By Joyce Shepard
When Mayor DiBlasio had a Town Hall meeting in Bayside back in February, which was co-sponsored by Council member Paul Vallone, I came out of my advocacy retirement to attend. I raised my hand and was called upon by the mayor.
My issue was the homeless. I reminded the mayor of the time Gov. Mario Cuomo shut down all the psychiatric hospitals in New York, dumping patients into our communities without any out-patient services.
After reading week after week about the problems of not in my backyard (NIMBY) by community residents regarding the homeless population being placed in hotels and motels in their neighborhoods, I decided to bring my idea to the mayor.
Today our tax dollars are paying for those psychiatric hospitals that are languishing, and as far as I know, still empty. I suggested the mayor and Councilman Vallone contact Gov. Andrew Cuomo and suggest they appoint a commission to look into the possibility of making the hospitals one-room apartments with socialization and medication services. Just as the residents have the right to protest the dumping of the homeless in their community, this population has the right to be offered decent living conditions. They certainly do not deserve the rejections they suffer and being housed in unsafe shelters.
When I went undercover as a battered woman 20 years ago, I was astonished at the dreary and unsafe shelters I was referred to. When will this city’s elected officials start protecting and serving the homeless? It could possibly happen if the homeless voted.
The many psychiatric hospitals can be turned into apartment buildings. After all, they’re languishing as we pay taxes for them, while people are living in the streets. The buildings are surrounded by grass, creating a country atmosphere. I believe just as the residents have their right to protest, the homeless population has a right to be offered a one-room apartment in a country atmosphere.
I have called Mr. Vallone and the mayor’s office and have not had my calls returned. I hope that someone with clout looks into my suggestion and gets the problem for all mediated. Or maybe these hospitals are being offered to developers, which wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Joyce Shepard, CSW
Bayside
