March 13, 2023 (updated May 2, 2023)

Dear Mayor Eric Adams, Council Member Gale Brewer, Borough President Mark Levine, Assemblymember Danny O'Donnell, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Manhattan Community Board 7, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, City Council General Welfare Chair Diana Ayala, and DSS Commissioner Molly Park:

As Upper West Side community members, we offer our strong support for the new Safe Haven planned for West 83rd Street. We represent a wide range of neighbors who live and work on the Upper West Side, including longtime residents, business owners, clergy, and parents of young children. New Yorkers in every community should welcome an opportunity to help solve our longstanding homelessness crisis, and we are excited to have a Safe Haven on the Upper West Side–a crucial resource that our neighborhood currently lacks. This Safe Haven, which will be run by experienced provider Breaking Ground, will eventually provide 108 beds for unsheltered neighbors, alongside a robust array of on-site services. These services will include on-site psychiatric and medical care, case management, housing and harm reduction specialists, and indoor and outdoor common areas.

Homelessness can happen to anyone. It is not a personal failing, and it does not make someone any less likely to be a good neighbor. Many of us have gotten to know folks in our community who are experiencing homelessness (and some of us have experienced homelessness ourselves.) We’ve shared meals, talked about sports and books, taken walks together, helped each other move, and shared in the joys and hardships of each other’s lives. Just as the arrival of any new neighbor offers a chance to build connection–even if just by smiling at each other on the streets–so too does the arrival of neighbors who happen to be experiencing homelessness. 

Some folks have been asking “why here?” with regard to this Safe Haven. Much of the rhetoric around the Safe Haven has relied on an unspoken assumption: that some neighborhoods are appropriate locations for housing and services for folks experiencing homelessness, and that the Upper West Side is not one of them. We ask: why not here? The Upper West Side is a high-opportunity, amenity-rich neighborhood, with lots of parks, jobs, and excellent public transit access. It’s an ideal place for people to get back on their feet, for the same reasons that many of us chose to live here. Regardless, the Upper West Side is not a gated community; no one has a right to decide that a certain “type” of person is unwelcome in this neighborhood. 

We have also heard concerns from some individuals who are worried about the “low-barrier” approach that the Safe Haven takes. In fact, this model is one of the key reasons why we believe this site will be effective at assisting individuals in need, and an asset to our community. As the Coalition for the Homeless has documented, many aspects of the traditional shelter system deter folks on the streets from coming inside, from the lengthy process to the lack of privacy and the dehumanizing restrictions. This Safe Haven will offer private and semi-private rooms, direct placement by street outreach teams, fewer onerous restrictions, and robust services on site–all of which make it significantly more appealing to individuals who have hesitated to enter traditional shelters. (Indeed, the city’s own data on the outcomes of end-of-line subway outreach shows that while just 24% of those placed in traditional shelters stayed there long-term, 63% of individuals who spent the night in a Safe Haven stayed there long-term.) The Safe Haven will be an essential resource for neighbors experiencing homelessness. Blocking or attempting to delay it will not make our neighbors who are on the streets disappear; it will simply leave them with less access to resources at a time when rents are at record highs.

Finally, a common concern we have heard is that this Safe Haven is close to several schools. Those of us who are parents care deeply about our children’s well-being and safety. Having a shelter in our neighborhood is an opportunity to help our children develop empathy and caring. We would rather explain to our children that the UWS is welcoming people who need homes than explain that we are leaving people to sleep unsheltered because our city of wealth cannot be moved to help them. And the data does not support the claim that proximity to a Safe Haven, or to any type of shelter or transitional housing, puts children at risk. There are schools and children–and people in need–in every neighborhood of the city. Helping to meet people’s needs by providing housing and robust services is what investing in true community safety looks like. And for many of our children, homelessness is already a daily reality: nearly 1 in 10 New York City public school students experienced homelessness in the last school year. It saddens us to think about how they must feel when they see flyers around their neighborhood decrying the risk that people experiencing homelessness supposedly pose to our children.  

We look forward to welcoming new neighbors to this Safe Haven, and we know that so many others feel the same way.

