Supportive housing facility planned near migrant shelter and site of new jail in Mott Haven
While they are for people who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness, supportive housing facilities are not shelters.
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The New York City Office of Housing Preservation and Development confirmed that permits have been filed to build a new supportive housing facility on East 142nd Street between Powers and Jackson Avenues in Mott Haven.
"Assisted living facilities are something that people need in areas, especially areas like ours," said Fernando Fiorentino, who lives around the corner from the proposed site.
While they are for people who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness, supportive housing facilities are not shelters. Instead, they are a combination of affordable housing units with social services usually there on site, working to help people get on their feet and moving toward stable housing.
"I don't mind helping out people in need," said another neighbor who asked not to be named. "It's just that I think that it should be spread out."
That seems to be the issue in the area. The new building would be just over a quarter mile from the 2,200-bed migrant shelter that opened last month, and also just a few blocks from where the city is currently building a new jail.
"It feels like they're dumping everything that is not really wanted by the rest of the city here," said Fiorentino. "You don't see this on the Upper West Side, you don't need it on the Upper East Side."
The other neighbor agrees this is no coincidence, wondering if the city government thinks people in that area are "not going to say anything anyway, they're too concerned about trying to make ends meet, and so they probably won't notice anyway."
But with the area surrounded by homes, a school and St. Mary's Park, neighbors are both noticing and worrying.
"When you have people who are down on their luck and they're not necessarily being supported in the way that they need to, there are, I think, going to be safety concerns," explained Fiorentino.
Yolana Cotto, who lives down the street from the proposed site said all of these things coming to the area are "disturbing because I have children. You don't know what's going to be outside when you come outside."
It will still be some time until the new supportive housing facility is actually up and running. The HPD says it is still in the planning phases.
News 12 followed up to try to get more information on the site, and so far, have not heard back.
