The NYC Department of Homeless Services is considering converting the Holiday Inn Express in Maspeth into an adult homeless shelter. Neighbors are organizing a town hall to stop it from happening. NY1's Van Tieu reports.

​There's been swift backlash to a city proposal to turn a Maspeth hotel into a homeless shelter.  

The NYC Department of Homeless Services is considering a plan to convert the Holiday Inn Express on 55th Road into an adult homeless shelter.

The hotel is located along the edge of the Maspeth Business Industrial Zone. 

The plan calls for the shelter to open in about 60 days.

Full-time security at the shelter and in the surrounding area would be coordinated with the NYPD’s 104th Precinct.​

However, that news doesn't ease the concerns of some Maspeth residents. 

"Why do you need security if it’s really safe for the neighborhood?" said Michael Locascioso, a member of Community Board 5.  

Just two days after the proposal was unveiled at a community meeting, neighbors began to organize a meeting to voice their opposition.   ​

"I want the city to know that we are not happy with de Blasio doing this," said Mary O'Neill, owner of O'Neill's Restaurant.

On Friday, O'Neill was passing out flyers about the upcoming meeting. 

Some fear the addition of a homeless shelter would have a negative impact on the neighborhood and won’t help those trying to get back on their feet.   

"There’s no way for transportation for them to go find a job here," Locascioso said. "So this is just, dump families here and then leave them here for as long as they have to. "

City Council member Elizabeth Crowley added that the area already has too many shelters nearby.

Although there are technically no homeless shelters within her district’s borders, many are just blocks away. The Pan Am Shelter is one of those, located along Queens Boulevard, which is a little more than a mile away.

"To have not one, but two, and three, now we’re looking at a fourth homeless shelter? Makes absolutely no sense. It’s not fair, and we’re going to work together to stop it," Crowley said. 

However, a DHS Spokesman said, "The administration believes that homelessness is a citywide challenge that requires a citywide response. Currently, there are approximately 250 people in shelter who listed their most recent address as Community District 5 in Queens."

The administration has agreed to consider alternative locations. 

Community Board 5 is organizing a town hall to discuss the proposal and alternative locations at 7:30 on Thursday at Martin Luther School at 60-02 Maspeth Ave.

Elected officials and city representatives are expected to attend.