The proposal by the Adams administration to establish a new 2,200-bed migrant shelter in the South Bronx is facing pushback from community members and political leaders. This shelter is anticipated to replace several others that are closing, including the emergency site at Randall’s Island. According to Gothamist, local residents express dismay over the area's burden of already hosting numerous shelters and industrial pollution.
City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr., representing a district just north of the planned shelter site, highlighted how the decision blatantly disrespects the community. "You're just dumping everything that's bad into the South Bronx, and it is wrong," Salamanca told Gothamist, reflecting a sentiment shared by many constituents. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also criticized the proposed facility as "deeply concerning and frankly unacceptable," signaling a broader concern of the borough being asked to shoulder a disproportionate share of the city's challenges. Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams defended the plan, stating a need to "right-size populations in neighborhoods that previously held a significantly larger number of shelters and migrants during the emergency phase of the city’s response," as was detailed by mayoral spokesperson Liz Garcia.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) joined the outcry against the city's choice of location for the new shelter. In a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, obtained by The New York Post, Torres vehemently argued against the stigmatization of the Bronx as a "dumping ground" and called attention to what he views as a historical pattern of neglect towards the borough. His concern extended to the cost implications for sheltering migrants and the pressing issue of an open-air drug market in the area, further questioning the prioritization of government resources.
Despite the backlash, city officials have emphasized the temporary nature of the shelter and the ongoing reduction in the migrant shelter population. The city's effort to ensure migrants aren't forced to "sleep on the streets" is part of a broader strategy to scale down the overall crisis, according to a statement by Kayla Mamelak, another mayoral spokesperson. Efforts to address additional safety concerns in neighborhoods notorious for drug activity, such as "The Hub," have been initiated, with measures including extra police deployment, syringe cleanups, and distribution of naloxone kits, as The New York Post reported Mamelak saying.
Moreover, following a devastating fire in the area, officials from the city’s Housing Preservation and Development department clarified that affected families and individuals will be provided with emergency shelter and are allowed extended hotel stays to facilitate access to further emergency housing services. However, state officials have not returned requests for comments regarding the matter as reported by The New York Post. The debate on the new shelter reflects ongoing issues concerning resource allocation, neighborhood equity, and the management of the city’s migrant crisis.
