Upper East Side residents gathered on Monday night to voice concerns, anger and confusion over a planned homeless shelter for women coming to their neighborhood.
Community Board 8 initially informed the public of plans for a 200-bed men’s homeless shelter in late January. The facility along First Avenue would open in March and be operated by Housing Solutions of New York. The announcement sparked intense backlash and a 5,000-plus signature petition.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who represents the Upper East Side, announced last week that the shelter would instead host women and open in April.
The women’s shelter is slated to open in April. Matthew McDermott for NY Post
The First Avenue shelter will be the first of its kind in Menin’s district. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post
“From the beginning, my priority has been to ensure our district meets its obligation to address homelessness in a way that genuinely serves those in need,” Menin said in a statement shared with the press. “Women experiencing housing insecurity face distinct safety and stability challenges, and this site is well-positioned to provide them with secure housing and comprehensive support.”
The shelter, Restore Hope Women’s Shelter, will be the first nine-month transitional housing facility for single women in Manhattan’s 5th Council District. Menin’s statement cited another long-standing homeless shelter for women with mental health issues on Park Avenue, “which has been a successful part of the neighborhood for years.”
Her constituency across the Upper East Side boasts a median household income of $165,280, or roughly 108% more than citywide median, according to the NYU Furman Center. Its poverty rate of 6.1% as of 2023 is far below the citywide rate of 18.2%.
“This upcoming transitional housing facility will bring critical capacity and dedicated, on-site services to a council district that currently contains a very limited shelter footprint,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Post, noting that Council District 5 contains few shelter resources and no traditional shelter facilities for single adults.
Angry locals gathered at a Rockefeller University auditorium on Monday night objecting to the plan, citing safety concerns and a lack of transparency in the planning process.
The night’s host, Community Board 8 Chair Valerie Mason, informed the gathered crowd that the meeting would be a listening and feedback session. Presentations were heard from the New York City Department of Homeless Services, Housing Solutions of New York and the site’s security detail, Elite Investigations.
A public notice for the meeting, which drew in a crowd of over 100 residents to a Rockefeller University auditorium. Matthew McDermott for NY Post
An information session about the shelter plans was followed by a heated round of public comments. Youtube/Community Board 8 Manhattan
The gathering quickly descended into shouts and heated exchanges on both sides of the podium, with Mason urging constructive conversation and “not a bullying session.”
“We’re not being asked to do anything that any other community is not being asked to do,” Mason said.
One resident raised a concern that the shelter is opposite a Home Depot, where they sell knives, drills, hammers and brooms.
“Any tool becomes a weapon when it’s held correctly,” the resident said, adding that shelter guards should be armed.
A local father of two young children cited the recent death of a 2 year old after an alleged assault at a Long Island City shelter.
“I want you to put yourself in the shoes of parents,” he said. “As someone who has voted Democrat my whole life. It’s beyond disheartening to see this type of decision making pattern seemingly only accelerate under this Mayor.”
Mason fielded questions about when the shelter plans were disclosed and how its staff will protect local residents. Youtube/Community Board 8 Manhattan
Given its close proximity to a school, the shelter will not permit women on probation or parole. Matthew McDermott for NY Post
“What we’re offended by is the lack of notification and the wrong location,” a 58th Street resident said. “It shouldn’t be here.”
The shelter’s location near multiple schools, daycares and a cannabis dispensary were called into question. More than one resident voiced their support of the shelter, however.
“Let’s not forget, someone died on our streets two weeks ago,” one supporter said, apparently referring to the death of a man who was found unconscious on First Avenue during last month’s snow storm.
Multiple residents railed against a perceived lack of public notice and permitting transparency.
Homelessness across the city has been a political flashpoint for several mayoral administrations. Stephen Yang
A citywide initiative is calling for the development of new borough-based shelters in communities across town. Stephen Yang
“We remain committed to notifying communities at least 30 days ahead of the potential opening of new traditional shelter locations,” the DHS statement said.
The department’s website claims that the average notice before opening a new shelter facility stands at 259 days.
There was some disagreement at the meeting between DHS representatives and Mason over when the community board was notified about the full scope of the plan. According to a DHS spokesperson, the board was informed about the location in March 2025.
Despite the confusion, Mason said there is no notification time limit required for new shelters.
The shelter’s future residents will be referred through the city’s Department of Homeless Services. The eight-floor facility will include three floors dormitory-style rooms, a cafeteria, offices for 46 staff members and a rooftop outdoor space to prevent loitering.
Security includes 136 security cameras on site and two TSA-style checkpoints. The facility will be drug and alcohol free, no men or children are allowed and residents must adhere to an 11 p.m. curfew. Given its close proximity to a school, women on probation or parole for sex offenses will not be permitted.
Case workers and social workers will offer residents individual counseling, job and housing assistance.
Mason expressed reservations about the set-up to Patch, saying it “looked like army barracks.”
A community advisory board will be formed within 30 days of the shelter opening to continue to hear community feedback on a monthly basis.