Demonstrators stormed through the streets of Brooklyn, New York, over the weekend, rallying against city plans to build a homeless shelter following what locals call a “bait-and-switch” tactic.
On Sunday, hundreds of protestors marched through Sheepshead Bay chanting, “Vote them out,” after city officials moved to build a homeless shelter on a site residents originally approved in 2022 as affordable housing.
Residents said the change – which occurred after a developer pulled out of the project – was made in 2023 without any further input from the community.
Community activists marched for hours as they held up signs reading, “No shelters near playgrounds or schools,” “Keep our street safe, keep shelters away,” and, “Children’s safety first, no homeless shelters!”
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Mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who led the demonstration, also voiced his disapproval of current city officials.
“The community is going into court to try to block this bait-and-switch, which was supposed to be affordable housing,” Sliwa said. “And now they’re trying to get it into a shelter. This is Eric Adams’ doing.”
“Hundreds and hundreds of people came out here to join in solidarity,” Sliwa continued. “So if you didn’t see your elected official here, I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, clearly they were on the side of having a shelter.”
Fox News Digital reached out to city hall and the district for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
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The site at 2134 Coyle St. was originally proposed to become a five-story mixed-use building with 120 apartments, approximately 36 of which were designated to become permanently affordable.
While Brooklyn’s community board approved the plans in 2021, city officials scheduled the site to become a 175-unit homeless shelter for “families with children who have no other housing options available … until viable housing alternatives become available.”
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“The community was promised affordable housing – not another shelter,” Sliwa said in a post on X. “I showed up to lead the protest while the mayor hides and other candidates stay silent. This bait-and-switch is unacceptable. I will always stand with New Yorkers. Enough is enough.”
The New York Post reported that locals are cautious of homeless shelters as they attract crime and danger.
“I do believe homeless people should have a place to go, but I was talking to my dad earlier and he told me that he has homeless friends that are scared to be in these shelters because of how dangerous the other people that are there are, it’s not even safe for a lot of homeless people to be there,” 21-year-old Sheepshead Bay resident Fruma Feldman said to the Post. “So, with that being said, I don’t think it should be here.”
Dimple Willabus, who is running for District 46 Council, called on residents to pressure local officials to listen.
“It’s very important for us to continue the pressure.” Willabus said. “We pressure our elected officials who put us in this situation…. we have the super power to vote for the right people, vote the wrong people out.”
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