Jews and Non-Jews Protest More Homeless Shelters Being Built

"Housing instead of shelters": Jewish and non-Jewish residents of Crown Heights and Flatbush protested the addition of more homeless shelters to their neighborhoods.

By COLlive reporter

Dozens of residents of Crown Heights and Flatbush gathered outside New York City Hall on Tuesday to protest the placement of additional homeless shelters in their neighborhoods, calling on city officials to distribute shelters more evenly across the city.

The rally, held outside the Mayor’s Office in Lower Manhattan, drew community members who said Crown Heights and Flatbush have already taken on more than their share of shelters and should not continue bearing the burden alone.

Organizers told COLlive the demonstration was intended to protect local families, schools, and seniors, while urging city leaders to reconsider plans for additional shelters in the area. Participants were both Jewish and non-Jewish people, showing how this issue affects all residents.

Residents at the rally stressed that their opposition was not directed at homeless individuals themselves, but at what they described as an unfair concentration of shelters in a small number of neighborhoods.

“We’re not here to say that we don’t care about those individuals challenged with being homeless,” one protester said. “We’re saying that other neighborhoods have to do their fair share. Crown Heights and Flatbush are already doing their fair share.”

Speakers at the rally claimed there are already more than a dozen shelters operating in Crown Heights, with several more reportedly planned between Crown Heights and Flatbush.

“Crown Heights and Flatbush together have 25 shelters,” another speaker said. “Then we have another reported eight being planned. That’s almost 30 shelters, while some communities have none at all.”

Several protesters accused elected officials of ignoring residents’ concerns and allowing the neighborhoods to become what one speaker called “a dumping ground for the city’s homeless and mentally ill.”

Others voiced concerns about quality-of-life issues and public safety, saying families moved to the area seeking stable communities to raise children.

“We’re tired of being ignored,” one resident told the crowd. “We care about our neighborhoods and care about our city.”

Participants also criticized the city’s use of hotels converted into shelters, arguing that developers profit while neighborhoods receive little additional support or services.

“We’re asking for housing instead of shelters,” one speaker declared.

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