NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The debate over where to house homeless people in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic was unfolding Sunday near Gracie Mansion.
CBS2’s Cory James visited Carl Schurz Park, where many protesters said the city is creating a bigger problem while trying to solve another.
That problem they believe is moving some 300 homeless men who were being housed at the Lucerne Hotel on the Upper West Side to the Harmonia shelter in Midtown, but doing so would displace the families there. They say they have nowhere to go.
Video shows the protests in front of the Lucerne on Sunday afternoon. It later turned into a march, with dozens walking close to two miles to Carl Shurz Park, which is home to Gracie Mansion.
Many of the protesters were holding signs, with some reading “Homeless Lives Matter.” However, they all believe Mayor Bill de Blasio should make use of vacant hotel rooms to protect homeless New Yorkers from COVID-19.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
James spoke with a man who said he feels like he is being pushed out of the Lucerne and a woman who said her family staying at the Harmonia shelter could soon have no place to go.
“We are human beings. I’m a human being. I’m not a pawn. I’m not cattle,” the man said. “I’m out here trying to do what’s right and it seems like every time a lot of us start going in the right direction, trying to do what’s right, we get pushed back.”
“I was just given a piece of paper three days ago. It was put in front of my face and they said sign it, and I read it and they said you’re being transferred and they don’t tell you where you’re going, when you’re going,” Harmonia resident Tiffanie Mondello said.
One Upper West Side resident who did not want to be on camera told James she was in support of homeless people leaving the Lucerne Hotel, saying she felt concerned about her safety with them there.
Right now, everything is on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the Legal Aid Society on behalf of the Coalition for the Homeless against the city. However, there is no clear answer on how long the transfer of homeless people and families will remain frozen.
James reached out to de Blasio’s office, but did not immediately hear back. However, the mayor has said before that housing the homeless at the Lucerne was never a long-term plan.
You can get the latest news, sports and weather on our brand new CBS New York app. Download here.
"hotel" - Google News
September 14, 2020 at 06:28AM
https://ift.tt/3mhZHjt
Protesters Say New York City Moving Homeless Out Of Lucerne Hotel Is Creating A Bigger Problem - CBS New York
"hotel" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aTFdGH
https://ift.tt/2xwvOre
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Protesters Say New York City Moving Homeless Out Of Lucerne Hotel Is Creating A Bigger Problem - CBS New York"
Post a Comment