www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY June 7, 2020 4
CB 12 expresses frustrations
with DHS about shelter
BY JASON COHEN
Once again a shelter was placed
into Community Board 12 without
the residents’ knowledge. While the
NYC Department of Homeless Services
(DHS) claims it is temporary
because of COVID-19, CB 12 does
not believe them.
On May 28, the board held a
meeting where elected offi cials, residents
and members vented about
the shelter at 4747 Bronx Blvd.
It appears DHS reneged on a
promise to not turn the location
into a homeless shelter, without so
much as an email to local stakeholders.
In 2016, the city nixed plans
to build a shelter for people with
HIV after outcries from the public.
However, according to Community
Board 12 District Manager George
Torres, a temporary shelter housing
150 men in a 92-room hotel opened
up in that location on May 20.
According to Torres, CB 12 has
four shelters and it was recently
targeted for two additional 200 bed
shelters — one at East 233rd Street
and the other at Furman Avenue.
CB 12 1st Vice Chairman Dr.
Lagree Burke said the community
is furious that another shelter was
dumped on them.
“This is something I’m not
happy about,” he said. “It’s something
elected offi cials are not happy
about. You guys have had your
eyes on this for a number of years.
It would appear COVID-19 was the
perfect time to move these guys
in.”
Burke told the board how he
went by the shelter last weekend
and there were residents outside
without masks and no security out
front.
Torres feels this is another sign
of mistrust from DHS. DHS is supposed
to give them 65 days notice of
a new shelter and there was no letter
given for 4747 Bronx Blvd., Furman
Ave. or 233rd Street.
He noted when he contacted
DHS they said they could not reveal
the address of the location because
of privacy laws.
“You’re asking us to trust that
this is a temporary situation,” Torres
said. “You have already broken
your word one time before.”
Nicole Jordan, Bronx borough
commissioner of DHS, said that she
did her best to answer a barrage of
questions. She explained that in effort
to get all homeless people off
the streets or relocated from tight,
close-knit shelters, DHS has moved
10,000 people during COVID-19 to
hotel sites.
Jordan told the board no notice
was given because people are being
moved quickly due to COVID-19.
She said there is security on
site, a 10 p.m. curfew and that residents
are required to wear masks
While she said that there is no timeline
on how long it will be there, she
stressed that the situation is temporary.
“Right now we’re doing things at
a rapid pace,” she said. “I do understand
the concerns.”
Her responses didn’t seem to
ease anyone’s minds.
Frank Sotomayor lives next to
4747 Bronx Blvd. and is furious with
what has taken place. He has seen
residents drinking liquor in the
street, smoking pot, panhandling
and defecating.
He questioned why they couldn’t
put senior of affordable housing in
that location.
“It’s disgusting. I don’t know
what kind of people they’re putting
in there,” he said. “It’s shameful on
the city to do something like this.”
Elected offi cials Councilman
Andrew Cohen and Assemblyman
Jeffrey Dinowitz voiced their discontent
with DHS.
After fi ghting a few years ago
to not have this shelter, the duo
didn’t understand what occurred.
Cohen said that if the Mueller Center
nearby was turned into senior
housing why DHS could not do the
same for this location.
“I’m heartbroken and frustrated
that we’re in this position,” Cohen
said. “I’m going to hold DHS’ feet to
the fi re. We feel that Wakefi eld does
more than its fair share. It’s just not
acceptable.”
Dinowitz said he knows why
DHS moved people into the makeshift
shelter, but doesn’t comprehend
why it’s in CB 12.
“I understand the bind the city
is in,” he said. “I certainly feel for
the people that are moving into
Bronx Boulevard. We were given a
commitment and I thought the site
would not be used for a homeless
shelter. I can’t believe there aren’t
any alternatives.”
Marina del Rey feeds the
Throggs Neck community
Food delivered by Marina del Rey to the front line
Courtesy of Leann Savino
BY JASON COHEN
For nearly 50 years,
Marina Del Rey has
been a fi xture in
Throggs Neck. It has
hosted weddings, police
events and many holiday
parties.
But when COVID-19
hit, it couldn’t just shut
down and stay dormant.
So with all large gatherings
canceled, the catering
hall decided it was
time to give back.
Since April, it has
been donating food every
Sunday with the
Throggs Neck Benevolent
Association to front
line workers and the police.
They have dropped
off food at Calvary Hospital,
the 48th and 45th
Precincts, Jacobi Hospital,
Montefi ore Medical
Center: Einstein Campus
People who prepared food for the front line: Matt O’
Brien,Ceaser Garcia, Dan Savino and Richard Deleo
Courtesy of Leann Savino
Visit us at www.bxtimes.com
General Phone: (718) 260-4595
By Mail: Bronx Times Reporter
3604 B E. Tremont Avenue
Bronx, NY 10465
NEWS
Fax: (718) 518–0038
E-Mail: bronxtimes@schnepsmedia.com
DISPLAY ADVERTISING
Phone: (718) 260-4593
Fax: (718) 518–0038
E-Mail: lguerriero@schnepsmedia.com
CLASSIFIED
Phone: (718) 260–2555
Fax: (718) 260–2549
E-Mail: classified@schnepsmedia.com
MEMBER:
This newspaper is not responsible for typographical errors in ads beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020 by Bronx Times Reporter, Inc., a sub sidiary of
News Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. The content of this newspaper is protected by Federal copyright law. This newspaper, its advertisements, articles and photographs may not be reproduced,
either in whole or part, without permission in writing from the publisher except brief portions for purposes of review or commentary consistent with the law. Postmaster, send address changes to Bronx
Times Reporter, 3604 B E. Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10465
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER:
Victoria Schneps-Yunis
CEO AND CO-PUBLISHER:
Joshua Schneps
and the Children’s
Hospital at Montefi ore.
General Manager
Tom Cornish said a lot
of the credit goes to Chef
Dan Savino, whose fi rst
and only job has been
with Marina Del Rey for
40 years. He expressed
his gratitude to Matt
O’Brien of the TNBA as
well.
“Even though it
seems like a lot of food,
it doesn’t take much
time to do,” Cornish
said. “These guys have
been doing it for many
years.”
Volunteers help to hand out
food Courtesy of Leann Savino
Food donation to the Childrens Hospital at Montefi ore
Courtesy of Leann Savino
link
/www.BXTimes.com
/www.BXTimes.com
/www.bxtimes.com
link
link
/www.BXTimes.com
/www.BXTimes.com
/www.bxtimes.com
link
link
link
