Local groups plan to rally against South Bronx migrant shelter
The mayor's office said the contract had already been sign during a community board meeting last week.
More Stories
Local groups plan to rally against the migrant shelter set to open in Mott Haven this month.
The mayor's office said the contract had already been sign during a community board meeting last week.
The shelter can house up to 2,200 single migrant men and is expected to occupy a vacant building on the corner of Bruckner Boulevard and East 141st Street in the South Bronx.
"Right now, the Bronx is in no position to take on the burden of a migrant shelter, just recently there was a fire on Allerton Avenue and many people were displaced from their home and I think it a disservice that we have room for migrants but we don't have room for citizens of their own borough to stay when they need a place," said Christopher Reid, chairman of the New York Young Republicans Club Bronx Caucus.
The details were unveiled to the community during a Community Board 1 meeting on Jan. 27. The details came as a surprise to local elected officials who said they learned about the plans through the media. The deputy mayor of administration admitted that the plans were not properly communicated with the community and apologized but argued due to the closing of shelters across the city, the vacant building in the South Bronx was needed as a temporary solution.
The New York Young Republicans Club Bronx Caucus plans to rally on Friday at 1 p.m. in front of the shelter site. This will be the second rally against the shelter this week.
"At the very least we hope to delay it, the city has made it clear that they're going to make it difficult for us to accomplish this in having it closed or delayed or not built at all," said Reid.
The mayor's office says the shelter is expected to open at the end of the month.
