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Report on 800 East 12th Street (Updated x7)
| Posted on: www.cb14brooklyn.com |
UPDATES:
10/19/09: The NYC Department of Homeless Services has responded to CB14 Chair Alvin Berk’s letter requesting clarification on what constitutes a homeless shelter.
9/3/09: CB14 District Manager Doris Ortíz, representatives of the NYC Department of Homeless Services, the Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit, the 70th Precinct, Common Ground, and West Midwood Community Association visited 800 East 12th Street with the property owner on Wednesday, August 26th. The walk-through provided the opportunity to observe that the property is well maintained. There are four bathrooms on each floor; each room has ceiling fans, hardwood floors and window shades. The graffiti has been removed from the exterior walls. There is a live-in superintendent who is maintaining the facility. Additionally, there are multiple security cameras aimed at multiple points of view to ensure full coverage of each floor, which are checked by the owner’s security several times a week. The Police Department continues to conduct vertical patrols twice a week. Finally, the owner, Michael Rosen, will join the West Midwood Community Association and attend as many meetings as possible.
8/7/09: CB14 Chair Alvin Berk has sent a letter requesting clarification on what constitutes a homeless shelter in response to the statement that the Board received from the NYC Department of Homeless Services.
8/6/09: Attached are letters from Common Ground (and accompanying information on street homelessness) and the NYC Department of Homeless Services in response to the community’s questions. The Board is currently formulating its response.
7/29/09: Alain Realty currently does not have any signed contract or signed lease with the other vacant units at the present time.
7/28/09: Alain Realty has signed a waiver for the Mayor’s Office to remove graffiti from the side of the building as requested by the neighbors.
7/27/09: Alain Realty has given the 70th Precinct several keys to access the building for vertical patrols on an as-needed basis
JULY 17th MEETING SUMMARY
Community Board 14 convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 7 PM in the District Office to investigate the use of 800 East 12th Street as a facility for temporary homeless housing, organized by Common Ground, a contractor of the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS).
Among those present included:
- Charles Glover, Community Assistance Unit, Mayor’s Office
- Xamayla Rose, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz’s Office
- Harvey Rosenholtz, Councilmember Kendall Stewart’s Office
- Reuven Lipkind, State Senator Eric Adam’s Office
- Eli Slavin, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke’s Office
- Jody Rudin, Assistant Commissioner for Street Homelessness Solutions and Adult Services, Department of Homeless Services
- Heidi Schmidt, CB14 Liaison, Department of Homeless Services
- Deputy Inspector Ralph Monteforte, Commanding Officer, 70th Precinct, NYPD
- Battalion Chief John McEneaney, 41st Battalion, FDNY
- Kenneth Lazar, CB14 Liaison, NYC Department of Buildings
- Amie Pospisil, Director, Outreach and Housing Placement, Common Ground
- Mo Benjamin, Representative, Alain Realty, Owner of 800 East 12th Street
Common Ground and DHS gave an overview of the program. Common Ground, serving as a contractor of DHS, is renting 12 units out of the 30 available units at 800 East 12th Street as temporary housing for the homeless. They have staff that make regular visits to the location as well as licensed professionals who assess each client and determine the best methods for meeting their needs.
The members of the community who attended expressed the following concerns:
- There appears to be no on-site 24/7 security, so what measures will be taken to ensure public safety both inside the building and the surrounding areas?What are the terms of the contract between Common Ground and DHS, especially regarding notification to CB14 and the community?
- What percentage of the clients come from Community District 14? How many from what other locations?
- Are there any statistics about, e.g., drug use incidence, available on the clientele living at this facility?
- What kind of staff are on-hand during the night at the facility?
- Is smoking permitted in the facility?
- Are there any individuals who are registered sex offenders? Is there a requirement to register when they reside at a temporary shelter? Does DHS require sex offenders to register when residing at DHS-funded temporary housing? Does DHS make Common Ground responsible for this?
- Will the owner permit NYPD officers to conduct regular patrols in the building?
- Will the exterior of the building be repainted to remove graffiti?
- What will the other 18 units be used for?
Commitments:
Within the next 10 days, DHS, Alain Realty, and Common Ground will get back to CB14 with answers to the above questions.
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