Patricia N. Saffran
New York City in many places looks distressed from a post-Covid depression where many still work at home or moved away. Even in the best neighborhoods such as on the Upper East Side there are many empty stores and restaurants. The City has also allowed food carts with cooking odors to be placed on corners of Madison Avenue, adding to the degradation of the luxury aura. Given this bleak picture and to the utter dismay of residents, the City is proceeding full speed ahead with controversial homeless shelters in residential neighborhoods. (Featured image: Recently closed, Moti Mahal Delux restaurant)
The homeless population grew thanks to the City allowing developers to use the wrecking ball on any East Side low rise 19th century buildings they could gobble up that actually had affordable housing. Albany contributed by allowing landlords and developers to warehouse apartments so that they can raise the rent even higher after a prolonged vacancy. Only now groups such as Friends of the Upper East Side are concerned that the historic 19th century walkups and other non-Beaux Arts buildings are about to disappear. They’re questioning letting the City Planning Commission, who are unelected bureaucrats, have total decision power to put up affordable housing, bypassing the public’s input, which will probably favor developers and possibly result in more ugly spindle buildings.
One proposed homeless shelter, opposed by residents, at 60th St and First Avenue, was approved by Mayor Adams in 2023 and recently reaffirmed by current Mayor Mamdani. NY City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who represents this district, tried to soften the project by changing it from a men’s shelter to a women’s shelter. No matter. It would still mean that in good weather the homeless will sit out at the only nearby benches in front of Home Depot. Why is this a problem? Because this area is not doing well economically. There are five restaurants that went bust between 60th St and 63rd St and First Avenue. Yes, five. And there four more empty store fronts going north to 66th St. No one will want to rent one of these empty restaurants and stores with homeless all over the area. A recent store to rent in the area sells state approved marijuana, which bypassed public approval as well. In general, the homeless represent a challenge for residents since world-wide 67% are considered schizophrenic, but the City downplays this issue.
Boarded up Baker Street Irregulars on First Avenue, the original famous site of Friday’s
The Upper East Side already has a women’s homeless shelter for mentally challenged women at the Park Avenue Armory with space for the ladies to sit out near the building. It also has a delivery boy immigrant hotel, the Bentley Hotel at 61st St and York Avenue, all funded by taxpayers. Who benefits from free housing for the delivery boys? The delivery services such as Grub Hub and Uber Eats who donate to the politicians. So, contrary to what the City is saying, the Upper East Side does its part for social services making this latest attempt to saddle the area with more services superfluous. Since the area is depressed, a new homeless shelter will kiss off any restauranteurs and others from renting any of the vacant store fronts.
The condo at 60th St and First Avenue has initiated a lawsuit against the City to bar the homeless shelter. It’s also important to reference the recent protests in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, a largely Chinese American area. Residents decry the lack of common sense of the City to want to place a homeless shelter in their residential neighborhood. This location had also been approved by Mayor Adams, and more recently by Mayor Mamdani. Residents argue that this neighborhood has daycare centers and schools near the proposed location and would be negatively impacted by a homeless shelter. Dr. Larry He, co-chief of staff for William Colton, 47th Assembly District, said, “I have serious questions why after 622 days of protests, why after more than 60,000 petitions were submitted to City Hall, why after 20,000 people marched on 86th Street, 5,000 people marched outside of City Hall, this immigrant community’s voice cannot be heard?”
Protest in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, March 29, 2026, to stop construction of a homeless shelter
A further note is that homeless shelters already have a negative track record in the City. On the Upper West Side homeless shelters resulted in men selling and doing drugs on the islands on Broadway. In other words, the City failed to place the homeless in an area that is safe for residents and is continuing this trend. The City is championing an undemocratic agenda favoring the homeless, pretending that they’re harmless, and not protecting its constituents.
Please follow and like us:
