City officials are turning to public schools as they scramble to temporarily house an influx of migrants following the expiration of Title 42 last week.
On Monday, approximately 75 adult migrants were transported to the Sandra Feldman Gymnasium at P.S. 188 in Coney Island. While the gym is separate from the school, it is on school grounds.
Parents say they were informed about the decision through a letter on Friday. A police presence could be seen in front of the gym and around the school Monday morning.
What You Need To Know
- City officials are turning to public schools as they scramble to temporarily house an influx of migrants following the expiration of Title 42 last week
- On Monday, approximately 75 adult migrants were transported to the Sandra Feldman Gymnasium at P.S. 188 in Coney Island. While the gym is separate from the school, it is on school grounds
- Brooklyn Councilmember Justin Brannan said the gym is going to be used as a short-term overflow site
School officials assured families the move will not disrupt school activity, but parents say they have no information about where their children’s physical education classes will take plan in the interim.
P.S. 188 is one of a handful of new locations announced over the weekend that will become temporary shelters.
The vacant Richard H. Hungerford School on Staten Island will accommodate 140 people, and the shuttered Roosevelt Hotel will become the city’s ninth humanitarian relief center, offering shelter, medical, legal and other services to migrants.
This coming week, 175 rooms are slated to open for migrant families. The city says that number will eventually grow to 850 rooms.
City officials say they have helped more than 65,000 asylum seekers since migrants began arriving in the five boroughs last year. Last week, officials say more than 4,200 asylum seekers arrived in the city.
City Comptroller Brad Lander appeared on “Mornings On 1” Monday to talk about the new housing locations.
“I think having folks in some of these standalone gyms while they work to find space in hotels and space in shelters makes sense for now,” Lander said. “What I want to see is us doing a lot more to help people get out of shelters.”
Brooklyn Councilmember Justin Brannan said the Coney Island school’s gym is going to be used as a short-term overflow site. Once migrants arrive at the school, they are going to quickly be moved to longer-term facilities, he said.
Parents, however, say they are still in the dark as to how long their school’s gym will be occupied.