A proposed men’s shelter is raising concerns for residents and elected officials who say it’s not the right location or the right method to end homelessness.

It comes ahead of a virtual Community Board 13 meeting on Wednesday. 

News 12 spoke with Assembly member Steven Cymbrowitz, who says he wrote a letter to the mayor stating his concerns of an anticipated shelter, which is expected to house 170 single men. 

“A congregant shelter is not the answer,” said Cymbrowitz. 

Cymbrowitz is criticizing the proposed shelter and says congregant housing is not the way to fix an issue that has continued to plague the five boroughs. He says he’d prefer creating supportive and permanent housing to provide personal living spaces for each person. 

Cymbrowitz also cited his concerns with stored petroleum and high levels of toxic chemicals that may still be present and not suited for residential living with the proposed location on 100 Neptune Ave., due to former businesses that occupied the area. 

News 12 reached out to the Department of Social Services, which stated in part, “This high-quality facility will be the first shelter of its kind in this community district, offering 170 New Yorkers experiencing homelessness the opportunity to get back on their feet safely.”

While the shelter will be a new addition to the Brighton Beach community, Cymbrowitz says the plans should be revised. 

“‘We need to find out the best way of doing it, for a site like this...the answer that the mayor has come up with is the wrong one,” said Cymbrowitz. 

According to the Department of Social Services, the shelter facility is expected to open later this year. 

They say it is part of the mayor’s “Turning the Tide Plan” that aims to combat homelessness.