News Columnist: 'Shameful' Crown Heights Homeless Plan
This Sunday, the Crown Heights Revitalization Movement will hold a rally near the armory at Bedford and Atlantic where the city wants to import a homeless intake shelter from Manhattan. According to Daily News columnist Errol Louis, the event will draw a diverse group—”Young and old, black and Jewish, rich and poor”—of Crown Heights residents,…
This Sunday, the Crown Heights Revitalization Movement will hold a rally near the armory at Bedford and Atlantic where the city wants to import a homeless intake shelter from Manhattan. According to Daily News columnist Errol Louis, the event will draw a diverse group—”Young and old, black and Jewish, rich and poor”—of Crown Heights residents, since the city’s plan has united the notoriously divided community in dissent. Louis argues that the “shameful plan” is “outrageous” because the men’s shelter at the armory is already one of the worst in the city, allowing, as it does, Level-3 sex offenders to roam the neighborhood’s streets during the day and allegedly turning blind eye to to all manner of violence underneath its roof. Louis argues that instead of bringing the Manhattan homeless shelter to Crown Heights, the city should completely shut down the Bedford facility: “After a quarter century of effort, DHS has brought disgrace upon itself and crime and violence to a struggling neighborhood that deserves better. Instead of compounding its failures, City Hall needs to stop the relocation plan dead in its tracks and focus on cleaning up the mess it has already made.”
Shut Down This Nightmare [NY Daily News]
Crown Heights Doesn’t Want Homeless Intake Center [Brownstoner]
Photo by ambr0sia2003.
7:40- I know for a fact many of the people who are going to the rally are also lifelong residents of the neighborhood- not newcomers. Some have lived in Crown Heights for generations and the issue isn’t getting rid of the shelter, it’s Manhattan dumping its problems in Brooklyn. It’s about this neighborhood taking a disproportionate amount of the burden, and especially at a time when the neighborhood is improving.
And beyond that, the City is not doing much to help these men in the Armory now- why add more of them? And why force them to come out here from Manhattan – how many of them will come so far, especially in bad weather? And how will they pay for transportation? Most homeless people are not criminals, many of them are veterans who deserve much much better.
I think a lot of people are not just angry that Bloomberg thinks Crown Heights is just a poor unimportant community that must put up or shut up. I think a lot of us are angry that men will be forced into even more hardship, and get even less help.
The outer boroughs do not exist to serve Manhattan. Manhattan problems must be dealt with by Manhattan.
bxgrl
7:40, the argument, for me, is not the existence of a shelter, or a personal fear of those inside. I live pretty close to that corner as well, and I see the better side of my Crown Heights neighbors, as well. I’ve gone by the armory on many occasions when local church vans pull up and distribute hot meals to the men inside and out. I’ve seen people go in with bags of clothes and bedding. And I’ve seen people stop and talk to the men hanging out across the street, or under the armory towers. I’m not talking about furtive drug deals either. We do the best we can here in Crown Heights.
I am not protesting because of the existance of the shelter, which has been there for a long time. I think it needs to be run much better, which is a post by itself, but its existance is a necessary part of life in this city. I’m protesting the idea to dump the homeless problem of Manhattan on our overburdened shoulders, without a second thought, without consulting or even notifying the community until it was all planned out. That is not right, not fair, and not going to happen without a fight.
You seem to have issues with the new people moving into CH. Many of these new people are injecting some well needed energy into a community that needs to wake up and realize we aren’t a hidden jewel anymore. Too many of us have gotten used to getting nothing good from the city, and just don’t even bother to protest anymore when we are slighted or treated unfairly. This is our community, jewels, warts and all. ALL of us who live here need to be active participants in our fate. That is not an oldtimer vs newcomer, black/white, or richer-poorer issue. Stop worrying about the motives of those moving in, and let’s all be about the business of preserving, holding onto, and improving our community for the good of all of us.
Montrose Morris
7:40:
Yours is the best post I’ve ever read on Brownstoner, in part because it’s so deeply felt.
But all New Yorkers need to see the homeless’ humanity, too. It’s not your or your Crown Heights neighbors’ responsibility alone.
My best wishes to you,
NOP
Montrose, 10:31 here, this morning they had the wrong photo up. They changed it to the correct one thats up now, but didn’t post a comment about the mistake.
