Vigil held in support of homeless men living at Lucerne Hotel

UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A vigil was held Saturday in support of the homeless men currently living at the Lucerne Hotel on the Upper West Side.

The participants oppose a new plan to relocate the residents to the Wall Street area where the city is converting a hotel into a shelter.

People who live near the Lucerne have fought to have the homeless moved.

The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless object to the new plan.

Officials say there will be sufficient space at the new shelter for on-site services and it's closer to their medical care at the original congregate shelter.

Right now, there is no timetable on when the move will occur.

The Lucerne Hotel has been the subject of controversy throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Residents have complained over the growing homeless population in Upper West Side neighborhoods, leading to protests.

RELATED | Upper West Side residents furious, considering suing city over homeless increase

Lucy Yang reports on the homeless issue on the Upper West Side.

Originally the city had planned to move the homeless from the Lucerne Hotel to other shelters, but in earlier in September, they decided to pause that move.

RELATED | New York City pauses plan to displace shelter residents for homeless move

New York City has agreed to pause the displacement of residents from a Manhattan shelter in order to make room for homeless people being moved from an Upper West Side hotel in orde

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