Community Board 12 Oppose Proposed Shelter at 5001 10th Avenue, Urging Reconsideration and Alternative Solutions

By Y.M. Lowy

Many letters have been written recently expressing strong opposition to the proposed placement of homeless shelters in residential neighborhoods, and a new one joins the chorus of dissent. Yidel Perlstein, Chairman of Community Board 12, and Barry Spitzer, District Manager have sent a letter to Commissioner Molly Wasow Park of the Department of Social Services voicing serious concerns about the planned shelter at 5001 10th Avenue and 1016 50th Street. BoroPark24 recently reported on a similar letter penned by various Senators and Assemblymen protesting this shelter.

The community’s opposition is made clear by the board members’ response to a presentation on the project made by the Department of Social Services, which was attended by hundreds of local residents. Every single one of them voiced their opposition. “This neighborhood is filled with children, schools, medical centers, and a hospital; by far not an optimal location for a homeless shelter,” the letter states.

The board also raises questions about the timing of the announcement, especially considering the Mayor’s plans to close over fifty shelters in the coming months. They ask why a new shelter is being opened in a high-density residential area when the city is planning to reduce the number of shelters elsewhere. “Why can’t some of your closed migrant shelters be repurposed to homeless shelters?” the letter asks.

The board also points to the timing of the announcement, noting that the plan was revealed shortly after former Councilman Kalman Yeger left office in December. Yeger had been a vocal opponent of the project and was heard in the fight against the shelter. The board finds it highly suspicious that the announcement came just a week after Yeger’s departure, believing that it could have been timed to avoid local opposition.

The letter concludes with a strong appeal, “We ask in the strongest of terms that you pay heed to our residents, our elected representatives, and our Board and find a more suitable place for this shelter.”