The city's decision to open a safe haven homeless shelter near an elementary school on the Upper West Side is drawing pushback from neighbors, but also some support.
Residents are pushing back against a proposed safe haven homeless shelter set to open at the end of the month on the Upper West Side, saying it is unsafe and opposing its location across the street from an elementary school.An emotionally charged debate has broken out on the Upper West Side after the city announced that a safe haven homeless shelter would open in the neighborhood at the end of the month.
Right off the bat, we are assuming residents moving in are predators, drug addicts. It’s a gross assumption," said community member Lian Valera. Some who are against the decision say what concerns them is that the shelter will be a safe haven, which is typically less restrictive and has fewer rules than a traditional shelter. They say what is actually needed is low-income and affordable housing.
New York City’s Department of Social Service explains safe havens as low-barrier programs targeted toward individuals who may have been resistant to accepting other services."I care about the homeless. I care about people. I care about how we live, where we live, that everyone is safe, including the homeless," another neighbor told FOX 5 NY.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Brick falls from vacant West Side building, crashes through bedroom ceiling: cell phone videoBricks have been falling off a vacant building and onto a townhome near North Pulaski Road and West Washington Boulevard.
Read more »
Woman hospitalized after hit-and-run crash on West SideA woman in her 30s is in the hospital after being struck during a hit-and-run crash on the city’s West Side late Monday night, according to San Antonio police.
Read more »
Rush Chicago center for outpatient care to open on former site of West Side Sears storeThe 60,000 square-foot center will be located just within the city limits, at North and Harlem avenues, where Chicago's Galewood neighborhood abuts Elmwood Park, Oak Park and River Forest.
Read more »
Search underway for 3 men who stabbed, carjacked rideshare driver on west sideHave you seen these men? They are being investigated for stabbing a man and stealing his car while he was working as a rideshare driver last night.
Read more »
PBS documentary film honors West Side MarineA free screening of 'American Sons,' a film chronicling the life and death of San Antonian Marine Jorge 'JV' Villarreal, will run March 28.
Read more »
Community leaders on Indy's west side address bullying, cyberbullying in schoolsThere were just over 5,100 reported cases of bullying in schools in the state of Indiana last year. The majority of those cases are verbal bullying.
Read more »