COMMUNITY OFFICE:

71-19 80TH STREET, SUITE 8-303

GLENDALE, NY 11385
TEL: (718) 366-3900
FAX: (718) 326-3549
CITY HALL OFFICE:
250 BROADWAY, SUITE 1765
NEW YORK, NY 10007
TEL: (212) 788-7381
FAX: (212) 227-7164
EMAIL: ecrowley@council.nyc.gov
WEBSITE: www.council.nyc.gov/crowley

CHAIR
FIRE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES

COMMITTEES
CIVIL SERVICE AND LABOR

THE COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF NEW YORK

INTERNATIONAL INTERGROUP RELATIONS

ELIZABETH S. CROWLEY

DISABILITY, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE

COUNCIL MEMBER, 30TH DISTRICT, QUEENS

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CULTURAL AFFIARSM LIBRARIES AND
MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL
AND DISABILITY SERVICES
WOMENS ISSUES

August 9, 2016
Mayor Bill de Blasio
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Dear Mayor de Blasio,
I write in strong opposition to your administrations proposal to turn Maspeths Holiday
Inn Express into a homeless shelter. It is a shortsighted, fiscally irresponsible and completely
inadequate plan for the homeless and for the Maspeth community. Hotel rooms are by no means
suitable for anyone who has fallen on hard times. It puts occupants in an unstable environment,
and is not the right answer when addressing our citys homelessness crisis.
Hotels are dangerous, expensive, and do not provide occupants with a real kitchen or
other home amenities. On average, adult families have stayed in these shelters for nearly two
years hotel rooms are an improper home for days, let alone two years.
Furthermore, both you, Mayor de Blasio, and Department of Homeless Services
Commissioner Steven Banks have gone on record saying that converting hotels to homeless
shelters is the wrong approach to housing families and individuals. However, this proposal
completely contradicts those sentiments.
Since you took office, three fiscal budgets have provided hundreds of millions of dollars
to increase homeless services. This has allowed an increase in staffing levels and direct grants to
keep families in their homes, and also enhanced the Shelter Repair Squad, which can fix
violations at existing facilities. With the additional funding and services for homeless prevention
we have seen a 5 percent decrease in the daily population at New York City shelters since the
December 2014 height.
Despite this decrease, homelessness continues to be a serious issue in our city. We must
work together to build more affordable and permanent housing. City dollars should go towards
safe, clean conditions for the homeless, and not toward converting hotels into temporary housing.
Under your new Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) zoning requirements, a
minimum of 25% of the units constructed would be below market-rate units. There is currently
no plan for more affordable housing in Community Board 5 in Queens, nor in my Council
District. We need affordable housing, not another shelter- hotel. In recent months, two real
estate developers who are eager to build residential housing units in Maspeth and Woodside have
approached me, looking to start a conversation about a zoning change consistent with MIH.

Furthermore, there are already three shelters within blocks of the proposed Holiday Inn
site, greatly impacting the Maspeth community. The Administrations efforts should be devoted
to working with the developers, community boards, and elected officials offices to build
affordable housing in Maspeth and the surrounding area. This is the fiscally and socially
responsible method to help those who lack the most basic of lifes necessities a place to call
their home.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth S. Crowley
New York City Council Member
District 30