New York City officials say they are “working around the clock” to accommodate migrants as well as homeless shelter residents who are being affected by the influx of people in need. NBC New York’s Melissa Russo reports.
With New York City struggling to house thousands of new migrants NBC New York has learned tensions are at a new high in some city homeless shelters — with fights breaking out, and resentment palpable.
One brawl happened inside a Brooklyn shelter for families Thursday night. Residents told the I-Team tensions boiled over between local homeless and newly arrived migrants. Police responded and on Friday, some migrant families moved out of the shelter in favor of a local church because they did not feel safe.
There have been similar stories shared from several shelters across the city as well. Some nonprofit shelter operators said that a major cause of resentment is the city government, which is now moving people around from shelter to shelter to make room for migrants.
"I have no idea why we are being displaced for them. Why we are being moved and shuffled around?" asked a woman who lives at one of the shelters and did not wish to be identified.
She said she was suddenly forced to vacate the Queens shelter where she had been living for almost a year — and where she received special accommodations for a disability.
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"I’m on five different kinds of medicine, and I have to eat. I haven’t eaten in about three days," she told NBC New York.
But in her new shelter she says she has no refrigerator and is not allowed to keep food in her room.
"This is my leftovers, this is what I had to put my food in because we can only bring in one plate at a time," she said while showing her room.
The News 4 I-Team spoke with multiple people facing sudden transfers and moves. Because the city is moving people around with no notice, and moving people around without taking their reasonable accommodations into consideration, some advocates for the homeless are urging the city to open new facilities for migrants and let everyone else stay put.
To be clear, migrants new to the city are being forced to move around as well.
The city hopes its plans to build relief centers strictly to help with intake and services for migrants will help.
In response to the claims that they are moving people living in the shelters around suddenly, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services said in a statement that they are "working around the clock to ensure that we are providing shelter supports for recently-arrived asylum seekers, continuing to open emergency sites, and working to comprehensively address the unique needs of asylum seekers." The statement added that "the health and safety of our clients is our top priority."
A city official said it is department policy to transfer those in shelters based on a variety of different needs, including capacity, building issues and need. They also said that misconduct among those staying at city shelters is not tolerated, and that any such misconduct should be reported in order to be investigated.
