Upper West Side community raises concerns over homeless shelter next to playground
UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- Hundreds of people on the Upper West Side are now part of a group documenting and sharing what they say are crimes and safety concerns, after a homeless shelter for women opened right next to a playground.
The shelter opened in May of this year near West 59th and Amsterdam Avenue, as a 200- bed, dorm-style refuge for single women, but neighbors tell Eyewitness News that since it opened, they've seen an influx of issues while taking their kids to play at the Gertrude Ederle Playground.
"There has been a drastic change in the neighborhood," said Heather, who only wanted her first name used. "This was always a safe haven for families and children, especially this playground, and now a lot of us are scared to come here. We feel unsafe. There's loitering, public nudity, public vomiting, urination, drug use, drinking, needles and bottles being left in the playground."
"I live from one block away, we have two kids, they're two and four, we used to bring them every day (to the playground) and not any anymore," said Nick, who also wanted Eyewitness News to only use his first name. "Because you see people clearly overdosing, smoking weed, talking to kids through the fence, some naked. So clearly, it's not a safe situation, and we're very concerned because a tragedy could happen at any point."
Heather and Nick are now part of a group of nearly 500 people from the area who are documenting what they say are problems around the shelter, sharing concerns that it doesn't belong as close as it is to a playground and several schools. Eyewitness News has not independently confirmed that the people depicted in photos and videos shared with our newsroom are shelter residents.
"Putting a mentally ill, chemically-addicted population with no oversight next to a playground isn't helping anybody," Heather said. "You're not helping the women who need care, you're not helping the neighborhood, you're not teaching empathy. You're scaring people."
Project Renewal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending homelessness that's connected to the shelter, sent a statement in response:
"Clients at our women's shelter receive behavioral health and medical services, case management and other supports onsite. The ground-floor health clinic is awaiting final federal approval before opening to the public. We have increased outreach in the surrounding area and continue to work closely with the Department of Social Services and other partners to respond promptly when concerns are brought to our attention. Our focus is on helping women stabilize their lives and move toward permanent housing."
A spokesperson from New York's Department of Social Services also sent a statement:
"This recently opened site is equipped with clinicians, case managers, and other social services staff to address the complex needs of each client and help them on their unique path to recovery and permanent housing. We are also opening a clinic to ramp up supports at this location. DSS has met with the council member's office about these concerns and has also set up a community advisory board to work collaboratively to support our vulnerable neighbors. As we work on next steps based on the feedback of the community, we also continue to work to address the stigma against New Yorkers experiencing homelessness who have fallen through every level of the safety net and society at large."
Project Renewal said medical and behavioral-health services are already being provided to women inside the shelter, and a separate ground-floor clinic has not opened yet as it's awaiting final federal approval. DSS said it's on track to open soon, but did not provide a date.
Heather and other neighbors said this isn't another case of "not in my neighborhood," that they support services, but at a smaller scale supporting a different group.
"This should be supportive housing for people who are at a different stage in getting back on their feet," Heather said. "This is a place a neighborhood that's always welcomed everyone, this is the Upper West Side. This is a really empathetic, welcoming community, and we just want everyone to benefit from the services in these shelters. Seeing people out in the street on drugs, overdosing, assaults, fighting. We're trying to ask for supportive housing if possible, instead of a mentally ill, chemically-addicted population. A lower number of people, 200 people in this one building is really a lot. I mean, I can't imagine being a grown adult living in a dormitory style home with 199 other women."
Nick said he hopes a change comes before it's too late.
"This was a very good park because you have closed gates, so you felt safe. So now we just need to go somewhere else, and, it's a shame, because we see less kids every day, and eventually this will become a place where no kids play," he said.
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