brownstoner]
Don’t most homeless people avoid the shelters because you’re most likely going to be robbed?
Well, there are tone in my neighborhood too and plenty of neighborhoods where there are few. My community is tired of being a dumping ground and the Bedford Armory center does nothing for these men. They stand around outside the shelter and have been responsible for robberies, muggings etc. I’ve also donated. And I am also glad there is help but that doesn’t mean the city should dump all these homeless shelters on a few neighborhoods. In fact, it isn’t supposed to, under the Fair Share rules.
The city funnels the homeless and mentally ill to shelters and halfway houses. The city also sets them up. It isn’t only a matter of more bang for the buck but how does it help to have a shelter that is hard to get to, and not close to amenities like health care or stores. Sorry but as the biggest problem is in Manahttan, that’s where they should be concentrating- they have armories, they have city-owned space, just like they do in the other boroughs. Closing the Bellevue intake center and forcing the homeless all the way out here is wrong- and not a help.
Tons! hundreds of beds, probably. I live within a few blocks of a multitude of shelters, some for men, some for women and children, some for alcoholics; in addition, there is a soup kitchen on my very own street, a couple of blocks away, that doubles up as NA and AA meeting space. I’ve donated money, clothes (and time, before I had a child); I have no problem with shelters in my neighborhood.
Is it annoying to have passed-out drunk guys sleeping in their own vomit at 8AM? Sure, but I’m glad the BRC is there to help, and frankly, for the 3 or 4 problematic men who are high or aggressive, most are just down on their luck and trying their best. I still know people who volunteer their time, and I understand why they are moving, wanting to get the most space for their buck.
Maly- actually it s a little more complicated than that- there are laws pertaining to shelters and halfway houses and their locations. And these are not retail businesses. They are strictly regulated (supposedly) because of the work they do. i have no problem with them in general but in Crown Heights we have been oversaturated with them and it isn’t fair to the community. Same for Bed-Stuy. The majority of the homeless are in Manhattan- how does it help to force them on the subway, to out of the way places, sometimes far from hospital services,? It doesn’t make sense.
One of the biggest objections to making the Bedford Armory an intake center for the whole city is that the Armory is not that close to a subway. It’s a good walk from the nearest stop, and not close to a hospital. It adds to the difficulty of caring for the homeless.
How many in your neighborhood, Maly?
“it’s a dirty little secret in the homeless underworld that if you can make it to nyc and go the shelter route, other things will fall into place and youll be taken care of. (this applies more to women and women with children tho, it’s much harder for men to get any kind of support, it’s blatant sexism and discrimination that people seem to turn a blind eye toward.)”
Rob, you are certainly entitled to your misogynist opinions, but you have absolutely NO idea about the “homeless underworld”, or the so-called ease of life for women with children who are homeless. Utter rot. No one is “taken care of” in any way shape or form that would recommend itself to others. It’s certainly no picnic for anyone, but a woman, especially a woman with children, is much more vulnerable than any man out on the street. There is nothing discriminatory or sexist about protecting the lives of children.
bxgirl, the reason shelters are moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn or the Bronx is the same as for regular people or art organizations: more space, cheaper rent. Of course, no-one wants mentally-ill, drug- or alcohol-addicted people in their neighborhood unless they are also rich and talented. They exist, they need shelters and services; why should the BRC rent in Noho when they can spend half as much in Greenpoint?
At the opposite end of the experience spectrum is the shelter for homeless men in Crown Heights- they do nothing for these men except toss them out into the street every day until they can come back in later in the day. there are no programs for them.
What the city is trying to do is get the homeless out of Manhattan (can’t upset the tourists and the rich, you know) and dump them in Brooklyn and other boroughs.
60 beds is very small– the armory alone here in Crown heights houses 200 beds. And we have a slew of other shelters and halfway houses- according to records far more than we should.
Park Slope Women’s Shelter started in 1996. CAMBA operates this homeless shelter for 70 mentally ill, substance abusing women (150 annually) at the Park Slope Armory in Brooklyn. This supportive, structured and therapeutic facility provides temporary housing, nutritious meals and comprehensive services and assistance to enable mentally-ill and substance-abusing women to stabilize and move toward permanent and/or supported housing. A strong community advisory board of key area stakeholders joins CAMBA staff to work creatively and positively in support of the women who live there temporarily on the way to independence. As evidence of the ongoing collaboration, the Shelter has hosted an art show displaying the creativity and multi-faceted art skills of Shelter residents as well been home to an annual holiday tree lighting. This year, the Shelter collaborated with a local church and beautified the garden in front of the armory. The Shelter partners with the community on external referrals for treatment of mental health and addiction issues; on-site medication support and resources; on-site acupuncture and other therapeutic services; on-site recreational activities; job training and placement; assistance with entitlements including Public Assistance, Social Security benefits, and Medicaid benefits; and health and life skills workshops on topics such as preventive health measures (healthy living), money management, and critical thinking skills. CAMBA proudly works with the Institute for Community Living on Project Aspire, a five-year project aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness and focusing on interventions such as Seeking Safety, Critical Time Intervention and Wellness Self-Management.
yeah, a 60 bed shelter – not a 200 bed halfway house.