Why this petition matters:

We, the undersigned residents of Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Jamaica and surrounding Queens communities, call on New York City officials to stop construction and immediately cancel the proposed homeless shelter at the following site:

📍Proposed Shelter Site at 118-08 Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY 11418 between 118th Street and Lefferts Boulevard

Protect Our Children, Public Library, and Dense School Corridor

This proposed site directly adjoins our local Queens Public Library branch—a vital neighborhood safe haven used daily by children, students, toddlers, and young families for after-school reading, tutoring, and community programs.

Moreover, this site is situated in a heavily saturated youth corridor with SIX public schools in immediate proximity, including:

1. New K-5 / District 75 Special Education School (120-08 Jamaica Avenue) — Directly serving students with significant specialized needs, including autism, intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities, through individualized IEP-driven supports, specialized classes, and related services. 

2. P.S. 51 Queens

3. P.S. 66 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

4. P.S. 90 Horace Mann

5. P.S. 161 Arthur Ashe School

6. Richmond Hill High School

Hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students—including highly vulnerable special-needs children—walk this exact stretch of Jamaica Avenue every single day to travel to and from school, special education programs, the public library, and local transit hubs.

Serious Public Safety & Safeguarding Concerns

Placing a high-capacity homeless shelter facility at this location reflects a total failure to account for surrounding youth infrastructure, public safety, and neighborhood density. It violates NYC placing criteria that prohibit placing similar facilities in immediate vicinity to schools and education organizations. There is a distinct risk that individuals placed in the facility could have a history of dangerous behavior or prior criminal offenses involving minors. People experiencing homelessness deserve safe accommodation and compassionate support but not at the expense of safety. 

The City has failed to demonstrate how public safety will be guaranteed directly adjacent to a public library branch and in the middle of a school zone containing a specialized District 75 facility. This school's location is less then 400 feet from the proposed shelter site. That may cause a violation of the executive law 259-c(14).

Residents demand accountability, transparency, and a meaningful voice in decisions affecting our neighborhood's safety. Our demand is clear: Relocate this facility to a proper place. Cancel this project at this location – do not merely delay it.

We call on New York City to:

• Protect Vulnerable Students & Youth Spaces: Explicitly account for the immediate proximity of the public library, the District 75 special needs school at 120-08 Jamaica Avenue, and five other neighborhood public schools when assessing site safety and suitability.
• Re-evaluate Site Selection: Assess alternative, appropriate locations with full and transparent community involvement.
• Guarantee Safety Audits & Background Protocols: Address serious community concerns regarding safety risks, background checks, and proximity to places frequented by children and vulnerable populations.
• Full Transparency: Publicly release all DHS site selection assessments, environmental/zoning reviews, and safety evaluation protocols, DOB approval records, 
• Hold an Immediate Public Town Hall: Schedule a public meeting featuring representatives from DHS, DOB, the proposed shelter operator, the Department of Education (including District 75 leadership), and local elected officials to address residents' concerns directly.

Our Stance

People experiencing homelessness deserve safe accommodation and compassionate support. However, local families, residents, and vulnerable schoolchildren also deserve a transparent planning process, safe walking routes, and a say in the future of their community.

Please sign and share this petition today to demand transparency and protect our community!