By Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s idea to house the homeless at Creedmoor has been unofficially dropped. My wife and I live a few blocks from Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village. We therefore have been concerned over this proposal. I’m not biased against the homeless, for I was homeless 40 years ago and I do feel their pain and loneliness and desperation. Yet temporary shelters are costly and do not solve the problem.
In my opinion, we need low-cost permanent housing, which I believe is the ultimate goal.
Added to the problem, some of the homeless have psychiatric problems, although at Creedmoor they have facilities to deal with those issues. And yet there are no guarantees preventing those with certain issues from walking around where they could still endanger those in the communities of Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oaks Village and Queens Village.
I believe Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio need to come up with a plan for the homeless that offers a permanent solution that works for all concerned and provides decent and affordable housing.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Glen Oaks Village