Letter From 300+ UWS Community Members in Support of the W. 83rd St Safe Haven

Sincerely,

Thomas Batson, 10024 resident

Jennifer Mullen, 10025 resident

Sarah Meister, 10023 resident

Rachel Protter, 10025 resident

Amanda Fialk, works in 10023

Wendy Strauss, 10024 resident

Anne Ebersman, 10024 resident

Priya Patel, 10023 resident

Matthew Fields, 10025 resident

Egor Shakhnovskiy, 10023 resident

Leslie Schaffer, 10024 resident

Gayle Meyer, 10024 resident and Center School parent

Rick Titone, 10024 resident

Paige Finley, 10023 resident

Paula Galowitz, 10025 resident

Roschel Holland Stearns, 10025 resident

Cathy Loup, 10024 resident

Elizabeth Stilwell, 10025 resident

Maria J. Stephan, 10024 resident

Hannah August, 10024 resident and UWS public school parent

Shivani Mantha, 10024 resident

Michael Stearns, 10025 resident

Philip Protter, works at Columbia University (10027)

Natalie Tsvetkova, 10025 resident

Diane Rubenstein, works at Columbia University (10027)

Diane Rinaldo, 10024 resident

Judah Klingsberg, 10025 resident

Karen Collins, 10025 resident and former UWS public school parent

Allison Torsiglieri, 10024 resident

Nicky Dover, 10025 resident

Andrea Steinkamp, 10069 resident

Pablo Zevallos, 10025 resident

Arielle Dorlester, 10025 resident

Norman Siegel, 10023 resident

Alieza Hoffman, 10025 resident

Anne Kemper, 10023 resident

Sharon Cinnamon, 10025 resident and UWS public school parent

Cecily Keating, 10024 resident

Alex LoPinto, 10025 resident

Esther Crow, 10025 resident and UWS public school parent

Ruth Singleton, 10024 resident

Jay E. Korman, 10024 resident

Nancy Schneider, 10025 resident

Eva-Lynn Podietz, 10024 resident

Diana Ross, 10024 resident

Alice Neff, 10025 resident and UWS public school parent

Leslie Kendall Dye, 10024 resident and UWS public school parent

Regina Koehler, 10025 resident and UWS public school parent

Candice Braun, 10024 resident

Joseph Kogan, 10025 resident

Kathleen McClure, 10025 resident

Ankur Dalal, 10024 resident

Kirill Shakhnovskiy, 10023 resident

Laura Bush, 10024 resident

Jamie, 10024 resident

Liam Trotzuk, 10025 resident

Satadru Pramanik, 10023 resident

Kimberly Kahn, 10023 resident

Luka Pusic, 10024 resident

Elizabeth Shaw, works in 10024

Rebecca Borison, 10025 resident

Ilana Turko, 10025 resident and PS 87 parent

David Saphier, 10023 resident

Mattie Clark, 10023 resident

Elizabeth Winthrop, 10024 resident

Dorothy M. Zellner, 10025 resident

Laura McGrath, 10023 resident

David Tasso, 10023 resident

Barbara Okishoff, 10023 resident

Neda Dallal, 10025 resident

Sara Yood, 10023 resident

Mariya Masyukova, 10025 resident

Rosemarie Santiesteban, 10025 resident

Martha G. O’Day, 10025 resident and Booker T. Washington School parent

Jenny Dorsey, 10024 resident

Larry Wood, 10024 resident

Elizabeth Carton, 10024 resident and former UWS public school parent

Neesha Chhina, 10024 resident

William Hall, 10025 resident

Madelon Holder, 10023 resident

Marylou Selo, 10023 resident

Cynthia Stuart, 10023 resident

Trish Anderton, works in 10025

Patricia Still, 10023 resident

Emma Schwab, 10024 resident

Judith B. Solimon, 10027 resident

Lynne Glasner, 10025 resident

Meg Schmitt, 10025 resident

Rev. Lea A. Matthews, works at Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew (10024)

Laurel LeFebvre, 10024 resident

Sophie House, 10025 resident

Abby Hartwig, 10025 resident

Annia Ciezadlo, 10025 resident

Katina Zachmanoglou, 10023 resident and former PS 199 parent

Robert Roberts, 10025 resident

Anita Bergman, 10025 resident

Sophie David, 10023 resident

Kate Mankoff, 10024 resident

Deborah Haisch, 10024 resident

Melanie Randolph, 10025 resident

Kathy Gruber, 10025 resident

Andrea Heyman, 10025 resident

Martin Victor Pusic, 10024 resident

Jenny Heinz, 10024 resident

Alan Winson, 10025 resident

Rachel Lidov, 10025 resident

Carolina Owens, 10025 resident

Brent Ness, works at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew (10024)

