Releases & Statements

Public Advocate Gotbaum, Councilwoman Arroyo & Community Leaders Protest Plans for 17th District’s 17th Homeless Shelter

New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum joined Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Community Board 1 Chairman George Rodriguez, ACORN representatives, and other elected officials to oppose plans by the City’s Department of Homeless Services to build a $205 million, 400 bed transitional homeless men’s shelter at 359 Wales Avenue. This would be the 17th shelter in the district, far more than any other district.

“It’s incomprehensible that the City would concentrate poverty in a district that is already one of the most impoverished in the city. This district has become the land of lost toys for projects the city can’t convince anyone else to take. Despite all the obstacles created by the City, the community has started to flourish. Now it’s time for the administration to give this community a break so that they can continue to grow and prosper,” said Gotbaum.

The 17th District, which Arroyo has represented since late February, has high rates of unemployment, asthma, teenage pregnancy, and substance abuse. In addition to the 16 homeless shelters currently located in the district, the DHS’s Emergency Assistance Unit and the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing Office (PATH), also run by DHS, are also located there.

“The 17th council district currently has more than its fair share of homeless programs, shelters, and transitional residential units. The community's socio-economic status will not improve if the DHS continues to allow for these programs to flourish in the South Bronx,” said Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

The South Bronx community is one of the most impoverished in the city. Local residents feel that the Department of Homeless Service’s plan for yet another shelter places an even greater burden on the area, its residents, and businesses. “Bronx Community Board One finds that the introduction of a 400-bed homeless men’s shelter will impair and arrest the sound growth and the development of the Mott Haven, Melrose, and Port Morris neighborhoods. This area of the Bronx has been inundated with homeless shelters and transitional facilities. Bronx Community Board One disapproves of the proposed contract between the Department of Homeless Services and Casa Wales HDFC, LLC for the development and operation of this shelter,” said Mr. George L. Rodriguez, Chairperson, Bronx Community Board One.

Gotbaum, who recently released a report on domestic violence and homelessness, advocates several changes to the City’s new Housing Stability Plus program and the City's new homeless re-housing policy, saying “It will just perpetuate a cycle of homelessness and maintain the need for shelters,” said Gotbaum. “The real solution is affordable housing. The goal should be to end homelessness. That’s going to take a while, but in the meantime we shouldn’t overburden one district with a disproportionate share of shelters,” concluded Gotbaum.