Report: City Opened Nine Homeless Shelters In Two Months
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A sharp uptick in the city's homeless population has reportedly led the city to open nine new shelters in the last two months but the move is drawing some criticism from local leaders.
The New York Times said a record number of people in the shelter system has forced the city to quickly open new shelters.
About 44,000 people are now in the system, up 18 percent from last year.
In one instance, the Times said the city used its emergency authority to open shelters on the Upper West Side for about 200 couples.
The paper says the Department of Homeless Services gave the local community board just two weeks notice.
Homeless Services Commissioner Seth Diamond told the Times the city has to move quickly to make sure it can handle all the people in need and that sites are chosen in consultation with local communities.
Local leaders, including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, have blasted the effort, saying the city needs a long-term plan to deal with the homeless.