Brooklyn residents protest the opening of a homeless shelter in their area

Hundreds of people took to the streets of one Brooklyn neighborhood to protest the creation of a men's homeless shelter. According to Fox News, those gathered are afraid of unrest and a surge in crime.

Local residents, politicians and business owners in the Bensonhurst area united on Saturday, March 16, to protest the creation of this shelter. The city authorities plan to house 150 homeless men there, including those with mental disorders.

Some rally participants held signs calling for more affordable housing to be built instead of temporary housing. Such a shelter, in their opinion, will not be able to provide real help to the homeless. Others expressed concerns about the safety of the area and proximity to schools and playgrounds.

Marie Brullo has lived in the area for 58 years. She said: “This will only create more problems than we already have and lead to more crime. People will fight them, and the result will be a war.” Parents who came to support the protest expressed their concerns about the orphanage and the possible danger it poses to children in the area.

Противостояние

City officials plan to open a homeless shelter later this year, but have encountered opposition from local residents. They said Bensonhurst, which has a predominantly Asian population, is one of the few areas without a shelter and residents have known about the project since November.
However, local elected leaders have joined residents in opposing the new facility and plan to fight back.

On the subject: The length of stay of migrants in New York shelters has been limited: after 30 days they will be evicted

William Colton, a member of the County Assembly, disagrees with the shelter plans.

“This is the wrong place and the wrong policy. Homeless shelters are not helping these people, and we are not going to remain silent about it,” he said.

MP Nicole Malliotakis spoke out against the shelter and said: “Instead of looking for a permanent solution to the housing crisis, the city government is placing people in temporary settlements. They do not offer any alternative resources to get their lives back on track. Placing a homeless shelter in Bensonhurst, just blocks from six different schools, is not safe for the community.”