DHS Announces Homeless Shelter Opening On McDonald Avenue
In response to the increasing reports of homelessness across the city, the Department of Homeless Services is opening a homeless shelter specifically geared to families and children in Kensington. The 65-family shelter will be located at 385 McDonald Avenue, between Albemarle Road and Church Avenue — the site of a former college dormitory –and will open on December 7.
Local nonprofit CAMBA will be the social services provider for the site, helping to move families to self-sufficiency and permanent housing. Programs that CAMBA will offer include legal services, adult literacy, workforce development, family counseling, immigration assistance, and health related services. Children living in the facility will also be offered homework help, after-school programming and other activities. There will also be on-site family counseling available. The site will also provide meals, and there are plans to install kitchenettes in the units.
According to the DHS, the site has extensive CCTV cameras in place, as well as a metal detector and x-ray machine at the entrance. DHS also says there will be 24/7 on-site security totaling 18 officers over several shifts. Security includes access control, officers stationed in common areas, and random interior and exterior patrols.
“Increasing homelessness is an unfortunate product of today’s economic realities – rising income inequality, rents rising, and wages remaining flat. The de Blasio administration’s multibillion dollar, comprehensive approach to tackle homelessness includes services to prevent homelessness, move those in streets to shelter, and help those in shelter exit to permanent housing,” said a DHS spokesperson.
“We just announced the nation’s largest supportive housing plan, creating 15,000 units of permanent housing with supportive services for our city’s most vulnerable, including homeless families, homeless veterans, and street homeless individuals. We have to ensure we have the resources to shelter and provide services to homeless families in need, and that’s why we’re opening a site in Kensington, the first to be located in Community Board 12.”
City Council member Brad Lander says he thinks there should have been more notice regarding the site of the shelter, but is glad to see more facilities being created for homeless families in the city. “I wish that the City provided more notice to communities about shelter sitings. The current policy of providing only seven days notice is allowed under the emergency contracting provisions in the City Charter – but that does not make it good policy. I believe that Brooklyn communities could be trusted to be good partners in confronting the challenges we face,” said Lander.
“Still, I believe that every community must do its fair share to help end homelessness. New Yorkers have a legal right to shelter, and it’s the right thing to do. We need to make sure that a good security and service plan is place. That PS 230 has sufficient resources to provide education and support to any new students. That there are clear smoking policies outside the building. Hopefully, the building can also offer meeting space for community and civic meetings.
I hope that during this week of gratitude for our blessings, we can show compassion for homeless New Yorkers, including our future neighbors at 385 McDonald Avenue.”
A community meeting was held Monday night to educate elected officials and local leaders about the shelter and services provided for the families.
Going forward there were be regular Community Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, comprising representatives from DHS, local elected officials’ offices, shelter staff, and community residents. These meetings are designed to ease the transition of opening a new shelter and provide a forum for staff to update on the shelter programming and for neighborhood residents to raise any concerns.
