By Gina Martinez
Ozone Park residents and leaders are voicing their concerns over a potential homeless shelter in the neighborhood.
The proposed transitional home would be run by the non-profit Breaking Grounds, which has several locations in all five boroughs. Breaking Grounds is a street outreach program that provides supportive temporary housing to the homeless while helping them find permanent housing. During their stay, the organization provides them with food, medical care and a place to sleep.
At the Community Board 9 meeting earlier this month residents expressed their reservations about the shelter, which would belocated at 100-32 Atlantic Ave., the former site of Dallis Bros Coffee and Tea shop.
“We had a lot of people at the meeting,” a community board member said. “Most people, I believe, are very apprehensive and not sure of what’s going to go on. A majority of people don’t want the center.”
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) thinks this shelter will not help solve the homeless problem.
“Each time an attempt is made to open yet another inappropriate homeless shelter in a poorly thought-out location, the crisis we face as a city gets incrementally worse,” he said. “I do not believe that shuffling vulnerable individuals from one inadequate shelter to another is any way to treat homeless New Yorkers, who need our help to get back on their feet.”
Addabbo urgeed Mayor Bill de Blasio to come up with a better system to deal with the homeless in the city.
“Rather than continuing to warehouse people in hotels or other vacant properties that are not meant to serve as a primary residence, I believe Mayor de Blasio’s administration should be focusing more of its efforts on finding long-term housing for homeless individuals and making sure they are provided with vital resources such as job training, counseling and access to public transportation,” the lawmaker said. “Only then can we begin to provide some real relief to the more than 50,000 people across New York City who are currently without homes.”
But according to Breaking Grounds, drop-In centers help support homeless.
“Drop-In Centers are an important resource for the homeless and a critical step in their journey from the street to permanent housing and stability,” said Jeff Scheuer, vice president of external affairs. “Breaking Ground has been serving the homeless for more than 25 years as New York City’s largest provider of supportive housing, running the city’s largest safe haven, and homeless street outreach in three boroughs. Since 1990, we have helped more than 12,000 people escape and avoid homelessness.”
CB 9 chairman, Raj Rampershad, said the board is planning a public meeting.
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
