WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JUNE 25, 2020 3
Holden demands investigation into DHS
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Councilman Robert Holden is fed
up. Aft er several years of battling
with the city’s Department
of Homeless Services, Holden is calling
for an investigation into the agency’s
“lies” about relocating residents of the
Cooper Rapid Rehousing Center in
Glendale.
Holden, on June 17, urged the city’s
Department of Investigation to open
a probe into the DHS, claiming that
the agency lied regarding housing
the homeless in hotel rooms during
the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort
to stop the spread of the virus inside
large shelters.
Holden called for the investigation
after learning from a DHS official
that the department actually
increased the number of residents
inside the shelter at 78-16 Cooper
Ave., from 120 to 200 after claiming
that all residents would be removed
during the pandemic. The department
then removed 100 residents
shortly thereafter, and the remaining
100 residents will stay at the
shelter where DHS now claims that
they can be properly distanced.
The Department of Social Services
oversees the DHS.
Holden noted that the DSS Commissioner
Steven Banks’ “cavalier
approach” to social distancing
guidelines in shelters is also endangering
the lives of residents
in the surrounding communities.
Holden’s office has continued to
field numerous complaints about
shelter residents gathering outside
without masks, panhandling
outside the shelter gates, injecting
drugs and assaulting other shelter
residents.
“Once again Commissioner Steven
Banks is misleading communities
with no regard for the health and
wellbeing of his homeless clients
or community residents as a viral
pandemic has swept through his
oversized and overcrowded shelters,”
Holden said. “Rather than staying
true to his word and moving shelter
residents to hotels where they can
safely keep their distance from others,
the DHS would rather shuffle
them to and from warehouse shelters
and risk their lives in the process for
no apparent reason. The continued
lies and absence of transparency
from Banks and his agency is maddening,
and I trust that the Department
of Investigation will look into
this negligence immediately.”
A spokeswoman for the Department
of Investigation said, “DOI has
received a letter from Councilman
Holden on this matter and declines
further comment.” DHS could neither
confirm nor deny specific locations
due to the NYS Social Services
Law.
“We’re confident that our strategies
for combating COVID-19 and
protecting the 60,000-plus New
Yorkers we serve on any given night
have effectively flattened our curve,
which has closely tracked citywide
trends.” Department of Social Services
spokesman Isaac McGinn said.
“From working closely with DOH and
H+H to provide anyone who needs it
with care or isolation to proactively
relocating our most vulnerable clients,
including seniors and single
adults from larger congregate shelters,
our strategies are working and
saving lives.”
Glendale residents have complained that shelter residents gather outside
without wearing masks. Courtesy of Holden’s offi ce
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