Hundreds of community members gathered at 2501 86th Street in Brooklyn on March 28th (Saturday) for a rally advocating for the cessation of dangerous homeless shelters and the construction of permanent affordable housing. The event was organized by City Council Member Zhuang Wenyi, State Assembly Member William Colton, and Helen Arteaga, Deputy Mayor in charge of mental health affairs and candidate for State Senator in the 17th district, urging the city government to stop the construction of a single men’s homeless shelter at the site, and to instead develop affordable housing for low-income families.
During the rally, various community and overseas Chinese representatives spoke out, including community leaders Xie Xiaoqiong, Tang Fengqiao, Chairperson of Community Board 11 Laurie Windsor, Brooklyn Chinese Association, Chinese-American Social Service Center, Bay Parkway Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers from 86th Street, creating a lively atmosphere with continuous chants.
Zhuang Wenyi pointed out concerns regarding the development project’s procedures and safety issues in her speech, criticizing the developers for lacking proper procedures and raising issues involving asbestos and construction permits.
In terms of policy demands, Zhuang Wenyi stated that she had submitted a written proposal to the mayor and Deputy Mayor Helen Arteaga, requesting the rezoning of the area for affordable housing purposes. She emphasized that according to assessments by the New York Housing Conference, her district ranks third from the bottom in housing affordability citywide, with no affordable housing projects completed in the past five years, forcing residents to make difficult choices between basic living necessities and rent, highlighting the urgent need for housing.
Colton criticized the current measures from a policy perspective, stating that they have not truly addressed the issue of homelessness. He pointed out that in recent years, the homelessness problem has not decreased but instead increased, with large sums of money being invested in temporary shelters without improving the situation of the homeless individuals, which could potentially benefit developers. He advocated for the government to address the root causes by providing affordable and permanent housing as a long-term solution.
He Li-Ning stated that the selected site is in the heart of the community, likening it to “our Central Park,” and is not suitable for use as a shelter. He criticized the current system for being ineffective in improving the situation of the homeless and potentially impacting community safety. He emphasized the need to allocate resources towards long-term housing solutions, transforming “homelessness” into “homes.”
In addition, Republican State Senator Steve Chan, Assembly Members Lester Chang, Michael Novakhov, and a representative for Queens City Councilor Huang Youxing expressed their opposition on the grounds that the issue lies not in whether to establish a shelter, but in the inappropriate selection of the site. Steve Chan mentioned that he has introduced the Senate version of the legislation S5554 to restrict shelters from being located too close to transportation hubs, and his office has filed an appeal regarding the project to seek the revocation of relevant permits.
Democratic District Leader of the 65B District in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Wang Di, led volunteers from Manhattan Chinatown to show their support. He mentioned coming from another district due to the prolonged pressure that Chinatown has endured from the concentration of numerous homeless shelters, affecting community safety and quality of life, advising 86th Street residents to take heed. He questioned the city government’s inadequate resource allocation, stating that the annual cost per shelter resident amounts to tens of thousands of dollars, far exceeding direct rental assistance, and highlighting the lack of transparency and accountability in policy implementation, calling for a reevaluation of resource allocation to effectively assist vulnerable populations in obtaining stable housing.
At the conclusion of the rally, the crowd chanted slogans, expressing their determination to continue the fight and strive for fair treatment in the community. Zhuang Wenyi concluded by stating that regardless of any obstacles faced, the community will stand united and “fight to the end.”