UES Could Get A Fifth Homeless Shelter. Here’s How The City Decides

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A proposed fifth homeless shelter on the Upper East Side remains under consideration, city officials told Patch, as Council Speaker Julie Menin continues to oppose the Third Avenue location.

The Department of Homeless Services has not made a final decision on the proposed facility at 1587 Third Ave., near East 89th Street. The site is still being evaluated through the agency’s procurement process, a spokesperson told Patch.

There are currently four homeless shelter sites in Manhattan Community District 8, which covers the Upper East Side: three traditional shelters and one "low-barrier" site, according to the agency. One of the shelters recently opened in late June.

Though she has supported the recent creation of two shelters in the neighborhood, Menin urged DHS to reject the Third Avenue proposal in August, citing the location’s proximity to schools and senior living centers, the property owner’s history and concerns about another nearby shelter.

The letter she sent has since been signed by Councilmember Virginia Maloney and State Senator José Serrano, both of whom represent the Upper East Side.

A petition opposing the project has drawn more than 8,500 signatures.

Of the petition signers, 71 percent come from three Upper East Side ZIP codes, 10128, 10028, and 10021.

“During Speaker Menin’s August 10 meeting with Commissioner Dalton, the Commissioner confirmed that no decision had been made to move forward with the proposed facility at 1587 Third Avenue and that the Department of Social Services has been receptive to feedback from the community,” Henry Robins, Menin’s press secretary, told Patch.

So — how does a building become a homeless shelter?

The process begins with a nonprofit service provider, according to DHS. Providers identify specific properties and submit proposals through an ongoing, competitive request for proposals. The agency does not pick a building and then assign a provider to operate it.

The property owner must support the plan and give the nonprofit control of the site for the proposed use. Agency experts then evaluate the need for the shelter, its capacity, the building’s suitability, the services proposed, the provider’s experience, pricing and other operational factors.

That distinction matters at the Third Avenue site, where Menin has criticized property owner Liberty One Group, co-owned by David Levitan.

Her letter cited his inclusion on the Public Advocate’s “Worst Landlord Watchlist” over allegations involving a lack of hot water at two properties.

DHS says it also weighs how shelters are distributed across the city, prioritizing communities with limited shelter resources.

The city’s “Fair Share” criteria require consideration of existing facilities, but do not impose a numerical cap on shelters in a community district, according to the agency.

Those considerations are balanced against demand for services, the city’s shelter obligations and the availability of alternative sites.

Residents and elected officials can help identify viable properties for nonprofits to propose, and the department also sends an annual letter to community boards and elected officials seeking suggestions.

Once procurement is complete, DHS says it notifies community stakeholders, holds information sessions and, after a shelter opens, convenes a Community Advisory Board.

“In order to provide the effective and dignified shelter services New Yorkers experiencing homelessness deserve, DHS must maintain a robust pipeline of new, high-quality shelter facilities,” the agency said.

DHS says new facilities also help it replace aging shelters and temporary arrangements, including commercial hotels. For now, the proposed Third Avenue shelter remains under review.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.