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.<\/p>\n
Community Board 8 initially informed the public of plans for a 200-bed men\u2019s 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<\/a> and a 5,000-plus signature petition.<\/p>\n City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who represents the Upper East Side, announced last week<\/a> that the shelter would instead host women and open in April.<\/p>\n The women\u2019s shelter is slated to open in April. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n The First Avenue shelter will be the first of its kind in Menin\u2019s district. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cFrom 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,\u201d Menin said in a statement shared with the press. \u201cWomen experiencing housing insecurity face distinct safety and stability challenges, and this site is well-positioned to provide them with secure housing and comprehensive support.\u201d <\/p>\n The shelter, Restore Hope Women\u2019s Shelter, will be the first nine-month transitional housing facility for single women in Manhattan\u2019s 5th Council District. Menin\u2019s statement cited another long-standing homeless shelter for women with mental health issues on Park Avenue, \u201cwhich has been a successful part of the neighborhood for years.\u201d<\/p>\n 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%.<\/p>\n \u201cThis 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,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The night\u2019s 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\u2019s security detail, Elite Investigations.<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n An information session about the shelter plans was followed by a heated round of public comments. Youtube\/Community Board 8 Manhattan<\/p>\n The gathering quickly descended into shouts and heated exchanges on both sides of the podium, with Mason urging constructive conversation and \u201cnot a bullying session.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not being asked to do anything that any other community is not being asked to do,\u201d Mason said.<\/p>\n One resident raised a concern that the shelter is opposite a Home Depot, where they sell knives, drills, hammers and brooms.<\/p>\n \u201cAny tool becomes a weapon when it\u2019s held correctly,\u201d the resident said, adding that shelter guards should be armed. <\/p>\n A local father of two young children cited the recent death of a 2 year old<\/a> after an alleged assault at a Long Island City shelter.<\/p>\n \u201cI want you to put yourself in the shoes of parents,\u201d he said. \u201cAs someone who has voted Democrat my whole life. It\u2019s beyond disheartening to see this type of decision making pattern seemingly only accelerate under this Mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n Mason fielded questions about when the shelter plans were disclosed and how its staff will protect local residents. Youtube\/Community Board 8 Manhattan<\/p>\n Given its close proximity to a school, the shelter will not permit women on probation or parole. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re offended by is the lack of notification and the wrong location,\u201d a 58th Street resident said. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be here.\u201d<\/p>\n The shelter\u2019s location near multiple schools, daycares and a cannabis dispensary were called into question. More than one resident voiced their support of the shelter, however.<\/p>\n