-We are opposed to the proposed Shelter slated to open at 537 West 59th St. Between West End and Amsterdam Avenue.  
 
-Over 200 women, including many suffering from Mental Illness and Chemical Addiction, will be placed in this facility next to a popular children’s playground.  
 
-The Shelter’s smoking courtyard will be directly next to the playground.  
 
-The street-level clinic operating in the Shelter will provide Suboxone (an alternative to Methadone) openly to the general public.   

-This shelter will be run by Project Renewal, an operator infamous for the numerous murders and deaths from negligence in many of their other shelters. 
 

Dear Mayor Adams, Comptroller Lander, and Councilmember Brewer

We, the undersigned, are writing to you with urgency to inform you of our stark and vehement opposition to a proposed construction project threatening our community on the Upper West Side. 

The New York City Department of Social Services and Project Renewal—the notorious shelter operator who also ran the now-closed and controversial men’s shelter at The Lucerne Hotel—are moving quickly to open a new multi-million dollar, 200-bed homeless shelter at 537 West 59th Street.  

This new shelter will serve 200 homeless women with substance abuse and mental illness and will be located directly next to the Gertrude Ederle Playground and in close proximity to multiple schools including Abraham Joshua Heschel School, Collegiate School, West End Secondary School, P.S. 452, P.S. 191, Gateway School, and the Professional Children’s School.  

THE HOMELESS ARE A VULNERABLE GROUP IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT SO ARE CHILDREN. 

The issues surrounding sheltering and rehabilitating homeless individuals are undoubtedly multifaceted and must be dealt with in a safe location where the general public, especially children, are not negatively impacted. While we support a compassionate solution for individuals experiencing homelessness in New York City, we strongly oppose the proposed location of this large-scale temporary shelter given that it would be located directly next to the Gertrude Ederle Playground and its closeness and proximity to several schools.  

We are equally concerned with Project Renewal’s long and extensive history of perpetuating unsafe conditions at shelter sites it operates throughout the city. According to local news reports, in recent years there have been multiple incidents of violence and murders occurring at shelters operated by Project Renewal. Even worse, there are also allegations concerning Project Renewal employees engaging in unethical and sexually inappropriate behavior with shelter residents. Former shelter residents have also complained of rampant drug use and alcohol consumption at shelters operated by Project Renewal, as well as Project Renewal’s failure to provide basic amenities including working elevators and air conditioners.  

Rather than building much needed permanent affordable housing units in the UWS, New York City officials are spending an estimated $498,154,047 of city tax dollars to develop the new temporary shelter at 537 West 59th Street in partnership with Project Renewal and The Hudson Companies.  

The rapid development of city-funded shelters in the Upper West Side, and those who profit from these large city registered contracts, are seemingly quite connected. According to Statement of Registrations filed with the NYC Clerk’s Office, it appears that Project Renewal, a non-profit organization, has spent upwards of $1 million on lobbying efforts to persuade City Hall, City Council and other local elected officials to support and approve the development of the 200-bed shelter at 537 West 59th Street. In fact, since 2014, it has been the top New York City Lobbying firm Kasirer that Project Renewal has been paying to push its New York City shelter agenda.  

WE OPPOSE THE PLANNED 200-BED SHELTER ON WEST 59TH STREET

 
We ask that you please sign this petition and participate in our protests when you can join. The more we speak out, the more likely it is that city leadership will hear us and make sure that all neighborhoods in the city, not just the Upper West Side, operate safe shelters in appropriate locations.   
  
SIGN THIS PETITION AND SHARE! SIGN THIS PETITION AND SHARE!