Following the city’s decision to relocate the homeless residents of The Lucerne Hotel, a press conference was held outside the building, located at 201 West 79th Street, at 11am on Wednesday, September 9. Some who attended held picket signs to protest the city’s move.
JUNE 2021: COURT RULES TO SHUT DOWN LUCERNE HOTEL HOMELESS SHELTER
Huge crowds of individuals and members of the press gathered outside the entrance on 79th between Broadway and Amsterdam.
Photo: Lee Uehara
Council Member Helen Rosenthal was among those to address the crowd.
Photo: Lee Uehara
Rosenthal has been critical of the decision to relocate these individuals, earlier stating that “it’s a sad day when the threat of lawsuit gets city hall to reverse a decision. What message does this send that groups who can afford to hire high-powered lawyers (are) the ones who will get their way.”
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As we mentioned in our original report, the reaction to the decision to relocate these homeless residents from The Lucerne Hotel to other shelters has been extremely mixed.
While some have claimed that Mayor de Blasio has given in to the pressures of the West Side Community Organization, he stated that conditions of the temporary shelter were not up to par. “I went and saw for myself on the Upper West Side last week and what I saw was not acceptable and had to be addressed,” the Mayor said. Officials have also discovered the deceased body of a 62 year old resident, however, his death was determined to be from natural causes, reports the NY Post.
Corrine Low, co-founder of UWS Open Hearts, which has been in support of the hotel shelter residents, issued the following statement:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”16″] “I am devastated to see the city government treat these shelter residents as chess pieces who can be moved around the board based on the whims of the rich and powerful. This was never an issue of the community versus the shelters, because we are the community, and we have mobilized a groundswell of support for shelter residents on the Upper West Side.“We demand transparency into how this decision happened when the Mayor had reassured the community that he didn’t care who sues him, he was going to make this decision based on public health. The city owes that to the shelter residents and the large community here on the UWS that stands with them.”
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We also received the following statement from Project Renewal’s press team (Project Renewal was in charge of overseeing the Lucerne Hotel shelter site):
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”16″] “Last night we learned that our staff and clients are being moved from the Lucerne to another location. Through all of this, the health and well-being of our clients is, and has been, our number one priority. These men, many of whom have suffered trauma and been disadvantaged all their lives, deserve better. So do our 50 staff members who have worked around the clock to ensure clients had a smooth and successful transition. Finally, there have been numerous supporters and new friends we have made in the neighborhood. We are grateful to each of them, especially Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Borough President Gale Brewer, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, Mark Diller and CB7, and the many compassionate and caring residents who see our clients as humans deserving of our collective support.”[/perfectpullquote]
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Megan Martin, President of the West Side Community Organization (the group which hired attorney Randy Mastro and petitioned the city to relocate the new homeless residents of the UWS), issued a diverging statement in support of the city’s decision:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”16″] “We, the members of the West Side Community Organization — or WestCo — applaud the city’s action. This was a win-win for all involved. The goal of our organization was always to improve the conditions of not only our community, but the lack of resources these men were receiving. We are grateful to the Department of Homeless Services and Mayor de Blasio for responding to our concerns, as we are grateful that these men will now be in a more appropriate environment. The Upper West Side still has more work to do, but this is a tremendous first step.”[/perfectpullquote]
And the man pictured below, holding a bag of trash while walking his dog, caused a rise from the crowd when he shouted “Clear the sidewalk! Spread out! You’re not social distancing!” We’re not sure, at this point, where he stands on the issue.
Photo: Lee Uehara
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The event was also live-streamed by UWS Open Hearts – here’s their full video:
Special thanks to our photographer, Lee Uehara
Helen Rosenthal and her ilk should never be voted into public office again. This was a literal shi*-show from the beginning. The relocation of these individuals seems like the first smart move in the entire history of the DeBlasio administration.
