Proposed men's shelter on Westchester border discussed during Bronx meeting
The shelter is a proposed 100+ bed single men's shelter on Broadway in Riverdale right near Van Cortlandt Park.
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People in Yonkers paid close attention Wednesday night to a Bronx meeting about a proposed homeless shelter on the Westchester border.
The shelter is a proposed 100+ bed single men's shelter on Broadway in Riverdale right near Van Cortlandt Park.
There were a lot of specific questions and critiques from elected officials and residents, but one of the big themes was whether this is a smart way to deal with the homeless crisis.
Some say putting multiple people in a room like this has failed in the past, but Westhab employees say there are some success stories and something needs to be done now, building housing takes years.
"This is wrong. It's not just a problem for the people in the community. It's a problem for the people you think, or say, you're going to help,” says Charles Moerdler, chair of Land Use Committee, Community Board 8.
Jim Coughlin, of Westhab, says, "We completely understand the community's concerns. We take being a good neighbor and being transparent and talking with the community very seriously."
Westhab and the Department of Homeless Services say they will continue to get feedback. They estimate the shelter could be up and running by late 2024, early 2025.
