New York Q&A: What do you think about the city’s approach to homelessness?

A 1981 consent decree required the city to provide shelter to anyone who sought it. Since then, homeless people have always been welcome in New York City. There has been a steady rise of homeless people showing up at shelters in NY in recent years, with currently 44,402 per night recorded for June. Mayor Bloomberg’s response has been to open more shelters in Manhattan and Brooklyn to accommodate the growing numbers—with nine more shelters in just the last two months. The Epoch Times asked New Yorkers: What do you think about the city’s approach to homelessness? What if a homeless shelter were to open on your block?

Ben T, 26, graphic designer, Brooklyn

I feel like I’d need to know more, I’d need to research to know if they’re doing a good job or not. If there’s nine opened up in the last two months, that seems good. … They need shelter right?
On your block? If they were on my block, I don’t’ think it bother me that much, you pass them all the time, in New York, it’s not like there’s one big central group, it’s kind of spattered everywhere, so I don’t know if it would really bother me.

Tarique Pehman, 35, engineer, Manhattan

It’s great that homeless shelters are there; they are needed because not everybody has the capability to help themselves. But for those who are capable to help themselves they need to be provided training and jobs.
On your block? I’d prefer that there’d be designated areas for homeless shelters, just so that everything can be managed and maintained in a more centralized fashion.

Ali, 31, student, Brooklyn

I’d be curious about not just in context of how many beds they’re opening, but as they’re opening those shelters are they closing other shelters? Are they closing mental health services for them? Are they conglomerating things? Are they breaking them apart? So, I can’t really comment on the opening of the shelters. Homelessness is a serious problem in New York.
On your block? I would be open to it on principle, if these people don’t have a fundamental baseline of living and they need a place to stay, that’s totally fine, it’s the whole cities responsibility to take care of the least fortunate of its citizens.

Michael O’Shea, 24, graphic designer

It’s good that they’re opening shelters, but if they’re opening more, and more, and more, to me it’s like an easy way out. Then I don’t know, I’ve never been in a homeless situation, I’ve never experienced it. For them to keep up opening houses and stuff, I feel like they should be able to do something for the community, easy nonthinkable jobs. I feel like more and more houses are going to make more people come, homeless people from other states.

Jose P, 54, architect, Manhattan

I think its fine; the more shelters the better. I read a report that there’s a large portion of homeless young families, I think it’s just right to have places for them to stay that are safe. My only concern would be the safety in those places. It’s not so much the number of places, just that they’re safe.
On your block? If it’s going to be families and they can go in and out and everything is well managed, The only reason I would reject that is precisely because they are not well managed, people are outside a lot and they’re just hanging out, then the street could become unsafe.

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