A life-long Brooklyn resident for a couple of decades now, I am not aware of any gross incidents occurring in the vicinity of the Atlantic Ave Amory from its residents that could be deemed so unsavory and reprehensible versus any other area. Yes, the residents are poor (health & economically), however, I’ve felt much more safe from them versus walking down other streets in various boroughs where the residents are of supposedly “hi-culture”, employed or “socialized”. Also those for the most part who are residents of the armory are original residents of the neighborhood and/ or culturally closer to the majority of the residents in the neighborhood. On some level I guess that’s why it was easier to place it in that location originally. And, why not assist the Armory residents with opportunities for improvement versus abject behavior. God Is Watching!!!!
The residents of the Amory will in many instances extend greetings to you, even if some might just want to get into your good graces and acquire a bed for the night, etc. The problem I see is that there are those who want to shun others thinking they are of better graces or origin. Many of those against the Amory or inciting protest just want to protect their own interests (property value, social status, selfishness, ignorance, arrogance). However, what about the many in the neighborhood who weren’t and who still aren’t comfortable with all the so-called new development taking place and all it’s New Residents. I grew up in that area when those same new residents would not want to be caught in the borough, let alone the neighborhood. I also grew up in a period when the unfortunate were respected and respectful. Truth be told I leave quite close to the armory and No I would not choose to live directly across the street from it if I did not have too, but I’ve lived in the neighborhood long enough to know if circumstances meant that I needed too, I wouldn’t really feel that threatened. Those men on average bother No One!!!!! And, personally I was quite happy with them there and when all you new Want-to-be elitist were not. I guess many of you feel successful that it appears you’ve almost eradicated purchasing opportunities within the neighborhood for many of it’s working class as well as nullified property holdings of many of it’s staunch members (elders, etc – OOps, forgot – you’re selfish, uncompassionate, etc).
I venture to say there has not been an increase in rapes or muggings taking place in the vicinity of the Amory or by its residents. And, knowing what I know I would be more concerned if the residents of the armory were more representative of the many New Residents to the neighborhood and area. And, Is The Latter Why We Should Be Concerned?
See you there!!!
Montrose, NOP, Bxrgl, etc. AMEN. SO SAY WE ALL. See you at the Rally with signs up and bells on
Montrose:
The “good” reason against the Police Academy? The City plans to sell this publicly-owned building to the highest bidder (probably for condominiums)!
Here’s another idea: Use part of the money gained from the sales of the old shelter and Police Academy to buy the former Salvation Army residence on Gramercy Park South. This empty 12-story building has dormitory rooms, diningrooms, and lounges — ready made for the homeless.
Plus residents (third level predators included) would get keys to Gramercy Park (the only private park in New York, whose use is restricted to surrounding properties).
And if my relatives won’t tolerate such a solution, why should the people of Crown Heights accept the Armory?
You now have two well-situated sites for a new shelter. Build and promote a list of similar properties (maybe through your City Council reps), and see how other neighborhoods respond.
Maybe, just maybe, the shelter will be kept where it is (and belongs), just to avoid the political fracas likely to ensue.
NOP
I posted this before, but it didn’t appear, so if it does pop up, sorry for the double post.
The photo above, is of the Armory, 10:31. This bronze placque commorating the fallen in World War 1 is prominently placed on the front of the building on Bedford Ave. When this armory, built as the home for the 23rd Regiment, was used as such, it was alive and thriving as a community center for not only the armory and military use, but for community athletic clubs and events and social events like dinners and dances. I read many articles in the Brooklyn Eagle about track meets, as well as fancy dress balls. Catching the eye of a handsome officer of the 23rd was quite a social coup for local young ladies, at the turn of the century.
The use of the armory has certainly changed. Until recently, I didn’t know that we had 2 shelters, the other right across the street from the armory, on Pacific. All those accusing us of being NIMBY’s – what other neighborhood has 2 large shelters in a residential neighborhood, across the street from each other? And those aren’t the only shelters, drop in centers, rehab clinics, or other social services here. Crown Heights has contributed our share to the cause of social services, and on the heels of Errol Lewis’ article stating the specifics of what goes on in the armory, enough is certainly enough.
I agree with 12:35, why are we required to solve the problem of finding other appropriate space? It’s a big city, and only a city agency, or someone who works in, or for, the whole city could possibly be familiar enough with the entire city to intelligently come up with viable alternatives. Nostalgic’s idea of the old police academy sounds good to me, but I’m sure there will be a “good†reason why it won’t be considered.
The homeless are pawns in this game of sanitizing Manhattan. Homelessness is solved by finding permanent homes for those without. Depending on their needs, that may mean SRO type homes, group homes, or family homes. It may mean intensive followup and a re-introduction into society, or just a second chance. Moving them around so tourists and the well-heeled don’t have to look at them is not helping anyone.
See you at the rally.
Montrose Morris