A month ago, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a new plan to fight homelessness that included a proposal to build 90 new homeless shelters. Top officials tried to sell that plan to the City Council Monday. NY1's Courtney Gross filed the following report.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has a short time to convince communities to welcome new homeless shelters.
On Monday, the mayor's homeless czar brought his case to the City Council.
"The Bronx and Brooklyn cannot continue to shoulder the burden of citywide issues," said City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson of the Bronx.
"To continue to just add safe haven programs in my district, it's a real concern of mine and my constituents," said City Councilman Rafael Salamanca of the Bronx.
"To put it mildly, an unambitious goal for the city," said City Councilman Barry Grodenchik of Queens. "We can do better. We must do better."
Clearly, the de Blasio administration has a challenge ahead.
"Well, actually I think the council members were really supportive of changing the shelter system," said Steven Banks, commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services. "There was a lot of support for the new direction we have been taking."
But there has been a lot of opposition as well.
Last week, a judge temporarily blocked the opening of a new shelter in Crown Heights, which is one of the first five proposed under the mayor's new plan. It is slated to house more than 100 homeless men, all over the age of 62.
"We are confident we will be able to open the shelter," Banks said. "And most importantly, there are 104 seniors from brooklyn who can move into these beds, and we can avoid having to rent hotel rooms that we otherwise would not have to rent."
The city is slated to be back in court on Tuesday.
Council members gave a number of caveats when NY1 asked them whether they would welcome a new homeless shelter in their communities. Some said it depends on the type of facility. Others said they wanted to see homeless shelters open in more affluent areas first.
"So it's a case by case basis. And I think we have to look at it that way," said City Councilman Corey Johnson of Manhattan.
When asked if she would accept a shelter in her neighborhood, City Councilwoman Inez Barron of Brooklyn said, "No, because until everyone else has had their equitable fair share, then we should not be burdened."
With 90 new shelters on the horizon, the administration has a lot more convincing to do.
"It seems like it takes the city forever to build simple things like a bathroom in a park," Grodenchik said. "I am very concerned about their ability to get this done."