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May 3-9, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK
• LITTLE NECK LEDGER
• WHITESTONE TIMES
College Point keeps up the pressure
Residents march on City Hall again demanding the city abandon homeless shelter plan
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Not even a spring storm
could keep College Point
residents from slowing
their fight against the men’s
homeless shelter slated to
go up in their neighborhood
this September.
Hundreds of members of
the College Points Residents
Coalition (CPRC) along with
local politicians gathered
in front of City Hall on
April 26 seeking “solutions
not shelters.” Despite the
wet April weather, ralliers
remained steadfast with
continuous chants urging the
city to rethink the decision
to establish a shelter at 127-03
20th Ave.
College Point Civic
and Taxpayer Association
President Michael Niebauer
said that solutions included
facilities that included
comprehensive care for
individuals that shelters may
not be able to provide.
“They could set up support
facilities. They need mental
health facilities, addiction
services, social services and
general love and affection,”
Niebauer said.
However, the Department
of Homeless Services detailed
the services that the 200 men
Senator John Liu stands with members of the College Point community including Dany Chen (left) and Michael Niebauer (second from
right) Photo by Jenna Bagcal/QNS
residing at the shelter would
receive through their nonprofit
social services provider
Westhab. Among these
services are health and mental
services, vocational training,
employment placement and
GED instruction.
State Senator John Liu
commended College Point
residents for braving the
elements to get to City Hall.
“This sends a very strong
message to the mayor and to
the city council that people
care about the community,”
Liu said.
“While we understand that
there’s a homeless problem in
the city of New York, there are
proper places to put shelters
and there are places where
shelters do not belong. And
they certainly don’t belong in
the middle of six schools where
thousands of our children go
to school,” the senator added.
Liu and a representative
from Councilman Paul
Vallone’s office promised
to continue advocating for
College Point residents
until the city heard the
community’s voices.
“The most important thing
is unity. If we have unity we
can get the best result for the
community,” Liu said.
The April 26 demonstration
was the second time College
Pointers made their voices
heard at City Hall. The first
was back in January of
this year.
Vol. 85 No. 18 52 total pages
Mother’s Day
MAY 3 - MAY 18
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