A shuttered Queens factory is once again in the middle of a debate about how to house New York City’s homeless population.
The city is in negotiations with a nonprofit organization to transform 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale into a shelter for homeless men, according to City Councilman Robert Holden.
The space could be renovated to accommodate as many as 200 men, he said.
“They have to be sensitive to the surrounding neighborhood which is one and two-family homes,” said Holden. “This is a large facility. You should have something that blends in, not stands out.”
Holden was part of a vocal faction of community leaders who fought previous plans to house 125 homeless families with children at the Cooper Avenue site through a contract with Samaritan Village.
Residents of Glendale and adjacent Middle Village formed a coalition in 2014 and sued the city, saying an environmental assessment of the property was flawed. Even thought that suit was eventually dismissed, the proposed shelter never materialized.
But outrage erupted again in recent days after civic leader Kathy Masi posted on Facebook that she had heard about negotiations to place homeless men at the site. It sparked a wave of angry comments on social media from local residents opposed to the plan.
“It seems like the mayor is hellbent on destroying middle class neighborhoods,” Masi said.
A representative for the property owner declined to comment.
DHS officials said they could not discuss pending proposals, but emphasized the dire need for housing. As of July 25, more than 59,100 people are staying in the city’s homeless shelters, according to DHS data.
“Homeless New Yorkers come from every community across the five boroughs, which is why we all must do our part to help our neighbors in need get back on their feet,” DHS said in the statement. “With half of the homeless New Yorkers in Queens currently being sheltered in commercial hotel locations, we must identify high-quality, borough-based replacement capacity in Queens in order to finally phase out the use of commercial hotel locations once and for all.”
The agency said no final decision has been made about the Glendale site.
It pointed out there are more DHS clients in Community Board 5, which includes Glendale, than beds available in that same area.
Holden said there are concerns that some of the men in the shelter may have mental illness or have been recently released from prison.
“We should have a seat at the table during these negotiations,” he said. “We should be a part of the process.”
