Over 5,000 signed. Now, the critical push

Your signatures are being noticed. City agencies are expected to discuss this proposal in the next few days. Please email your representatives directly TODAY. Send to:

 City Council Speaker Julie Menin: district5@council.nyc.gov

 Assembly Member Alex Bores: BoresA@contactme.nyassembly.gov

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal: info@manhattanbp.nyc.gov

This is the critical moment to communicate your concerns directly to elected officials before key decisions are made. Send your message now. Use your own words. Your own concerns. Personal stories. 

Suggested points to consider:

• There is no transparency on the operator, the shelter population, or the timeline. Approvals should be granted only after community concerns have been addressed, and contracts should be signed only then.
• Unique characteristics of the area need to be taken into account, including the extreme population density, the large number of families with young children, seniors, schools, daycares, after-school programs - over 30 within a 5-block radius (!) - and the large liquor retailer that shares a wall with the proposed site.
• The fact that the neighborhood already absorbs significant amounts of affordable, rent-regulated, and supportive housing is another key factor in any assessment. A 434-unit complex is scheduled to open this year on Third Avenue at 97th Street, including 261 units for formerly homeless residents/individuals suffering from mental health issues, plus 40 units for at-risk young adults. Our half-mile already includes seven existing or planned shelter and supportive housing facilities.

If you have already emailed, thank you. Please share this petition with neighbors who care about the Upper East Side and ask them to do the same. 

We are over 5,000 strong. Let’s make this push count.