City Council to join lawsuit blocking Chelsea homeless shelter


City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and 127 West 25th Street (building source:
PropertyShark)

The New York City Council is planning to join in a lawsuit attempting to block the Bowery Residents Committee homeless shelter at 127 West 25th Street in Chelsea, even as the Department of Homeless Services begins relocating people to the facility, the New York Post reported.

Yesterday, the City Council’s General Welfare Committee voted to allow the legislative body to join the lawsuit filed by the Chelsea Flatiron Coalition, which has long argued that the facility is too large and would pose safety issues for residents. The full Council plans to vote today to permit the body to join the lawsuit.

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A New York Supreme Court judge rejected an injunction request submitted by opponents of the shelter earlier this month. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who represents the surrounding district, was one of the most outspoken opponents of the homeless shelter, and said she was disappointed by the ruling.

“While the judge has ruled on the request for an injunction, until the entire case is resolved, the Department of Homeless Services should continue to wait for a final ruling,” Quinn said through a spokesperson at the time. [Post]