The man with the trash bag was cleaning west 79th Street as part of the one block cleaning initiative-and the “compassionate” protesters would not move out of his way but instead assumed he was an enemy to their cause and would not budge out of his way to clear a path.
Ophelia: THAT IS A LIE! In fact, I was the one who made sure he could get though by asking our supporters to give him a path to get through. STOP FUCKING LYING!
Your profane hostility and over-reaction here suggests you’re having a difficult time, Ian. Sending you best wishes for peace. Be more gentle with others (and yourself!)
Jay:
“Your profane hostility and over-reaction here suggests you’re having a difficult time, Ian. Sending you best wishes for peace. Be more gentle with others (and yourself!)”
I have a VERY low tolerance for lies and liars.
From above: “Rosenthal has been critical of the decision to relocate these individuals, earlier stating that “it’s a sad day when the threat of lawsuit gets city hall to reverse a decision.””
Yet, from the article “Extell Files Suit Against Non-Profit for Attempts to Stall Supertall Upper West Side Development” https://www.ilovetheupperwestside.com/extell-files-suit-against-non-profit-attempts-to-stall-50-west-66th-street/ is:
“The 775 foot tall tower, designed by architecture firm Snøhetta, will be the tallest skyscraper in the Upper West Side if and when it is built to completion. However, it has seen a barrage of legal challenges from City Council member Helen Rosenthal, along with preservationists such as Landmark West!”
Which makes me think that Rosenthal is OK with these lawsuits from time to time.
Surprised at the lack of help and silence from nearby civil rights leader, Congressman and other elites. It is really a travesty to remove disadvantage people from an empty hotel being used as a temporary shelter during this unprecedented pandemic time. Just a thought when they send those frail people back to hazardous crowded conditions will it be a death sentence? What a shame.
Oh c’mon. They didn’t have a good plan, it didn’t seem like they were managing the situation at all. It devolved into a mess that spread out across the neighborhood.
I remember when the Lucerne Hotel was renovated in the early 90’s into a truly lovely hotel. It was delightful, and I had many guests from overseas stay there and just loved the location… I wonder what’s next…
Cool story bro
Helen Rosenthal is a phony. She has been the absolute worst advocate for the UWS throughout her term and she did nothing for the homeless people who were all over the UWS prior to the pandemic (and are there now) or the businesses who were suffering prior to Covid or now during the pandemic.
She has changed her tune so many times on the recent homeless shelters. First she was not honest or transparent about the moves to her constituents. She then claimed she didn’t know and said she would look into it and ask for them to be removed as they were already too many on the UWS. She then changed her tune to present herself as a person who cares about the homeless so she can spin this for her political gain. She is certainly no Jumaane Williams.
Sadly she is like many other politicians who is a phony and pretends to be in support of the poor, while she fails to support the community, its safety and what is good for the community overall. Housing countless of homeless people in a 10 block area is a negligent decision on top of an existing big homeless problem in the neighborhood as well as several other shelters. This resulted in a much higher density of people begging, harassing, public urination, defecation, and drug usage. Objecting to this in a community does not make a person racist or heartless. People are just using racism for everything these days. This is horrible politics aiming to put the community members against each other for political gain. Helen Rosenthal is doing just that. She should go help the many homeless people on the UWS who have been there for many years and see what she can do about those instead of jumping on this issue just so she can say she cares for the homeless. She should also actively see how to help local businesses in the community who are suffering from this pandemic. Helen Rosenthal should just resign for incompetence and a lack of concern or effort to support your community and the neighborhood you represent. This way we can use the savings form her salary and staff towards homeless causes that she pretends to care about.
Well said.
Very well said!
“The goal of our organization was always to improve the conditions of not only our community, but the lack of resources these men were receiving.”
REALLY?! Here is the TRUTH:
There are 50 additional full-time employees, providing social services and the like. Among them are two program directors (8 am to 4 pm) and a supervisor (4-12 and 12-8). Also regularly on site are two VPs of Project Renewal, and even the COO and CEO. (The CEO lives just a few blocks from the hotel.)
