Gravesend Assemblymember Holds Protest Against Homeless Shelter

GRAVESEND, NY — A crowd of Gravesend and Bensonhurst residents, local electeds and business owners gathered to protest the City's plan for a homeless shelter in their neighborhood yesterday.

Assemblymember William Colton, who organized the protest, said he is protesting the shelter because the city should build permanent housing instead and a homeless shelter would only cause more issues.

Colton is a Democrat representing Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights.

“This is a compassionate community,” Colton said.

“We want a decent policy that provides permanent housing, and that gets those people who have mental health issues the help they need, and that doesn’t simply release them onto the street and warehouse them in city shelters.”

The homeless shelter would be located at 2501 86th Street and would house 150 men.

Thirty-six days ago, the community learned that developers filed demolition permits on the existing building, and several protestors have been at the site each day since, Colton said.

“Bay Parkway businesses will continue to support the community’s demand unwaveringly until the job is done,” said Paul Li, the Bay Parkway Chamber of Commerce president.