Bloomberg dumps homeless shelter in Elmhurst

From the Times Ledger:

Elmhurst residents south of Queens Boulevard were alarmed and angered to learn that a shelter for the homeless has opened up at a former convent once owned by St. John’s Hospital.

The facility, operated by a group called The Queens Alliance, boasts 29 rooms and officially opened the week of June 22. It had not received any clients from the city by the time of a community information meeting held Monday. The shelter, the organization’s first, includes administrative offices.

Queens Alliance Vice President Yolanda Martin-Garibaldi took questions from an increasingly hostile crowd, who worried the shelter would flood the neighborhood with panhandlers and criminals.

Neighbor Linda Lam worried about shelter residents accosting children walking home after school and accused the city of concentrating such facilities in the neighborhood.

“Is it because we do not have enough registered voters or because not enough of us come out to vote?” she said. “Or because we do not speak English?”

A rally in front of the shelter is planned for July 11 at 11 a.m.

To answer Linda Lam: Yes, yes, yes and because you don't donate money to pols.

From the Daily News:

A city Human Resources Administration spokeswoman told The News that if knowledge of the shelter becomes widespread, it may not send clients there.

Locals said they plan to reach out to elected officials and rally against the shelter.

Where was Melinda Katz?