Yesterday, without warning to the community, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and other elected officials, plus representatives of CB5,
held a secret meeting at the Maspeth Library to discuss the opening of a homeless shelter at the Holiday Inn at 59-40 55th Rd, Maspeth, for 220 homeless adults without children. Government officials who asked not to be named have confirmed to me that Crowley made a deal with the de Blasio administration to have the shelter there instead of in Glendale, which is where she lives and where her deluded "base" is. The interesting thing is that the community had already for 3 years staved off the Glendale homeless shelter via the
DOB and
lawsuits and the fact that the property is in such bad shape that it would cost many millions of dollars to clean and renovate for use as a homeless shelter which means it was not very likely to happen anyway. This swap was highly unnecessary.
This isn't the first time that Crowley decided to grab defeat out of the jaws of victory. When the community was very close to getting the Parks Department to purchase the St. Saviour's site as a park, she made a bogus announcement that a property owned by nearby Martin Luther High School was for sale and would make a better park. It wasn't for sale, the school told her to jump in a lake and then the Parks Department
dropped the project completely.
Crowley reportedly put on a big show at the meeting, screaming at the city's representative to make herself look good to the 30 or so people who heard about the meeting through the grapevine and showed up. However, the deal is already done, and it's all because of her.
Why Maspeth and surrounding communities continue to elect this dimwit is beyond comprehension.
53 comments:
My favorite part is the chair of CB5 saying it will be brought up at the next meeting, which isn't until after the 30 days has expired. Yes, it's a done deal. This was timed for the summer when a lot of activists are on vacation, the community board and civics don't meet and a lot of people aren't paying attention.
Maspeth isn't generating homelessness, why is Maspeth having to shelter it?
We must all suffer for the failures of liberalism, a mental disease.
Maspeth is already negatively impacted by the homeless shelters in Elmhurst and Woodside. Maybe the dim bulbs at the City Council should look at a map so they'll realize that all these neighborhoods are connected, so what gets dumped in one will spill over into all the others.
There goes the neighborhood...
I want to focus on why this is being held at the Library?
The gang on that board (that was never really cleaned up) is now throwing millions of public monies at that institution. Why?
It now is the mouthpiece for the Party with meetings like this (that totally is in appropriate in their charter we are sure) as well a cultural and semi-political 'programming' that is biased totally along 'official' party lines.
Meanwhile just about every other cultural institution (except MOMI, Queens Museum, and perhaps a half dozen others) is being starved and strangled.
If you are watching, the next homeless shelter hotel will be at 60-30 Maurice Avenue. Makes good sense, buy and build a hotel in out of the way places, run it for a year then contact the city to make shelter. Turn it into long stay facility and you are making a mint. Almost all your rooms will be filled on a weekly, daily and monthly basis. Guaranteed Cash Income.
"Homelessness is a citywide problem needing a citywide solution", huh? Put up a shelter on Park Ave. And 5th Ave somewhere between 50th and 70th, and then people might start to believe you. Put one in Brooklyn Heights, next to Prospect Park north, and in Riverdale. Let's see the most fortunate among us share the burden.
Yes, why don't these enlightened self-righteous neo-liberal scum, from our corrupt mayor to all these mediocre actors, tower people, chefs, techies and bleeding black heart millionaires and billionaires welcome these homeless with open arms. Especially those who just use these new luxury digs for vacation homes or safety deposit boxes.
No, it has to be dumped in Queens. Now, literally the bedpan of the boroughs.
Apparently, Maspeth is not much of a tourist attraction to garner tourist patronage.
Come on people, we all know why all of these hotels are being built in Queens. It's sooooo obvious. And our so-called elected leaders knew it all along. Remember what to do next election day.
"Liberalism is all about making Liberals feel good about themselves"
Paraphrasing George Will
Queens has not been served well by the Democratic Party that treats us like dimwit cattle.
She will open her legs to anyone for political asvancement.
Dump this treacherous slut!
Judging by the comments on Lizzy's Facebook page there are some people who are buying in to her lies about opposing this homeless shelter. Do NOT trust her, she was not only useless but actually bad-mouthed the coalition that formed to fight the Cooper Ave. shelter because some of the people in the coalition were political adversaries. If the Cooper Ave. shelter does not come to fruition it is despite her, not because of her. Maspeth Beware!
One, the solution to homelessness is NOT homeless shelters, which has become BIG business. The solution is decent paying jobs and an affordable place to live, not over bloated unrealistic prices.
