Who will be housed at Ridgewood shelter? Depends who you ask

From the Queens Chronicle:

The Ridgewood Presbyterian Church is negotiating a partnership with a homeless services nonprofit to provide beds for about a dozen homeless people who frequent the area near the Forest Avenue subway station.
According to the Department of Homeless Services, the 59-14 70 Ave. house of worship recently reached out to the agency, looking to expand its existing programs geared toward the neighborhood’s undomiciled population.
While an agreement has yet to be signed between the church and street homeless outreach group Breaking Ground, the two entities are eyeing the placing of about 15 beds within the building.

Ok, so it will be an overnight refuge for local Ridgewood homeless living on the street.

From the Queens Tribune:

Reverend Victoria Moff said that the church is gearing the program, which may launch at the beginning of September, toward people who are living in a dangerous situation or have been evicted due to rent increases. Moff said that when the church has empty beds, it will be open to taking Breaking Ground’s clientele.
“We’re not even calling it a shelter,” Moff said. “A lot of the people are seniors and we know them through our senior program.”

She added that Breaking Ground will help the guests find permanent affordable housing.

“The ones [from their senior program] I know are retired and not working,” Moff said. “As long as they meet our criteria—no one violent and no one with substance abuse problems.

So it's not the people living in the streets near the subway but people from the church's senior program? Hmmm....

From QNS:

According to Christopher Winter, the lead consultant on the project with Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, no one will be bussed into Ridgewood to use the services. It is for the local residents who are having housing issues.

Ok, so it's definitely for neighborhood people. Got it.

From the Glendale Register:

The Glendale Register has learned in an exclusive interview with the Department of Homeless Services that a Ridgewood church is considering providing overnight beds to homeless individuals living on the streets. 

Existing space in Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, located at the intersection of Forest and 70th avenues, would be utilized for up to 15 beds. Needy individuals would be referred to the church on a nightly basis by Breaking Ground, the city’s largest supportive housing provider...a spokesperson stressed the site is not technically a homeless shelter, drop-in center or safe haven.

Well then what is it? This is all very confusing. They seem to morph from street homeless to seniors depending on who is being interviewed. Sounds like they all got caught off guard and couldn't get their stories straight. Whatever the real version is, let's hope it's not these folks:

“I have an obligation to my 4-year-olds and their parents that they are going to be safe, but I can’t guarantee that with some of the guys there,” Monahan continued. “Some are very violent. And after renovating the space, it will be a shame that no one wants to go to pre-K there because of the homeless there.”

“We have a quandary,” Monahan said. “These people don’t want to go to a shelter of any kind. They drink at all hours of the day. They pee out in public. It really is a terrible situation. I know they don’t have any place to go, but my parents can’t walk down the block without being somewhat harassed.”

This is some city we live in.