The Greater Chinatown Civic Coalition leads the community in continuing to oppose the struggle against the homeless shelter at 91 East Broadway, with recent developments in their favor. The coalition recently received notification from lawyers that the court has approved the continuation of the plaintiff’s case. On February 5, the coalition and community members held a press conference to introduce the latest developments, urging community residents and elected officials to join the protest to force the city government and homeless organizations to abandon the construction and use of the shelter.
Chairman of the Greater Chinatown Civic Coalition, Thomas Chan, stated that the former “Golden Harmony Hotel” at 91 East Broadway, now converted into a homeless shelter for 120 people, has been opposed by the coalition since the end of 2021. Through demonstrations and lawsuits, the opposition has continued for over three years, delaying its operational opening. However, he emphasized that the establishment of the shelter will pose a serious threat to the safety of the Chinatown community. As a shelter for single men, it may involve more drug abuse, mental health issues, and violent behavior.
Board member of the Greater Chinatown Civic Coalition, Wang Di, outlined the progress of the lawsuit, mentioning that there are already 8 homeless shelters in Chinatown. Residents and businesses in the community are frequently harassed and even attacked by the homeless individuals, leading to ongoing security incidents. He pointed out instances such as a young Asian female resident being stabbed to death by a homeless person. The legal battle is challenging due to the politically sensitive nature of homeless shelter cases, indicating that appellate courts will review the case.
Looking back on the three-year protest, it was promised that the shelter would primarily serve Chinese homeless individuals and provide Chinese language services, with only individuals over 55 allowed to stay. However, recent communications with local representatives and the government revealed that the homeless agency refuses to sign any formal documents to guarantee these promises, raising suspicions that the initial commitments were deceptive to the community.
Thomas Chan added that the shelter will also have a homeless clinic on the ground floor, serving homeless individuals below 60th Street in Manhattan, potentially increasing the number of homeless individuals in Chinatown and posing a significant safety risk to the predominantly elderly community and surrounding businesses.
Nolan Cheng, co-chairman of the coalition and a lawyer, emphasized that establishing homeless shelters is not a viable solution to address mental health issues. He urged the city government and the Department of Homeland Security to reassess fair allocation reports to prevent Chinatown from becoming an overloaded “refuge.”
Representing the Italian community, lawyer Edward Cuccia expressed full support for the protest against the homeless shelter, emphasizing common interests between the Italian and Chinatown communities in various issues, including opposing the homeless shelter.
Chairman of the East Asian Association, Yu Jinshan strongly recommended that New York City and state-level legislators join the protest efforts to pressure the community, prevent funding, and demand the state health department to deny operational licenses to prevent the facility from opening. He also thanked the Greater Chinatown Civic Coalition for their support and efforts, acknowledging the formidable financial and legal resources of the opposing side but iterating the community’s resilience and determination to continue the fight without backing down.
Community members who participated in the protest highlighted the safety threats posed by the homeless shelter and criticized the city for investing approximately $310 million in constructing the shelter instead of allocating funds to affordable housing. They also urged the Chinatown community to increase voter turnout in upcoming elections to elect officials who genuinely represent community interests, enhance political influence, and drive policy changes.
The Greater Chinatown Civic Coalition announced that a community meeting will be held on February 20 (Thursday) at 1 pm in the Eastwood Mall to discuss the homeless shelter issue with residents, businesses, and enterprises, explaining the progress of the case. Furthermore, due to the substantial funding required for legal battles, the coalition plans to organize fundraising events, hoping that community businesses and groups will support financially to uphold their rights and aid the legal proceedings.