SHEEPSHEAD BAY, Brooklyn (PIX11) — Outrage is growing in Brooklyn over a planned homeless shelter in Sheepshead Bay.
Dozens of residents are staging a 24-hour sit-in, setting up tents along the sidewalk outside the site at 2134 Coyle Street.
Demonstrators said the goal is to block construction crews from entering and starting work. Nancy, a Sheepshead Bay resident, said she’s concerned about safety with the site being located near several schools and daycares.
“Will not be safe for the kids,” said Nancy. “There are a lot of schools around in this neighborhood.”
The New York City Department of Homeless Services told PIX11 News that the community was notified about the shelter plan in July of 2023. They noted that the shelter will house 169 families with children, and that any insinuation that vulnerable families would be a danger to the community is entirely baseless.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement, “Homelessness affects every neighborhood in New York City, and in order to effectively address this citywide crisis, we need every community to do its part to support our neighbors in need. This new shelter for families with children, which will be the first long-term shelter of any kind in this council district, will provide vulnerable families with a safe and dignified place to stay as they transition back to permanent housing."
Protesters are calling for affordable housing, which they claim was the original plan for the site. Westhab, the private developer behind the project, said they had no involvement in any previous plans for the site. The company said it’s important for families at the shelter to have access to schools, daycares, grocery stores, and the basic services that every New Yorker depends on.
Despite a recent court injunction that prevents protesters from blocking access to the property, residents vow to maintain their encampment along the sidewalk to ensure their voices are heard.
“This our family, our area, and our community so we have to protect us.”
The shelter’s opening date remains contingent on securing necessary construction permits and approvals from the city and state.
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