Residents are served three “no contact” meals per day. There are six daily “wellness checks” of every resident (they are required to be in their rooms and answer their door), including two during which their temperature is taken. Anyone suspected of having Covid symptoms is immediately removed from the hotel to a quarantine location. Each resident also has an on-site case manger who is responsible for working on their various cases (e.g., obtaining IDs, obtaining benefits like SS and Medicaire/Medicaid, occupational therapy, and finding work and/or permanent housing).
With regard to health care, PR has a Chief Medical Officer who has been with them for over a decade and is a psychiatrist; a Medical Director of Primary Care; a Medical Director of Psychiatry (who was a supervisor at Bellevue; a Medical Director of Addiction Medicine and Drug User Health (who was previously the Clinical Director of Substance Use Treatment at Rikers Island); and a Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Each of these directors provides direct clinical services in addition to their supervisory roles. There is also a nurse on site, as well as a mobile health van that comes to the building two or three times per week, so ongoing health care is available to all residents..
THIS has ALWAYS been the case at the Lucerne, from Day 1. But UWSSS and WSCG have continued to traffic in LIES! Maybe had you taken the time to actually find out what was happening inside the hotel, you MIGHT have had a different view. But you are all too fucking cowardly to find out the truth, preferring to demonize and scapegoat because THAT’S WHO YOU ARE! Sad.
It’s what goes on outside where no one is responsible.
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/07/29/washington-jefferson-hotel-shelter/?fbclid=IwAR20Ts5nGbTBlHxevnA_yMi0NLZrGm-ctGnBO_rwXP39QxXvck0SeTkAUUQ
Not the only neighborhood that had trouble.
I think we all need to view the current situation on the UWS as symptomatic of other well-meaning, but wrong-headed decisions. Not by the homeless, but by each of us and our local government.
First, I have a nephew who is an addict. He has fought it for over ten years, and continues to battle it. Addiction needs to be viewed as an illness, not as a bad personal decision. We cannot ‘judge’ an addict anymore than we would ‘judge’ someone with Coronavirus.
As such, an addict requires intense supervision and treatment, not just housing. Unsupervised, poorly regulated housing, particularly with other addicts, is reckless. These people need help not a hotel.
And the homeless at the Belleclaire? They are there (in theory only) because DHS could not effectively socially distance them in their prior facility. Yet, at all times of the day, there are gatherings of many in close proximity and without masks. Is that really any better? The sex offenders, like the addicts, likely require more than a hotel room. Again, can we find a way to hold DHS accountable for their recklessness. Even better, can we trace and make public the money trail.
Finally, I encourage everyone to read the book ‘Toxic Charity’, written by Robert Lupton. It just might inform the most charitable among you to think differently about the results of good intentions. At minimum, it will explain why the homeless love, if not depend on, the UWS. We can do more for them, but NOT by putting money in their cups. That type of charity, the toxic type, arguably makes you feel better, but does long term harm to the person you are ‘helping’. Can our community find a way to replace handouts with something dignified?
Our community is ours, not DHS’ nor NYC’s. Let’s start a dialogue on remedies, take control of the situation, and find solutions that work for everyone. Things like supporting the Doe Fund.
And, to be VERY clear — these views are not racist, NIMBY, class-based, or any other dismissive (shameful?) characteristic. They represent what I believe to be what I see in the fabric of the UWS. Compassion. Intelligence. A simple desire for the safety and well being of our families, our children, the vulnerable elderly, and the homeless. It does no good to pit it one against the other.
What about how our neighborhood has been progressively overrun by open daytime illicit drug use, violent assaults at the subway station, verbal harassment when we walk down the street, and unprovoked attacks? Time and time again we have reached out to our local officials, with either no response or platitudes and without any real action. Blame the Mayor and DHS.