Second, if Queens is such a "tourist" destination as the asshole powers that be claim and the reason for all these hotels, then why have so many hotels been turned into homeless shelters already (about 7 of them, including the relatively new Verve in LIC) and more hotels being built make no sense what-so-ever, would not you use those ones instead of turning them into shelters. With the logic that they throw at folks, all of these hotels should be booming with tourists, that it would make no sense to turn them into homeless shelters. Queens has gotten the shaft BIG time on this one.
I mean this was so apparent from the get go, one would have to be totally blind not to see this. Damn, they did not even try to mask this intelligently. Either they are getting more balls or people are just getting dumber and considering that many folks believe a failed businessman (and con artist) who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth can be president and be "for the little people", I would go with the later.
Dizzy just threw Maspeth under the bus. With friends like her who needs enemies.
I'd like to hear solutions. Manhattan and The Bronx have most shelters of the entire city.
Where would people like the homeless shelters to go in the city?
We have homeless people in NYC, about 60,000. Unless you want them sleeping on the street where do you want them to go?
I'm serious not trying to start of fight.
I don't know myself but everyone says they don't want one so where do they go then?
I think the city should split them up evening between all neighborhoods. That seems fair.
Most of the homeless are NOT NYC residents. People come from all over the US to NYC because they know of our liberal home shelter policies, hence, they should live in their home state and not burden us any further.
I feel bad for people, but this is an expensive place to live. It's not for everyone.
Crowley is incompetent.Got the job because of her father.Maspeth is surrounded by cemeteries.And add these shelters where gonna be in the middle of shit.We should all go to this hotel and shut it down not letting nobody in.Time for the people to take action.FUCKIN these fake polititions.Let's take back our neighborhood before it's too late.And vote them out next election.
"Why do the dimwits keep voting for her?" Because the GOP can't / won't / are unable to / run a candidate that can take her out. It's all about the registry.
AND 'CONSERVATISM' WOULD PROVIDE GOOD PAYING JOBS AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS FOR THE HOMELESS TO LIVE IN?? GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK !! STOP BLAMING LIBERALS. POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES NEED TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX TO FIND A REAL SOLUTION.
If the elected officials want to block this they must Bring a lawsuit in court against de Blasio. If they don't do that then they are just making political speeches.
How will these people even get around? This location is so out the way of any sensible means of transportation. What a effed up place to put people!
If you have a rodent problem, do you feed them and provide nice accommodations in the hopes they will go away? [rhetorical question]
"If you build it they will come."
This will come to be an "interim" solution.
The Deal that Council Member Elizabeth S Crowley made is an "interim" deal until she is reelected, at which time the Glendale shelter will be forgotten and suddenly get done.
Realize this new and improved location is for 220 adults.
What about the "children"???
The Glendale Shelter has been touted as an incredible place for wonderful families.
500 or so families, in other words; approximately 1000 or so people that Mister S. Michael Wilner will be able to profit from in perpituity...
anon said
"Unless you want them sleeping on the street where do you want them to go?"
how about Detriot?
They got plenty of empty houses!
To the person that made the below comment, there is no evidence the homeless travel to NYC because of the shelter policies.
First, if you are homeless, it is difficult to travel. Second, why would you come to a cold city? But, to my point, no evidence to support this.
60k is a lot of people but in a city that has more than 8 million people it's not even 1%.
"People come from all over the US to NYC because they know of our liberal home shelter policies,"
To answer the 'where should the 60,000 homeless go' question - here's a simple honest answer: Anywhere outside of NYC.
If you are homeless, your chances of finding work and then being able to afford an apartment in NYC are severely limited. The rent is too high, and if you're homeless, you probably lack the skills to make it in the NYC workforce. it is simply unrealistic to believe that anyone being warehoused in a homeless shelter in NYC will EVER be able to make it on their own.
There are many other large cities where there are entire rows of abandoned houses. Baltimore. St. Louis, Detroit - send the homeless there. Give them a house, a tent, and a small grant to start fixing it up. If they put in work, they can literally build a better life. If they don't, fuck it... let them die. We can't save everyone, and warehousing people who could be doing something more productive only perpetuates the problem.
Be aware that CB5 relies on the news media to deliver information to the people of this community. They petition different city agencies to look into changing or "fixing" different things and SAY NOTHING to the community until the last minute when the deal's done. Advice: stay on top of it people and get involved, and try to get others involved. THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO.
