NYC Council seeks moratorium on new homeless shelters

Two leaders from New York City's Council are urging Mayor Eric Adams to pause the construction of new homeless shelters. They believe this moratorium is crucial to address a troubling trend. Developers are increasingly choosing to build shelters over affordable housing. In a letter sent to the mayor's budget director, Justin Brannan and Gale Brewer highlighted how this shift benefits developers financially. They argue that stopping new shelter construction is essential until ongoing investigations into the administration's housing policies are concluded. These investigations include a probe by the Manhattan District Attorney into city leasing practices. Brannan shared an example from his Brooklyn district, where an affordable housing project was recently converted into a shelter. He emphasized that merely increasing the number of shelters will not solve the city’s housing crisis, which has led to high rents and a lack of affordable apartments. The council members also called for more transparency regarding the city’s payments to real estate firms that operate shelters. Brannan, who is running for city comptroller, expressed the need for taxpayers to understand how funds are being used amid allegations of corruption within the Adams administration. While they support the city’s efforts to increase housing, Brannan and Brewer are concerned about how deals are being managed between affordable housing developers and shelter operators. They fear it undermines the progress made in collaboration with the city.