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City Shuffles Shelter From Stringer

Beach 101st Street men’s shelter pushed through without Comptroller’s input


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Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration has circumvented the oversight process to push through approval of an all-male shelter on Beach 101st Street. Wikipedia photo

While the peninsula has been dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) appears to have doubled down on its efforts to circumvent the usual process of siting its shelter facilities.

The Wave has been monitoring the $40 million contract process between the NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, DHS, and the non-profit Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ). On April 1, we reached out to Stringer’s office to learn if the comptroller had signed the contract, which would clear the shelter for full operation.

“After the Administration suspended procurement rules for essential services during the COVID-19 crisis, the City withdrew the contract from our office to process the registration themselves,” said Hazel Crampton-Hays, Press Secretary for the Comptroller’s office.

We reached out to attorney Mike Scala, who is representing Rockaway Solutions Not Shelters (RSNS) in their fight against DHS. RSNS believes the shelter is a violation under the state’s mental hygiene law.

“While we understand the population of this facility would be 120 single men, a community residence for the mentally disabled requires the approval of the commissioner of mental health,” Scala said. “Approval cannot be granted if more than 48 congregate beds are located on the premises. Therefore, it is critical to determine whether this facility would house mentally ill men.”

The original application for the conversion of the manufacturing building into a conforming community facility was listed in parentheses as a “health and mental care facility” before it was revised.

Scala and the group had hoped Stringer would find the discrepancies enough of a reason to hold off signing off on the contract, but it seems the COVID-19 outbreak changed that.

“We served our reply to the city’s and BVSJ’s opposition to our amended complaint this past week As you know, with everything shut down currently, it’s unclear when normal business will proceed. That includes resolution of our court case,” said Scala. “The fact remains we have strong legal arguments we hope will be decided relatively soon.”

Founding member of RSNS Torey Schnupp — who is running for Assembly District Leader — is frustrated with the latest development.

“I was informed by my contact at Stringer’s office on the 30th day that the Mayor had bypassed procurement laws for health and human service contracts. They apparently had requested more information from DHS to address both community concerns and Stringer’s own concerns the week before, but DHS didn’t respond prior to the crisis happening and Mr. Stringer’s office wasn’t certain DHS would bother addressing them right now,” said Schnupp. “In the wake of COVID it’s even more clear that placing additional people in need on a peninsula that is ill-equipped to handle this crisis is not only careless but dangerous. The mayor once again has chosen to bypass the process and we know that social distancing in homeless shelters is impossible. He doesn’t truly care about this vulnerable population or he would have used budgeting for proper housing and services a long time ago instead of padding the shelter developers’ pockets. We are hopeful that the courts will decide in our favor.”

 

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Torey Schnupp and Michael Scala from Rockaway Solutions Not Shelters and District Leader Lew Simon share their findings on the illegal homeless shelter on B101st Street. Photos By Anthony Medina

 

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