From the Queens Gazette:City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. said the city Department of Homeless Services has informed him that the Westway Motel is “once again going to house overnight single males”.
“I called [Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Seth] Diamond and was told it’s only going to be until January, due to overflow population,” Vallone said. But when he attempted to get the temporary deadline in writing, the wording changed to “as soon as we can”. “This is not acceptable to me,” Vallone said at the October meeting of the United Community Civic Association (UCCA).
Previously, only homeless families with children were sheltered at the Westway, 71-11 Astoria Blvd. Homeless Services refers families with children, adult families, and single adults for overnight shelter. On October 21, there were 8,164 families with children, 1,305 adult families, and 8,339 single adults seeking shelter in New York City, according to the daily census posted on www.nyc.gov.
“I’ve been getting [complaint] calls about panhandling and people on the streets,” UCCA President Rose Marie Poveromo said.
A representative for the Westway Motel said, “This is a sleepover facility. It is not a fulltime facility. They come in and they spend the night. They are bused in at night and they must leave by 10 a.m.”
The Westway Motel security director said people staying overnight had a 10 p.m. curfew. “People can walk to the corner store,” he said.
Deputy Inspector Stephen Cirabisi, commanding officer at the 114th Precinct, said, “My suggestion is if aggressive panhandling or blocking traffic is happening, you’ve got to call 311 so that we can document it.”
Vallone said, “Hopefully, we can mobilize and get [Commissioner Diamond] here to explain himself. We’re going to continue to fight this.”
12 comments:
Instead of asking the public,how about sending some cops there ?
"...you've got to call 311 so we can document it." Then, we'll frame that document, hang it on the wall, and admire it as we go by.
it'd be a real bummer if you showed up as a paying customer...
Crappy shows Vallone in a positive light.
Like the invisible monkey in the Dodge commerical last summer: "amazing"
Actually, I kind of thought Vallone was making himself look badly. "Hopefully" will not cut it.
Aggressive panhandling is, I believe, an arrestable offense. Why would the CO be advising you call 311? That's a 911, as is blocking traffic.
Yeah, George and Babs are right on the money with the 311 B.S. And Vallone is unhappy with lame language like "as soon as we can" yet says "hopefully" which is just as lame.
wouldn't it be cheaper to build apartment buildings and more housing projects?
Take a load at the homeless statistics in that piece.
In a city with more millionaires per square mile, there are over 8,000 homeless FAMILIES alone.
Bloomberg, you fucking pathetic piece of shit. Keep sucking the cocks of your Wall Street gang. I hope these 8,000 families ring your bell at 2am and wake you up next to you and your lover Tommy Huang and drag you both out onto the streets and beat the living crap out of you both.
I akree mit efryding der fellow abuf me set. Hahr-hahr.
this is thanks to corruption at our city agency DHS, Dept of Homeless Services. they pay thousands to that hotel owner, of course there are kickbacks.
go to DHS and speak with Linda, a woman with a six figure salary who dresses like a total bum in a dirty vest. why? because she is the own who has contact with homeless advocacy groups. Linda looks like a bum while tsk tsking and doing nothing for anyone.
why do we have an agency at all called Dept of Homeless Services? Build apartment buildings for poor people.
They get 'bused in'?
Gee, wouldn't it be a shame if the break lines were "accidentally" cut one day? That would be such a tragedy.
Post a Comment