Mentally Ill Homeless Not Welcome in Astoria
Vacant Lot
New York, Jan. 24, 2009 – Urban Pathways, a non-profit organization that provides supportive housing, is about to receive a warning from Astoria residents in Queens: Not in my backyard!
The cause of the dispute between the community and the organization is the construction of a 50 unit-residence on a vacant lot in the northwest corner of 2nd street and 27th avenue, across Astoria Houses. The 50 one-person studios will house, under supervision of Urban Pathways, mentally ill homeless, some of them recovering from substance abuse or living with HIV/Aids.
The residential complex, with an estimated building cost of $14 million, is funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health. However, Astoria residents think the project will be a detriment to the quality of the mentally ill homeless because the area is underdeveloped, has limited public transportation and the nearest places for shopping are located miles away.
Frederick Shack, executive director of Urban Pathways, is confident to win this Nimby battle. He also expect Astoria residents, organized through its Community Board, to understand the benefits that supportive housing –a type of affordable housing for people who need support to live independently- will bring to them.
“We met with the disability subcommittee of the Community Board and requested a meeting with the leadership of Astoria Houses to discuss the project. We are investing in new construction and we are bringing some jobs to the community,” he said.
Before requesting a meeting with the community Shack tried to meet with another strong opponent of the project, Astoria Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. Although Shack doesn’t question the Councilman’s opposition, he disagrees with the notion that the project will daunt potential investors for the area.
“A study from New York University’s Furman Center clearly spells any concern about the impact of supportive housing on property values. I’d strongly suggest a review of that material,” Shack said referring to a study released last month which found that the value of properties within 500 feet of supportive housing shows steady growth value in the years after the supportive housing opens.
To secure a final commitment for financial funding from the State Mental Health Department, Urban Pathways has to wait a 75 days notification period -already in progress-, in which the community will express their opinion. The organization faced the Astoria Community Board in a public hearing last December, and received no support from it.
“We have the property on the contract and we expect to close on the property within the next 60 to 90 days,” Shack assured.
But the residence unit, which will benefit only mentally ill homeless due to its peg to the New York III Supportive Housing Program’s State budget, has become a personal crusade for Councilman Vallone. His main problem with it, he said, is about the tax payer money that will go into that.
“The State had cut its aid to the MTA, but they find $14 million to put this sort of project in Astoria,” he explained to the Community Board on Nov. 18. “There are priorities when you come to a budget crisis. They have to be funding the Police and essential services like trains and schools, but not 50 residence units for mentally ill people.”
A Catch-22
As a politician who pretty much knows the outcome of this type of strife, Vallone told the Community Board that despite opposition, there is little hope to stop the project because “the law is so ridiculous.”
“You have to prove two things: oversaturation and change in the character of the neighborhood. If you prove oversaturation you have too many of these; and if you prove change of the character of the neighborhood, you can’t prove oversaturation,” he said.
Vallone reminded the audience that the area is on the course of economic development. “Some people want to build housing there and they told me that they might not come down if something like this will come in,” he said referring to the developer Hallets A Development Company, LLC. “Can we handle 5, 10? Maybe. Can we handle 50? Absolutely not!”
Claudia Coger, a community advocate and resident of Astoria Houses, a four-block residential complex located across the vacant lot which houses between six and eight thousand people, is not concern about the investors but the community. Coger ensures that she doesn’t want to see the new residents going through the troubles she faces every time she goes shopping.
“We have to take a bus or walk at least 25 blocks to the nearest supermarket at 30th street and 31st avenue. We are already overburdened. We don’t need more people dumped into the area,” she said.
Coger, 74, who has lived in Astoria Houses for more than 50 years and is part of its Tenants Associations, has been helping the Community Board to organize the public hearing. To cast aside discrimination, she clarifies that her opposition has nothing to do with any mental condition. “Its’ not discriminating against the needed. We are people with needs,” she said. “It’s about their safety and their well being.”