"there is no evidence the homeless travel to NYC because of the shelter policies."
Plenty of evidence.
I live in California and Oakland shelters offer free transport to NY,in fact I donate to the cause,a few less here does wonders for the community
We use Greyhound
I'd like to hear solutions. Manhattan and The Bronx have most shelters of the entire city.
Where would people like the homeless shelters to go in the city?
No where. We already have 7X the national rate of homeless in NYC. People who can't afford NYC - the second most expensive rental area in the U.S. - should live within their means and leave when their inability to afford it is imminent.
But of course, the law mandates that the county has to provide housing to anyone who needs it. The near-term solution is:
1) Albany builds state shelters, and rework that law so that once a county is over some per capita rate, it no longer has to honor more intake but instead provide transportation to a state shelter (on cheaper land).
2) Refuse homeless services to anyone who cannot prove residence in the state for at least one year. We don't give in-state tuition at our public colleges without this period, why shelter services?
3) Pay for transportation to get these out of towners back to their home state as a humanitarian gesture.
Next time you get word that there will be secret meeting to open a homeless shelter in your neighborhood, call in a bomb threat. You better believe those politicos will scurry.
Once step we can take is to pay pregnant homeless women to have an abortion.
Does anyone have any ideas or examples about what can be done as a community to stop this from going through?
Adam,
It really is up to the community board. If they oppose it they can get enough signatures and people behind them it can be prevented as they did in Glendale. If the council person often works with the community board to move plans forward.
There's no question favors and funding was involved in this shelter going up.
Elmhurst residents tried in vane through protests, petitions and hearings but Dromm wasn't listening because he had already decided the Pan Am shelter would happen regardless of opposition. He even pretended ignorance in the city's plan when talking with residents but several members of the community board came forward and admitted all parties but Elmhurst residents were aware.
On the bright side, we haven't had any resounding problems since it's gone up. The families in the shelter are good families.
The city should've converted the PanAm into affordable housing and provided the families the services that could help instead of making the shelter a stop gap.
Nice to have more confirmation that all the Mayor sees Queens as is a dumping ground.
>Baltimore. St. Louis, Detroit - send the homeless there. Give them a house, a tent, and a small grant to start fixing it up.
I'd take that offer in a heartbeat. A free house, free land, and all I have to put in is sweat equity? It could be the modern version of 40 acres and a mule.
> Anonymous said...
> We must all suffer for the failures of liberalism, a mental disease.
We must all suffer for the failures of capitalism, a mental disease.
Jimmy Van Bramer is on the library board and he knows all too well what is going on he likes to play dumb the deal has been done for awhile now with the quality inn on queens boulevard and the holiday inn -- more money in their pockets
Adam
the homeless still get to vote
why would the elected officials want them to leave?
"what can be done?"
the community could stop voting in democRATS
"With friends like her who needs enemies"
Jeez-- more like "friends like her who needs ENEMA's "
Why is it Maspeth gets screwed good the worst and how come we dont see a mob waving hangman's robe outside her office attracting the news media like flys ?
This stealth meeting should be illegal, the public's constitutional rights may have been stepped on. People need to bond together, pool some money a launch a huge embarrassing public lawsuit that will end her political career.
Most your adult homeless without children are the nut cases, winos & druggies, poor Maspeth is gonna be so screwed.
Of course Dizzy Lizzy Crowley would sell out Maspeth. The Glendale shelter was going ahead so the DeBlasio Administration offered her a choice. Crowley lives in Glendale so she selected the Maspeth site. This will come out. The city already leaked it.
"the community board. If they oppose it they can get enough signatures and people behind them it can be prevented as they did in Glendale."
Signatures and people behind them didn't stop the shelter. The community lost in court and the project was still a go until Crowley pulled a fast one here.
"On the bright side, we haven't had any resounding problems since it's gone up. The families in the she,tee are good families."
You seriously have got to be kidding. One elderly man was sent to the hospital, a mother with 2 kids was assaulted by a cabbie, the surrounding community has had an uptick in trespassing, shoplifting, car breakins and robberies.
Assemblywoman Marge Markey lives in Maspeth and literally blocks away from the library and the Holiday Inn. I find it hard to believe she would allow this to happen so close to home.
