Dear Sir or Madam,
Tonight, as Members of Bronx Community Board 1 and community stakeholders, community leaders, business owners, and our beloved South Bronx community gathers for this important meeting with City Hall, please know that while I am not physically present, I am with you all in spirit and solidarity. We, the South Bronx community are outraged at the Adams Administration and its recent proposal that most of us learned about in the media, at the plan to open a 2,200-bed migrant facility for single adult men in our community.
We find it completely disrespectful that any proposal of this magnitude would not warrant initial preliminary discussions with the community prior to any decision being made. The proposed closure of HERC facilities in our city and the opening of a much larger migrant shelter for single adult men in the South Bronx is deeply troubling and raises significant concerns. While the number of single men housed in HERC facilities has decreased, the Administration’s plan to establish a facility with a capacity of 2,200 is UNACCEPTABLE.
The South Bronx continues to bear an unfair share of the city’s challenges, without adequate attention to the needs of our residents, families, businesses, and local organizations. Community engagement on this issue has been minimal, and these proposals are often unveiled through the media rather than through open, meaningful discussions with the communities they impact. Rather than focusing on temporary solutions like this shelter, we need long-term housing strategies to address the homelessness crisis. The resources earmarked for this facility should be redirected to sustainable housing solutions that will help lift our borough out of its ongoing struggles.
In addition, we must ask:
What steps are being taken to support the 40th Precinct and increase public safety in the South Bronx?
How will this shelter plan address not just immediate shelter needs, but also the broader community’s needs for safety, infrastructure, and resources?
In this climate of a new President in the White House, how are we going to protect this location from immigration enforcement and other actions that threaten our public safety?
This site is zoned for manufacturing jobs. Why not work with elected officials and our business leaders on a jobs and career plan that could bring 2,200 manufacturing jobs that builds stability, strengthens our economy and uplifts our Borough.
What is the plan to close existing migrant housing in our Borough and provide the same relief that you have decided to give to other Boroughs? When the Administration says temporary, do we mean three months or three years?
How much has the City invested in this location to retrofit to the proposal? This is money that could have been invested in our Borough?
How does this proposal benefit the Bronx in anyway? It appears that you are only shifting the single adult male population from other Boroughs to the South Bronx.
Without a clear commitment to these critical areas and solid answers to our many questions, we are left questioning why this proposal is even moving forward. The South Bronx deserves far more than temporary measures; we need lasting support and a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of our challenges.
Finally, the potential impact on public safety, the quality of life, and the risk of increased enforcement targeting our area must be fully evaluated. While the Bronx has always been a welcoming community, we cannot accept policies that undermine our residents’ well-being without a clear plan for meaningful community engagement, necessary resources, and genuine support for our families. Without any of these assurances and commitments, I strongly oppose this proposal. It should not move forward!