Ian,
I am surprised you are so angry given that all of your other posts seem to come from a place of calm, fundamental, and well-balanced facts. I don’t disagree with some of your points as they are well made, but this is NOT about the inside of the Lucerne, this is about what has happened in the streets OUTSIDE of the Lucerne. I do wish these men and other sheltered individuals get the proper treatment they need, but the reality is some of them are not and it is directly impacting quality of life issues. I am outside on my block, when I have time, cleaning up from the night before and there is a lot more trash than I have ever seen – not to mention the ongoing defecation. Now, does this mean it is all of the Lucerne’s recent residents’ fault, no. But the reality is, that DHS, Helen and other city agencies simply did NOT plan well regarding the impact to this community. Whether that is ineptitude or inanity, I don’t care. Simply put, the constituents and I mean ALL constituents must have the right to know what is going to happen in this neighborhood BEFORE it happens. That is NOT NIMBYisn or racism, it’s called caring for where one has put roots down and wanting to watch the neighborhood grow not wither on the vine!
Scott:
“I am surprised you are so angry given that all of your other posts seem to come from a place of calm, fundamental, and well-balanced facts.”
I am still human, and I have a low tolerance for hatred, demonization, scapegoating and other tactics being used by the NIMBYs here.
“I don’t disagree with some of your points as they are well made, but this is NOT about the inside of the Lucerne, this is about what has happened in the streets OUTSIDE of the Lucerne.”
As I have said ad nauseam, this is almost certainly more (though not solely) a result of the increase in STREET homeless, a population which doubled simultaneously with the moving in of the hotel homeless. My annoyance is about people’s inability to stop conflating those two things, and ignoring the former at the expense of the latter.
“I do wish these men and other sheltered individuals get the proper treatment they need, but the reality is some of them are not and it is directly impacting quality of life issues.”
I have listed here numerous times the services these men are getting, which are comprehensive, and actually better than the services they receive at the other shelters. The ignoring of THIS information, too, sets me off.
“I am outside on my block, when I have time, cleaning up from the night before and there is a lot more trash than I have ever seen – not to mention the ongoing defecation. Now, does this mean it is all of the Lucerne’s recent residents’ fault, no.”
I am glad to see that you at least admit that you really cannot tell whether anyone at the hotels is responsible for any of this.
“But the reality is, that DHS, Helen and other city agencies simply did NOT plan well regarding the impact to this community. Whether that is ineptitude or inanity, I don’t care. Simply put, the constituents and I mean ALL constituents must have the right to know what is going to happen in this neighborhood BEFORE it happens. That is NOT NIMBYisn or racism, it’s called caring for where one has put roots down and wanting to watch the neighborhood grow not wither on the vine!”
I totally agree with this. Badly planned, badly implemented and, until recently, badly managed. Lack of information and transparency. All are true. And the mayor and DHS bear the brunt of the blame here. But once the plan was implemented – in order to save lives – and the homeless men were moved in (with all the staff and services as well), there were different ways to approach the situation. It was the APPROACH of some that betrayed their NIMBYism and, in some cases, barely closeted racism. Their approach was: sure, we have compassion for the homeless…but if you don’t get them out of our neighborhood, we will SUE! Sorry, but there is no “compassion” there. The other approach is, okay, they are here: how can we help them to get through THEIR upheaval and consistently unstable situations, and help them work toward bettering themselves. THAT begins with compassion, including moral and material support and solidarity, and with NOT vilifying or scapegoating them. The “other side” crows about the ~$100,000 they raised TO SUE THE CITY. Even without suggesting that that amount of money could have done enormous good FOR the homeless, I would suggest that those of us who have been supporting them have spent easily that much on material support, and personal time in that support (i.e., losing money from not working so that we could put that time toward efforts to help them). But we don’t crow about that (which is far more humane than suing), because, as noted, it is simply a different approach that comes from a different place.
