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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
men residing at the shelter
would receive through their
non-profit 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
THEY’RE HEADING TO DC
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.
Members of the Francis Lewis High School Junior ROTC are heading to Washington, DC this June for a nationwide competition.
See the story on Page 13 for more details. Photo courtesy of Francis Lewis High School
of Homeless Services detailed
the services that the 200
Vol. 28 No. 18 52 total pages
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