A politically connected nonprofit is trying to force a 200-bed, warehouse-style men’s shelter into a small, working-class Brooklyn neighborhood—one that already has more than 14 shelters, while wealthier nearby districts have only a few.
The nonprofit? Help USA—founded by Andrew Cuomo, and run for decades by his sister, Maria Cuomo Cole.
On paper, it’s a charity.
In reality, it’s a $2.1 billion political machine, funded by your tax dollars.
To push this project through with Mayor Adams’ office, Help USA is partnering with David Levitan—one of the city’s most notorious slumlords, known for buildings riddled with violations, lawsuits, and neglect.
Help USA’s track record?
• A man trapped in an elevator for four days
• Residents freezing through the winter
• Raw sewage in bathrooms
• Black mold on walls and ceilings
• And in Philadelphia, a 12-year-old girl died after years of ignored complaints about mold and leaks
While the most vulnerable suffer, Help USA’s CEO pockets nearly $450,000 a year.
(For comparison: a New York City social worker earns around $65,000.)
And just months ago, Martha Kenton—now Help USA’s Chief of Staff—left her senior post at the Department of Social Services, the very agency now awarding Help USA this contract.
We’ve reported this revolving-door corruption to the Department of Investigation.
This is not about helping the homeless.
It’s about power, profit, and political favors—at the expense of neighborhoods like Greenwood Heights.
We deserve better.