Mott Haven residents oppose state-funded mental health housing

A $19 million state-funded project to bring a six-story, 60-unit housing development for people with mental illnesses in Mott Haven is meeting resistance from the community. The New York Daily News reported that residents fear another haven for the disadvantaged in their neighborhood will stunt the growth of the improving neighborhood.

The state argues that the Mott Haven community has just 250 supportive housing units, and the construction of a new facility, being developed by the Association of Rehabilitative Case Management and Housing, would save money over time. But opponents note that other communities in the borough have even fewer of these units, and Mott Haven is already saturated with drug rehab clinics and mental health outpatient centers.

Long-time residents still harbor memories of the neighborhood’s violent past and fear the addition of “at-risk people” could break the growth streak Mott Haven is enjoying. Instead, they want a park or community space at the vacant lot along East 144th Street between Brook and Willis avenues. [NYDN]