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Community Board 5 updates details of October public hearing on Glendale homeless shelter

The former factory at 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale is shown undergoing renovation in this April 2019 photo.
Photo: Robert Pozarycki/QNS

Queens Community Board 5 will hold a public hearing on the proposed homeless shelter residence at 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, in Christ the King’s auditorium at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave.

After a tense town hall hosted by Councilman Robert Holden on Sept. 20 provided over 400 Glendale residents the chance to speak with their elected officials on the project, the Community Board event will include a presentation with detailed information on the project from the Dept. of Social Services, the Dept. of Homeless Services and Westhab, the nonprofit selected to run the facility.

After the city finishes its presentation, the forum will also allow speakers two to three minutes of time to address the city agencies, depending on how many pre-register to speak. Though CB 5 previously opposed the use of 78-16 Cooper Ave. for a homeless shelter residence, the hearing will detail the new plan from these city agencies.

Following the hearing, the community board will organize a meeting of its executive committee and the homeless services committee to discuss the hearing further. It will not schedule an advisory vote on the issue until after these bodies meet. 

In addition to providing housing for these 200 adult males at this location, Westhab plans to provide other services planned including job readiness training, job search assistance and GED instruction; health and mental health services; job development, vocational training and employment placement; screening, assessments and interventions for substance use; substance use treatment; and conflict mediation, legal services and housing placement assistance. 

The building will incorporate security for 24 hours daily, seven days a week including a minimum of six security staff per shift and two security supervisors per shift; and 75 security cameras at the subject site. Westhab, a Yonkers-based nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing and homeless services, derives the largest share of its revenue from transitional housing.

Those interested in speaking at the hearing can call the CB5 office at 718-366-1834 or them at [email protected]. Speakers can also be registered the night of the hearing, until 7:15 p.m. at the hearing location.

Anyone wishing to speak is asked to pre-register by calling the Office of Community Board 5, Queens at 718-366-1834, or by emailing the office at [email protected].  Speakers will be limited to two to three minutes, depending upon the number of speakers registered. 

The Community Board is also planning to to live-stream the hearing at www.nyc.gov/qnscb5.