@HelenRosenthal
@GaleBrewer
@LindaRosenthal
@MarkDiller
@IanAlterman
All filled with HATE and now crying cause you lost. Truth triumphs! Race baiting idiots
Brian:
Thankfully, I am not on Twitter. And we ALL lose when people resort to hate when confronted by those less fortunate. I do not HATE anyone. You do. And neither have I “lost.” The fat lady has not even BEGUN to sing, so don’t open the champagne just yet.
John Q:
It may shock you, but I actually agree with that, though there is plenty of blame to spread around even beyond the mayor and DHS (who certainly bear the brunt).
You’re all full of shitt. The argument you can’t defeat remains the fact that those men have every civil right to be housed on the uws as they do to be housed in Brooklyn or any place else.
Those men don’t live or act any differently on west 79th street than they would in Crown Heights. Thus, the fact you want to unload them elsewhere speaks volumes about your true selfish purposes.
Neither your money or rhetoric prevent you from being exposed as the blatant racists that you are.
Come out of the closet already.
fu10024:
LOL! Hear, hear! No mincing of words with you! Bravo!! (Brava?)
The man was screaming black lives matter with a CUP…..BLACK LIVES DO MATTER…..stop embarrassing our Culture find Employment….be an Entrenpeneur….sell clothes ….sell masks…..anthing but Curse me out for not filling the CUP
Your compassion is truly touching. Just wish it was your child holding that cup instead.
Sandra:
“Anything but Curse me out for not filling the CUP.”
Why does that bother you so much? Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me?”
Idiots complete idiots . Rosenthal why don’t you move into the hotel with the homeless . All the homeless hotels should be emptied out for the good of the neighborhood and the homeless. Putting them in hotels is a band aid not the solving of the problem . Hey Rosenthal, I will be the first one on line to vote you out. You and Deblasio should get condos together in cuba or maybe on the moon.You are both useless and in outer space . Get real and solve the problem
When I see homeless people, I see people and have compassion for them. I am really disappointed in the “not in my neighborhood” attitude of normally ostensibly progressive neighborhood. It reminds me that of Trump and his propaganda trying to make white suburbanites fearful of brown people destroying their neighborhoods.
Hand out job referrals. And clean clothes….people need more then Compassion…to beat the homeless Dramatic events
Hey Sandra, be a shining example to us all and you give these men the clean clothes they need and you help them find a job. Why not invite some of them over for a few shabbat meals, a couple of quiet nights of rest and to share some of the good old white privilege you psychotically profess you people possess.
Don’t choke on your phony liberal heart while reading this.
Sad to say I don’t have a PHD in Psychiatry….what I said was people need employment money to beat the Homeless Drama…an SSI check approximately $752 does not cover rent….so without the proper source of INCOME…the HOMELESS daily news events ….are just daily news events
I did carry water….and food to hand out because I did not always have money to give….All of the Homeless is not responsible for some bad Apple’s…its not just on the UWS…..NYC…is over in with homeless and the sever mentally ILL
NYC…is Overun with Homeless and the Severe Mentally ILL…..not just on the UWS….the Politicians see what’s going on …and it’s getting worst ….some are dressed so dirty and ragged….Lord Have Mercy…it is Scary when some approach you for $$
Sandra:
Thanks you for helping out. You correctly note that homelessness is growing all over NYC. That is true. And sadly, it is likely to get worse – possibly much worse – when the various eviction moratoriums get lifted in late 2020 and early 2021. And there is already not enough shelter space for the current homeless.
I would also add here that I would bet that at least some of those new evicted homeless are either people who are complaining about the current situation (ion which case they are going to get a huge wake-up call) or will be known by people here who are complaining about the current situation.
Unless one is of the “privileged” class, EVERYONE is “one paycheck away from homelessness.”
Saying that one is from the privilege class is not the Answer….People need an appropriate income to pay for Bills…relying on Welfare …SSI……..adds to the problem…when Humans. Are faced with not enough funds to take care of their Responsibilities….that is a course in Economics…or Accounting 202……
God Bless All Humans…in Financial Need and those not in Financial Need ….i don’t have the Answers
It would be great to hear some honesty from our political class.
