On July 17, the protest outside the site of the proposed homeless shelter at 25^th Avenue and 86^th Street will have been underway for a full year. To mark the occasion, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) and City Councilmember Susan Zhuang (D—Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Dyker Heights, Boro Park and Sunset Park) will hold an event that highlights both the community’s dedication and resilience and the fact that, a year and a half after the proposal was first announced, virtually no progress has been made toward building the project.

The anniversary event will take place on Saturday, July 19, at 7 p.m. at the site.

“Every day, I am impressed by the perseverance of the community,” said Assemblyman Colton. “When they first heard about the proposal, they were determined to stop it, and have shown their grit literally every day. They understand how bad the plan is – not only for the neighborhood but for the people who would be warehoused there – and they have peacefully demonstrated their opposition on an ongoing basis for a full year now. Rain or shine, they have been out there; heat and cold have not stopped them. And, I truly hope that the city officials who have been pushing this plan finally understand that the homeless shelter they propose is both cruel to homeless people and inappropriate for the location.”

The daily protests outside 2501 86^th Street commenced last summer after word came that the developer was poised to begin demolition of the existing building. Since then, area residents have been at the site each day from morning till evening, watching out to make sure that the developer does not do anything he should not be doing.

Opposition to the plan has been strong and sustained since the city announced in late 2023 that it planned to open a homeless shelter for 150 single men, many of whom struggle with addiction or mental health issues, at the location, which is on a busy shopping strip, near homes, religious institutions, day care centers and senior centers. Numerous prior protests drew thousands of protesters. In addition, more than 53,000 people have signed a petition in opposition to the plan.

“The city spends billions of dollars annually on homeless shelters,” said Assemblyman Colton, “but the main beneficiaries of the expenditures are the developers and the shelter operators, who are becoming rich on the backs of taxpayers and the city’s homeless population. The money would be better spent developing permanent affordable housing with supportive services that could help provide our homeless neighbors with what they really need: a place to call home and the tools to succeed in building their lives anew.”