Murray Hill Residents Outraged As Homeless Are Put Up In Area Hotel
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Frustrated New Yorkers expressed outrage over the growing homeless problem at a forum in Murray Hill.
About 100 people attended a forum with the Department of Homeless Services to express their anger and concern about the homeless problem in their neighborhoods – Chelsea, Kips Bay, and Murray Hill.
They said they already have their fair share of shelters in their neighborhoods, and are now upset that the city is spending several thousand dollars per month on 74 rooms to house the homeless at the MAve Hotel, at 27th Street and Madison Avenue without community input.
The neighbors demanded that the city come up with more options for affordable housing.
"There's been no community notification; no transparency. We didn't know about the MAve," one resident said.
"You're asking us to be empathetic to the homeless cause the homeless situation - but I think there is no one who is being empathetic to our day to day lives," another said.
The city called the use of the hotel a "matter of last resort."
Officials said they are trying to come up with more affordable housing options, and there is a very long list for affordable housing. In the meantime, officials said the city has an obligation to put the homeless who are willing to be helped in temporary housing.
There is no timeline for when the homeless will be out of the MAve.
The community forum was called "Street Homeless Situations," with neighbors coming face-to-face to confront city officials with their concerns.