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OUT Judge dismisses suit seeking to halt Glendale homeless shelter
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Feb. 14-20, 2020
BY MAX PARROTT
A judge on Feb. 7 dismissed
a lawsuit filed by a group of
Queens residents in November
claiming that the city did
not conduct the proper environmental
review for the proposed
homeless shelter at 78-16
Cooper Ave. in Glendale.
The lawsuit sought an injunction
to halt the city’s plan
to develop the building into a
200-person homeless shelter.
Manhattan Supreme Court
Justice Carol Edmead found
that the plaintiffs misinterpreted
the environmental review
process and denied the
lawsuit entirely.
The judge added that the
Department of Homeless Services
had conducted its own
environmental assessment
study, which found that locating
a homeless shelter in
the subject building will not
have a “significant environmental
impact,” and would
authorize the project to
proceed.
“Petitioners/plaintiffs’ fail
to identify any authority to
support the proposition that a
‘city-wide’ review is required
before DHS may initiate any
homeless shelter development
projects,” wrote Edmead in
her decision.
In response to the news,
DHS spokesperson Isaac
McGinn said the agency would
be proceeding as soon as possible
with opening the facility.
“Today’s ruling is a win
for New Yorkers experiencing
homelessness who will now
have the opportunity to get
back on their feet at this highquality
Opponents of the 78-16 Cooper Ave. shelter gathered Jan. 31 to keep up the pressure as they waited to hear about their legal
challenges. Photo by Dean Moses
employment shelter,”
said McGinn.
The DHS’ celebration
may have come prematurely,
though, as the Supreme Court
appeal is just one of two legal
avenues that shelter opponents
have pursued to stop the
project.
The Glendale-Middle
Village Coalition also filed
objections with the Department
of Buildings that the
shelter would violate its current
zoning requirements.
The group is still waiting on
a denial letter from the DOB
after applying last year, and
followed up by filing again
more recently with a different
attorney.
Councilman Robert Holden
pointed out that the Cooper Avenue
site has been flagged by
the Department of Buildings
as a result of the objections.
“As of Feb. 3, the building
plans are revoked due to numerous
objections submitted
to the Department of Buildings
and Board of Standards
and Appeals. These objections
will stand if the applicants
do not figure out how
to resolve them. This fight is
far from over,” Holden said
in a statement.
DHS dismissed the DOB
objections as a standard part
of the construction process.
A spokesperson said that they
expected them to be resolved
promptly.
Reach reporter Max Parrott
by e-mail at mparrott@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260-2507.
Vol. 8, No. 7 44 total pages
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