Rabbi Donna Cephas, 10023 resident

Maren Berthelsen, works in 10025

George D. Sussman, 10024 resident

Harriet Hoffman, 10025 resident

Peter Klosterman, 10025 resident

Karen Dahl, 10024 resident and UWS public school parent

Peter John Matsoukas, 10025 resident

Vera Kolpakova, 10023 resident

Margaret Barnsley, 10025 resident

Susan Saltrick, 10024 resident and former PS 87 and MS 54 parent

Hope Reiner, 10024 resident

Hillary Aidun, 10025 resident

Saim Ghouse, 10025 resident

Beryl A. Abrams, 10024 resident

Dan Rohr, 10023 resident

Miriam Rabban, 10025 resident

Naomi Azulay, 10025 resident

Ellen Isaacs MD, 10025 resident

Loen Amer, 10025 resident

Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Hermann, works on UWS and Mott Hall II parent

Kim Musler, 10023 resident

Caroline Davidson, 10024 resident

Nathan Wright, 10023 resident

Sonja Noring, 10024 resident

Charles Austin, 10023 resident

Susan Baldomar, 10023 resident

Stanley Baumblatt, 10023 resident

Cynthia Kolbowski, 10024 resident

Erlend Kimmich, 10024 resident

Sara Lind, 10025 resident and PS 166 parent

Alex Bell, 10024 resident

Elisa Barnes, 10027 resident

Alan Bell, 10027 resident

Aaron Carr, 10069 resident

Ken Coughlin, 10024 resident

Brian Hoberman, 10025 resident

Richard Robbins, 10025 resident and UWS public school parent

Jo Bredwell, 10024 resident

Brad Taylor, 10025 resident

Cesar Figueroa, 10027 resident

Bernice Silverman, 10023 resident

Stephanie Schroeder, 10023 resident

Lee Herman, 10024 resident

Mary Beth Kelly, 10025 resident

Naomi Rossabi, 10023 resident

Eliana Hecht, 10025 resident

Audrey Hendler, 10025 resident

Jane Levitt, 10025 resident

Tamara White, 10024 resident

Laura Siegel, 10023 resident

Rev. Dr. K Karpen, 10024 resident, former Computer School parent

Judy Gallent, 10024 resident

Kenneth Guest, 10025 resident

Amanda Munroe, 10027 resident

Ekama Eni, 10024 resident

Annette Orenstein, 10024 resident

Kiana, works in 10024

Rebecca Saletan, 10025 resident and former UWS public school parent

Alexandra Herzan, 10024 resident

Paul Herzan, 10024 resident

Lee A. Link, 10024 resident

Marlene Schonbrun, 10025 resident

Elizabeth Oram, 10024 resident

David Vassar, works in 10023 (Fordham University)