It would seem to me that they / we would rather put our homeless into hotel rooms rather than rent them a apartment for lots less money. Why is that? Because they either have reaped the benefit of donations from the strong hotel lobby or they will reap the benefit down the road or other favors: they don’t care that they are wasting our money. Shame on them and this administration that thinks we are all stupid jackasses who will just follow blindly. This is a eye opener for all West siders and New Yorkers. Pay attention and change this City’s governance back to some leaders with common sense.
Vince:
“It would seem to me that they / we would rather put our homeless into hotel rooms rather than rent them a apartment for lots less money.”
Huh? The hotels are being paid $175/day for each room. And although this is the equivalent of ~$5000/month – and there are plenty of apartments under that amount – there are several other factors involved.
First, the money is temporary: the current FEMA contracts (which pay 75% of the cost) expire at the end of October, and there is no guarantee of any further FEMA funding. so if we put them in apartments, they would only be able to stay for a month or two.
Second, the residents get full social services at the hotels, including medical care, case managers, meals, and other services. These would not be available – or would be MUCH more difficult to provide – if the residents were in apartments.
Third, and this should not be dismissed, most landlords/buildings have prerequisites for renting apartments. None of the homeless residents would pass any such parameters.
So, no, the issues is not corruption or graft (though those certainly exist in government). The reason is much more specific. It simply wouldn’t work.
I have lived in an apartment on the corner diagonally across from the Luerne for over 50 years.
I am apalled by the mostly anonymous vitriol coming from my neighbors. Their vicious and vulgar comments don’t help their cause in any way. I have a very
clear view of the hotel entrance and have not witnessed the residents displaying
any crude behavior. For the safety of this neighborhood I believe that it
is better for more citizens have safe shelter.
Seems many protesters…no, great people with their doors wide open. The homeless will have a place to stay. Thank you for your kind heart and willingness to take care of them in your own house.
Sandra:
“NYC…is Overun with Homeless and the Severe Mentally ILL…..not just on the UWS….the Politicians see what’s going on …and it’s getting worst ….some are dressed so dirty and ragged….Lord Have Mercy…it is Scary when some approach you for $$”
I’m not sure why it is “scary” to be approached by someone in need. I have never been “scared” of a homeless person or panhandler. And if you feel they are “dirty and ragged,” perhaps you could find some clothing to donate to Goddard Riverside or directly to homeless shelters.
I never was scared of the Homeless….because it is True many are one PAYCHECK away from being Homeless..i would carry sandwiches and cold water for myself …so I would pack extra to share…..just a FEW get aggressive for $$ not many ..i am a Female and a Senior Citizen…My nerves is just. Not in the Mood all the time …….
Sandra:
I completely understand that. I am actually a fairly small man of 60-something, so I would also have cause to be concerned if an aggressive person approached me in a threatening, or seemingly threatening, manner. However, once I became a minister and worked directly with the homeless for years, I began to realize many things, including that most of them, even the “aggressive panhandlers” do not actually resort to physical violence of any degree. And since not all homeless are mentally ill (though obviously some are), I try to remain calm and friendly, even when I “should” be concerned. But I do realize this is not easy for many people to do.
I am respectful. Brother or Sister I cannot help you at the moment….if I could i would…i could not even walk with Cash…i gave it all away…one day got home . ..i need to to take care my responsibility
Sandra:
Sometimes I will simply put my palms up and shrug my shoulders, and say sorry.
It is better …to have an Income. More than WELFARE or a once a Month SSI……trying to get that Point Across Now won’t FLY because. Of the Current Pandemic…they are Quick to Quote the Unemployment Statistics…….I really don’t have the answers to what is ailing some HUMANS…..wish I Did…may God watch Over us All