14 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 3, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Flushing organization voices concerns on transitional housing project
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Flushing United, a newly formed
organization of community and business
leaders, is seeking answers about
a proposed transitional housing facility
in the community, as they presented
a petition of 50,000 signatures voicing
concerns about the development during
a press conference held on Tuesday,
Jan. 18.
Members of the organization say they
are worried about the proposed $440
million taxpayer-funded deal reached
by the NYC Department of Homeless
Services (DHS) to transform 39-03
College Point Blvd. into a transitional
housing facility.
Th e project is spearheaded
by Asian
Americans for
E q u a l i t y
( A A F E )
in partn
e r s h ip
with the Urban Resource Institute
(URI), which plans to construct a
90-unit building that will off er on-site
services to assist Asian families with
children in need.
Dr. George Liu, president of the
Coalition for Asian American IPA
(CAIPA), said the community has raised
concerns about the project and there are
still many more questions that remain
unanswered.
“We want to make sure this project is
right for Flushing with proper communication
and the community’s input,”
Liu said.
Sir Gary Kong, president of the
American Chinese Empowerment
Association, said, “questions remain
whether or not the project is the best use
of taxpayers’ money given the high price
tag of $440 million reported for the shelter,”
while many in the Asian community
are still struggling fi nancially to get
through the pandemic.
Attorney LanTao Sun, vice president
of the Beijing Association of New York,
and his colleague sent a letter with 10
questions to the affi liated organizations
in hopes to establish a much-needed
communication, he said.
“Till this day we have not received
any response from either party. Th ere
is clearly a lack of transparency and
accountability,” Sun said.
Flushing United is receiving support
from Th omas Grech, president and CEO
of Queens Chamber of Commerce, who
said they support the small business
community throughout Queens.
“Besides providing jobs for the construction
of facilities such as these, the
community will benefi t by having aff ordable
long-term housing to support the
local workforce that is being transformed
post-COVID,” Grech said.
In a recent interview with QNS, AAFE’s
co-executive director Jennifer Sun had
addressed misinformation about the
project, reiterating that the facility is not
a homeless shelter and will serve as temporary
housing providing a safe environment,
stability and support for families
as they work to transition to permanent
aff ordable housing.
“We have always communicated that
this project is not a homeless shelter —
it is a transitional housing facility specifi
cally to serve families with children.
Categorizing this project as a homeless
shelter is a woefully inaccurate and
inadequate description for all that transitional
housing for families with children
provides,” Sun said in a statement
to QNS following Flushing United’s press
conference.
According to Sun, transitional housing
is a proven method to not only provide
essential housing for families with
children, but a sense of normalcy and
hope for families in Flushing.
AAFE’s transitional housing project
will provide on-site services such as
job training and placement support,
tutoring, aft er-school programs for
children, one-on-one case management
and counseling to help each family fi nd
permanent housing.
Th e project includes 90 units that will
each have a private kitchen, bathroom
and living space, so families can experience
an apartment living environment.
“Housing stability is unquestionably a
dire need, and the families this project
will serve may not have the good fortune
of aff ording even the city’s aff ordable
housing systems due to job loss from the
pandemic, housing loss from Hurricane
Ida, or other circumstances beyond their
control — as is the case for many victims
of domestic abuse,” Sun said.
In response to the cost of the
development, Sun said the final
contract for the project is still in
Screenshot via Zoom
Community and business leaders, who
recently formed Flushing United, speak at
a press conference regarding a transitional
housing project in the community.
progress and a percentage breakdown of
costs has not been made public as the
cost is still under consideration.
According to Sun, while the $440 million
project cost was communicated in
November 2021 in a public notice, that
number alone may be misleading.
“$440 million is the current projected
budget which includes far more than
construction alone. Th e cost encompasses
acquisition of the land, initial construction,
operating costs and maintenance
over a 40-year period,” Sun said.
“Th at means the cost is accounting for
one-on-one services and staff , including
salaries for case workers who help guide
tenants towards table permanent housing,
and necessities for residents like
bedding and pots and pans. Th at budget
is an anticipated total sum to be spent
over a 40-year period.”
Representatives from Congresswoman
Grace Meng, Senator John Liu and
Councilwoman Sandra Ung’s office
attended the press conference on Jan. 18
and called for more community input for
the planned development. Senator Toby
Ann Stavisky, who recently met with DHS
and Flushing United, said she found there
were many unanswered questions and
unaddressed issues with the project.
Th e project has been paused as AAFE
is coordinating with city offi cials in
order to address community concerns
and to provide more education and
insight into the benefi ts of the project,
Sun said.
“We at Asian Americans for Equality
are continuing to participate in conversations
with business leaders to
ensure there is transitional housing in
Flushing for those families with children
in need,” Sun said. “We want to ensure
we hear the concerns of the community
and local businesses and can serve the
Flushing community together.”
Rendering courtesy of Urban Architectural Initiatives
A rendering of the residential building proposed for 39-03 College Point Blvd. in Flushing
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