Adam, you got some bad information above. The CB voted against the Glendale shelter but was approved by DHS anyway. Keep in mind the CB sits at the approval of the Borough President and the local Council Person. The Glendale shelter was slowed down because the residents of the area had to reach in their pockets and hire attorneys and architects to fight for them because the local Councilwoman is useless and clueless. Also the Glendale shelter is still not officially off the table, we may get both shelters in CB5.
"On the bright side, we haven't had any resounding problems since it's gone up. The families in the shelter are good families."
I don't resort to generalizations and stereotypes, and there are certainly families in PanAm who had the misfortune of being priced out of their homes and buildings. And there are some who refuse to learn anything and are constantly trying to game the system and ruin things for others.
But there was that story about the 2 pedophiles that were dropped there at the astonishment of the families who were totally not informed of their arrivals. Which has the residents and homeowners can tell them, is the modus operandi of how city business is conducted under this corrupt administration and wilfully incompetent city council.
And about the ny times link featuring that odious but atypical billionaire quote by mayor fun size and the subservient defences by his staffers, back then is about the time when he was bragging about the ossifying amount of tourism the city was attracting. It's possible that this is where AirBnb first started showing up and devouring apartments with the assistance of greedy landlords and lack of regulations. In addition, there was all that maniacal market speculation and that upzoning and rezoning spree Mikey went on in his last weeks in office. But little things like this get overlooked when the only thing readers and viewers focus on are shocking tone deaf statements.
And pay heed to Mr. Moretti (RIP to your blog, but don't stop writing on these times of trouble). Misery and desperation have become big business. Private equity firms has influence in the civic service areas, from firefighting to incarceration, and it would not be much of a revelation if it's got a revolting presence and is profiting off homeless shelters and funding non-profits.
Follow the money. If anyone is willing or unafraid to,
Yes, they do come from out-of-state and I'm betting out of the country, you know from the DR and PR.
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2015/08/17/out-of-state-residents-seek-refuge-in-city-homeless-shelters.html
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Marge Markey lives out east in the Hamptons....she maintains a home in Maspeth to keep her position. Brian Barnwell who is running against her this year gave me that information when he was going door to door.
I live in Maspeth and certainly don't want a shelter but get your facts straight about the library meeting. It was a regularly scheduled community meeting held by State Senator Joe Addabbo. There are normally 4 people at such a meeting so said Joe Addabbo. I attended that meeting and there was much more than 30 people more like 80.It was not a secret meeting but the meeting held on Wednesday was. Only Roe Daraio of C.O.M.E.T was linked to that meeting by telephone. In fact at yesterdays meeting the question of "What did you two know and when did you know it" came up repeatedly. But neither Liz or Joe would give a straight answer to that question. No one in the crowd believed that this hadn't been in the works for months. Joe ended with the comment "I believe that despite all of our efforts, if Mayor DeBlasio wants a shelter in Maspeth he will get one in Maspeth"
The secret meeting was the Wednesday meeting that was written about in the paper.
How much $$$ did she get?
Of course "dizzy Lizzie" Crowley is behind this! Who else would orchestrate such a symphony of betrayal?
From her being responsible for the destruction of the historic St. Saviour's Church to this shelter, this is only parr for the course for this political prostitute. She will drop to her knees in a heartbeat to further her career.
"DO NOTHING CROWLEY " CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN A UNION PAINTER- BULLSHIT! I BET MCGLOMB BEEN HER OLD CURRUPT BOSS GOT HER INTO TAT UNION BECAUSE HE WAS THE HEAD OF THE BUILDINGS TRADE COUNCIL, I WOULD NOT DOUBT THIS SKINNY SLUT SPEAD FOR THE JOB AS THE INDICTMENT AGAINST HER FORMER BOSS STATED, NOTICE SHE NEVER ASKED FOR HER NAME TO BE CLEARED!! SHE GOT WHERE SHE IS BECAUSE OF HER POLITICAL HACK CUSIN, QUEENS DUMBCRAT BOSS "VIRGINIA JOE CROWLEY" NOT BECAUSE SHE HAS A BRAIN! DUMP THIS POLITICAL HACK, PROGRESSIVE, SOCILIST LYING BITCH , POLITICA SLUT AT HER NEXT ELECTION. THE ONLY REASON SHE CANNOT BE BEAT IS BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL DREW UP THE DISTRICT LINES AND THEY ALL HAVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF LIBRETARD/ PRO WELFARE CONSTITUENTS IN ALL THERE DISTRICTS. DUMP HER AND WINDBAGS DEBLASIO AND "CHUCK THE SHMUCK" SHUMMER!
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