City closes homeless shelters as economic crisis continues

The city has shut down 24 church-based homeless shelters to cut costs,
according to the Partnership for the Homeless, which provides housing
and support services to the homeless. Advocates said these cuts leave
the homeless without places to stay even as economic problems increase
the need for shelters. Thirteen shelter closures were in Queens, which
leaves only one Partnership parish shelter open in the borough. That
could mean more homeless people sleeping on subway grates or park benches, advocates said. But the New York City Department of Homeless Services said many of the closed shelters were not open five days a week or were open only a few months a year, in violation of the Partnership’s contract with the agency.