Michael McKinnon, 10023 resident

Sapna Moudgil-Shah, 10023 resident and UWS public school parent

Janet Levoff, 10024 resident

Janet Rose, 10023 resident

Stuart Aaronson, 10027 resident

Carolyn Kresky, 10025 resident

George Beane, 10024 resident and UWS building owner

Temma Kaplan, 10024 resident

Gail R. Tirana, 10024 resident

Elizabeth Mellen, 10027 resident

Becca Young, works in 10023

Raffaella Farraiolo Depero, 10024 resident

Donja Joseph, 10024 resident

Heidi Stamas, 10024 resident

Nancy Vines, 10024 resident

Lily Herzan, 10024 resident

Lorraine Whitman, 10025 resident

Nydia Leaf, 10025 resident

Katharine Mackel, 10023 resident

Susan Freeman, 10023 resident

Lisa Gaetjens, 10025 resident

Deborah Berkman, 10024 resident and PS9 and West End Secondary School parent

Andrew Arkin, 10024 resident

Florence Marisa Peterson, 10024 resident

Kira Feldman, 10069 resident

Julie A. Sandorf, 10025 resident

Lisa Haas, 10023 resident

Shalini Challa, 10025 resident

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo, 10025 resident

Debra Kalmuss, 10025 resident

Susan Rubin, 10025 resident

Jane Andrias, 10025 resident

PJ Lee, 10024 resident

Shannon Lee, 10024 resident

Blanca Vasquez, 10025 resident

Benjamin Clark, 10024 resident

Leila Mabourakh, 10024 resident

Irene Selver, 10025 resident

Galit Gun, 10025 resident

Ellen Adler, 10024 resident

Caroline Schwab, 10024 resident

Leora Botnick, 10025 resident

Margaret Bradley, 10025 resident

Liz Patek, 10023 resident

Casie Kimbrough, works in 10024

Lucia Scheckner, 10025 resident and public school parent

Fredi J. Lessac, 10025 resident

Kirsten Madsen, 10025 resident

Martha Schulman, 10025 resident

Dr. James Uhrig, 10024 resident

Evan Feist, 10025 resident

Haley Schulman, 10025 resident

Sharon Litwinoff, 10025 resident

Katherine Lieber, 10024 resident and UWS public school parent

Abigail Caparros-Janto, 10025 resident

Audrey O., 10025 resident

K. Hutchinson, 10024 resident

Lauren Browdy Weiner, 10025 resident

Grace Crabtree, 10025 resident

Benjamin Crabtree, 10025 resident

Cindy Rizzo, 10025 resident

Kait Walser, 10025 resident

Margot Lipin, 10025 resident

Susan Cowell, 10025 resident

Amy Lipin, 10025 resident

Kate Levin, 10024 resident

John Krinsky, 10025 resident and former UWS public school parent

Stan Green, 10025 resident

Amy Zarrow, 10027 resident

Alice Eve Cohen, 10024 resident

Barbra Music, 10024 resident

Adele Niederman, 10024 resident

Daniel Zalewski, 10024 resident

Tara Herlocher, 10025 resident

Lucy Painter, 10025 resident

Catherine Elizabeth DeLazzero, 10024 resident

Martha F. Tucker, 10024 resident

Melissa Cohen, 10025 resident

Laura Piraino, 10024 resident

Charles Lauster, 10025 resident

Christine Kwiatkowski, 10025 resident

Cynthia Watkins, 10025 resident

Mary Mansfield, 10023 resident

Jesse Towsen, works in 10024

Arielle Tambini, 10025 resident

Elizabeth Weiner, 10025 resident

Betsy Imershein, 10025 resident

Alexandra Nemecek, 10024 resident

Hugh Raffles, 10025 resident

Steve Barber, 10024 resident and former PS166 parent

Susan Calise, 10025 resident and LaGuardia High School parent

Brittany Wills, 10023 resident

Laurence Hirschfeld, 10023 resident

Ann Laura Stoler, 10023 resident

Amy Solas, 10024 resident

Daniel Bernstein, 10024 resident

Dominic Pettman, 10024 resident

Eleanor Worth, 10025 resident and Center School parent

Gerhard Schlanzky, 10024 resident and former PS87 parent

Saskia Traill, Center School parent

Jordan Jayson, 10024 resident and PS 166 parent

Nancy Kyriacou, 10024 resident

Barbara Noble, 10025 resident

Josine Shapiro, 10025 resident and Center School parent

Ade Olojede, 10024 resident

Trevor Graney, 10025 resident

Marissa Sobel, 10024 resident

Jonathan Sobel, 10024 resident

Marc Landis, 10024 resident

Jeffrey Levicki, 10025 resident

Alice Kallman, 10025 resident

Elizabeth Sklar, 10024 resident

Gabriel Reichler, 10025 resident

Laura Friedman, 10024 resident and PS 87/former Center School parent

Andrew Shapiro, 10023 resident

Donna Lerner, 10023 resident

Camille Bergeron-Parent, MD, 10023 resident

Allison Mandeville, 10023 resident

Erika Helgen, 10023 resident

Nancy Hollander, 10025 resident

Virginia Kallianes, 10023 resident

Katrina Brockwehl, 10024 resident

Jennifer Poons, 10024 resident and PS9 parent

Elise Wien, 10025 resident

Lenna Nepomnyaschy, 10025 resident

Sheila Slater, 10025 resident and retired teacher

Avi Zollman, 10024 resident

Stephanie Farquhar, 10024 resident and Computer School parent

Eliza Duberstein, 10023 resident

Laura Grund, 10024 resident and PS87 parent

Lydia Imber Shaw, 10025 resident

Jarrett Kerbel, 10023 resident

Chelsea Garbell, 10024 resident

Sean M. Pomory, 10024 resident

Sheila Hamanaka, 10025 resident

Emily P. Ballou, 10025 resident