Assemblyman Colton is victorious in fight against 2147 Bath Avenue proposed homeless shelter

July 27, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

In this Jan. 11, 2017 photo, a homeless person sleeps under a blanket on a New York sidewalk. Photo: Mark Lennihan/AP

Share this:

Assemblyman William Colton’s (D – Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) fight against the former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to build homeless shelters at 137 Kings Highway and at 2147 Bath Avenue found victory. The proposed homeless shelter development to be located at 2147 Bath Avenue, Brooklyn, is stopped. Colton vows to continue the fight against the second proposed homeless shelter at 137 Kings Highway.

“I am proud to congratulate the community on a great victory in the fight against the proposed homeless shelters. After meeting with the Commissioner of DSS Gary Jenkins and presenting him with over twenty thousand petition signatures opposing homeless shelters at both sites approximately two weeks ago, I have learned that the City is no longer continuing with plans to proceed with a homeless shelter at 2147 Bath Avenue. This great victory could not have happened if the community had not shown its united strength and determination to stop these plans,” Colton stated.

“I, together with all the community leaders who were involved in opposing the 2147 Bath Avenue proposed homeless shelter, am now pledged to fight against the city’s intention to continue to build a second homeless shelter at 137 Kings Highway. We are united and determined more than ever to focus and fight on stopping 137 Kings Highway’s proposed location. The City must realize that homeless shelters are not the solution for homeless people, but a burden for the neighborhood while not helping the homeless,” Colton continued.

“The new shelters are selected, flipped, and developed by a web of third parties, LLC’s and companies that ultimately pass the cost on to taxpayers. Instead of providing permanent solutions for the homeless crisis such as subsidized or supportive housing, these shelters have become little more than businesses that provide an opportunity for developers to make a profit. We are not against helping homeless people, but we are against financing the developers who are making money off the backs of homeless families. Our community spoke strongly, and I am glad the government heard us and listened. United we will prevail,” Colton added.

Back in May, the Eagle quoted Colton further explaining that “Homeless shelters are not a solution as they do not help end homelessness but do harm the quality of life. Affordable housing is what these people need. The City Administration is basically warehousing homeless people; these shelters are not supervised. Homeless shelters are money-making machines for the developers and operators.”

Speaking of his constituents’ organized resistance to the shelter, Colton reported to the new mayoral administration “all the failings of the location and the poor records of the developers and operators of both proposed sites,” reiterating that affordable housing for families and seniors is the solution.