'What Are You Afraid Of?': Park Slope Spars Over New Shelters

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — If a tense Tuesday night forum was any indication, Park Slopers are still split on whether they support the city's plan to open two new homeless shelters in the neighborhood.

In a packed meeting at Grand Prospect Hall — the second held since the 535 and 555 Fourth Ave. developments were announced in May — a dozen speakers were for the most part evenly divided between those calling for full support of the shelters and those that are deeply critical of the city's plans.

Perhaps the most fraught moments of the more than hour-long forum came when residents questioned the city's deal with the two developers that are building the shelters.

A group organizing against the shelters have argued that the city's $261 million combined contract for the properties have "bailed out" Slate Property Group and Adam America, who racked up dozens of construction violations on the properties before the city decided to turn them into shelters. The city plans to pay market rate rent at both buildings, or $6.3 million and $4.6 million a year.

"Any other developer would have probably filed for bankruptcy, the building would have gone up for sale and other developers could have bought it at a discount," one resident who lives a block from the properties said. "I am very curious how two buildings...ended up getting full rent when it looks like the city probably could have made a very good deal giving more services to the homeless and less money to the developers."

The speaker contended that the developers were saved from what would likely be huge marketing costs to find residents to live in the buildings had they been finished as regular residential units.

Two representatives for the Department of Homeless Services explained that sites are chosen when an organization or developer fill out a proposal on their website, but did not answer specific questions about why Slate and Adam America were chosen. WIN, the nonprofit that will run the shelters, told the crowd that they were not involved in choosing the Fourth Avenue properties as the site of the shelters.

Other speakers, though, urged even those that have questions or criticisms of the city's plans to not take it out on the homeless families that will be moving into the shelters. Both shelters, which will open later this year, will bring 250 units, mainly for single mothers with children.

"I totally want to hold those (developers) to tax, but I don't want to hold homeless families hostage as a result," Jon Alvarez said.

Alvarez and others also responded to the opponents' claims that they are against the shelters because they would rather see the buildings turned into much-needed affordable housing. Some speakers contended these should be separate issues.

"If this is your first time getting involved in affordable housing (meetings) I would ask yourself, 'Why is it about this one thing?' Alvarez continued. "I really think we can have both/and."

But both panelists and speakers agreed there is more work to be done before the shelters open.

Parents from a school down the street from the two shelters told panelists that they still don't feel like they are prepared to bring in any new students the families living in the shelters may bring to the area.

"It has been extraordinarily difficult to receive the proper support for the school and I still don’t feel confident that the school is getting everything it needs," said April Andrix, co-president of P.S. 124's Parent Teacher Association.

Council Member Brad Lander and District 15's Superintendent Anita Skop told the school officials that they are still working with the Department of Education to put funding in place.

So far, Lander said, the DOE has committed to four new staff members for the school to help with the incoming students. But, Skop added, it is difficult to secure funding preemptively because it is based on how many students are actually on the roster by October.

"In this case because we had several months more advanced notice and because the school has been mobilizing and pushing...we are in better shape," Lander said.

Lander added that there likely won't be many new students given that most homeless children will continue attending the school they were enrolled at before moving into the shelter. He also said the City Council has decided to give $20,000 to P.S. 124 to help with after school activities.

The Fourth Avenue shelters are part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to build 90 new shelters across the city. The plan aims to close the city's commercial hotel and "cluster unit" shelters and build more shelters where homeless New Yorkers are from, rather than only in low-income communities.

Tuesday's meeting comes after months of warring petitions surrounding the new homeless shelters. The city is still finalizing its contracts for the two sites.