New York City communities are up in arms at Mayor Eric Adams, who stunningly reversed his course about plans to turn a luxury condo complex in Harlem that’s abandoned into a shelter for migrants.
The New York Post reported that this information popped up suddenly at a meeting of the St. Nicholas House Resident Association where dozens of residents attended to speak their mind about the plans the city has to build developments on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.
The area was once being marketed as the future of upscale housing sites.
The building there, which is 35 stories tall, was slated to turn into a homeless shelter that could be where illegal immigrants are sent.
But, residents in the area weren’t made aware of the plan until some people in the neighborhood saw residents taking mattresses and bed frames inside the building.
CBS New York reported that Adams told residents at the meeting:
“I told the team, ‘Find out what’s going on here. We’re not moving folks into a brand new building when you have long-term needs in a community. That’s not going to happen.’
“You will not have migrants and asylum seekers in that property.”
Following the outrage, a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Social Services issued a statement that said the site would be used to house families in New York that have been experiencing homelessness for a while.
The building was once billed as a luxury living space where residents would pay market rates for apartments that had marble bathrooms and an indoor swimming pool.
However, The Post reported that the property has been vacant for more than 10 years following the developers being forced to file bankruptcy.
The property was subsequently leased to a not-for-profit organization that has worked with the Department of Social Services/Homeless Services in the city so that it could be used as a shelter for either the native homeless population or for migrants.
But, local residents are not at all in agreement with that plan.
CBS New York reported that one resident got loud at the meeting, shouting at Adams:
“You are the mayor. We do not want to hear excuses.”
Regina Smith, a resident of Harlem, said:
“We have a dearth of affordable housing. We’re being priced out of the community. … The lack of respect is absolutely appalling.”
This week, the Department of Social Services told CBS New York that the building in question would indeed be transformed into transitional housing, but would only be used to help long-term New York families.
A spokesperson for the department said:
“Despite the developer’s initial plans for market rate condominiums, development had been stalled and this building left indefinitely empty — it would not have advanced as luxury housing. Instead of sitting vacant, this site will serve as high-quality transitional housing for long-term New York City families with children experiencing homelessness.”
