Advocates Rally Against NYC’s Decision To Move Thousands Of Homeless Individuals From Hotels To Shelters – CBS New York

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A march and rally in opposition to New York Metropolis’s resolution to maneuver about 8,000 homeless people from lodges to shelters was held Saturday.

The method has been placed on maintain, however many say it shouldn’t have occurred to start with.

READ MORE: New York City’s Plan To Move Homeless Back To Shelters Hit Roadblock As Some Refused To Leave Midtown Sheraton

Homeless advocates blasted the town for pushing these sheltered in hotels again to congregate dwelling.

“Don’t you recognize housing is a human proper?” one speaker mentioned.

Simply as the town ramped up shifting some 8,000 homeless folks out of the lodges, a lawsuit introduced by the Legal Aid Society introduced the method to a standstill, together with on the Resort at Fifth Avenue.

“They woke us up early within the morning, banging on the doorways at six, telling us to ensure we’re packed and able to go, after which they’re stuffing all of us again to the identical place that we simply left from,” shelter resident Chantel Estrella mentioned.

The Authorized Support Society launched an announcement calling the town’s rush to clear the lodges “unlawful and inhumane,” with out sufficient time for correct screening and a focus for disabled residents with particular wants.

The pause grants extra time to Victor Ortega to remain in an Higher West Facet resort room.

“Keep extra longer till they discover one thing higher for us than placing us again within the dumpster,” he mentioned.

READ MORE: New York City Begins Moving Homeless Out Of Lucerne And Other Hotels As Pandemic Outlook Brightens

“Shelters to lodges to residences, that’s why we’re out right here at present,” mentioned a speaker at Saturday’s rally.

These gathered for the march and rally accuse Mayor Invoice de Blasio of recklessly endangering New York Metropolis’s homeless inhabitants

“To permit our fellow New Yorkers to be uncovered to harmful and unsanitary circumstances when different options can be found is unconscionable,” mentioned Delcinua Glover, New York Metropolis deputy public advocate for housing.

There was no fast response to the march from the mayor, however Isaac McGinn, a spokesperson for the town’s division of homeless companies, launched the next assertion:

“The well being, security, and wellbeing of the New Yorkers we function they get again on their toes is our primary precedence – that’s why we’re persevering with our complete COVID-19 testing and vaccination packages, making it as simple as potential for our purchasers to get examined and vaccinated by delivering these free, important assets on to purchasers the place they’re. As we part out the short-term use of COVID-period industrial lodges, we and our not-for-profit supplier companions are additionally working carefully with purchasers to evaluate every particular person’s distinctive wants and grant their Affordable Lodging (RA) requests, via a course of agreed to in courtroom, with tons of of lodging already granted as we work to satisfy these wants.”

“We’ve already phased out 23 COVID-period industrial lodges as a part of this course of and dedication, which beforehand housed 1000’s of people. Pending the courtroom listening to on Monday, we’re holding in abeyance the scheduled transition out of three extra COVID-period industrial resort places that had been set to relocate this afternoon (1) and Monday morning (2).”

“Now it’s time for the town to step up and assist make it higher for the folks within the shelters and positively for the neighborhoods that wish to get again to financial system,” mentioned Hell’s Kitchen District Chief Marisa Redanty.

MORE NEWS: De Blasio Says It’s Time To Move Homeless People Out Of Hotels, Back Into Shelters

Residents had been moved from 23 lodges out of 60 in this system. The method may begin again up once more after courtroom hearings scheduled for early subsequent week.