Category: Uncategorized

Mr. Dan and the Help USA Board,

Let’s be crystal clear: We reject your 225 25th Street development. You are not welcome in our neighborhood! 

You’ve ignored more than a year of firm opposition from our community, letters from our Congressman, and our Council Member (attached). Yet somehow, you still push forward Mr. Levitan’s deeply troubling shelter project. 

Now your team will march into the Community Board 7 Housing Committee meeting on September 15th to present “your wonderful plan.” 

We’ll be there too—looking you in the eye and saying what you refuse to hear: Enough is enough. But honestly, we doubt you’ll show up yourself.

And let’s talk about conflicts of interest. Your Chief of Staff, Martha Kenton, just recently held a top post at DSS/DHS—the very agency now handing you this super lucrative contract. A revolving door, how convenient! As if that weren’t enough, Ms. Kenton is also currently the subject of a lawsuit alleging discrimination and workplace mobbing against an older Muslim woman DSS employee. Serious allegations, but clearly not serious enough to give you pause. Why? Because your backdoor deal with a known slumlord will be signed, sealed, and delivered.

Your bloated CEO salary is paid by our tax dollars. We are confused by a board that congratulates itself for “helping the homeless” in a display of moral posturing, while siting another shelter within two blocks of five existing shelters, in a toxic warehouse unfit for residential use.

You don’t get it, do you? No means NO! 

We will not be gaslit, we will not be ignored, and we will not roll over for your shady deal. 

We demand that the city and all of its contracted non-profits follow the city’s fair share policy and work exclusively with ethical landlords and developers.

So here’s the message, plain enough: DO NOT COME. And to put it politely—though you hardly deserve it—YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!

GWHA

// Por favor, desplácese hacia abajo para leer en español.

Dear Neighbors,

We want to take a moment to thank everyone who contacted Council Member Alexa Avilés, called her office, and supported our commitment to fair share and transparency over the past year. Our pleas made a real impact.

We can now share that, following Congressman Dan Goldman’s letter, Council Member Alexa Avilés issued a strong, formal letter to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro and City Hall, expressing her clear opposition to the City’s plan for a large congregate shelter at 225 25th Street. Follow the links above to read their letters.

In summary: 

• Congressman Goldman called out the unjust concentration of shelters in Sunset Park and urged the City to stop this project, pointing to safety concerns and the ongoing burden placed on immigrant and working-class neighborhoods. 

• Council Member Avilés forcefully corrected the record and reaffirmed her long-standing opposition to this shelter. She called for the City to follow its Fair Share policy and to shift focus from temporary sheltering to permanent, affordable housing. She cites the city’s “perverse incentive for funding these temporary sites at top dollar.”

We’re proud to see our community and elected officials aligned in demanding fairness, justice, and long-term solutions.

We also want to extend our sincere thanks to John Blasco, Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Goldman, for his direct engagement and consistent communication with our community. His responsiveness has been essential in making sure our concerns were heard.

If the City “insists” on using David Levitan’s building for any purpose, then we reiterate our support for truly affordable, long-term housing at 225 25th Street—not a congregate shelter. Based on submitted plans and our own observations, the site could also house essential services: a public library, community programs, and job training. With proper support and a trusted local partner, this site could become a lasting community hub—one that actually meets local needs.

Let’s be clear: our neighborhood has long welcomed those in need. But we are calling for better services, meaningful support, and transparency—not shady backroom deals, mismanaged facilities, or the continued warehousing of vulnerable New Yorkers in already overburdened districts. As part of this effort, we are advocating for the creation of community advisory boards to provide oversight and accountability in the operation of existing facilities.

The fight is not over, and the shelter is still planned to open despite widespread community and elected official opposition. We have already reached out to the Deputy Mayor and DSS Commissioner to call for an immediate stop. We will keep pushing—at every level of city government—until our neighborhood is treated fairly and our voices are respected.

Thank you again for your support.

GWHA

———————

La concejala Alexa Avilés y el congresista Dan Goldman se oponen formalmente al albergue en 225 25th Street

Queridos vecinos,

Queremos tomar un momento para agradecer a todas las personas que se comunicaron con la oficina de la concejala Alexa Avilés, la llamaron y apoyaron nuestro compromiso con la equidad y la transparencia a lo largo del último año. Sus esfuerzos tuvieron un verdadero impacto.

Ahora podemos compartir que, tras la carta enviada por el congresista Dan Goldman, la concejala Alexa Avilés también emitió una carta formal y contundente al vicealcalde Randy Mastro y a la Alcaldía, expresando claramente su oposición al plan de la ciudad de instalar un gran albergue colectivo en el 225 de la calle 25. Pueden leer sus cartas en los enlaces de arriba.

En resumen: 

• El congresista Goldman señaló la injusta concentración de albergues en Sunset Park y pidió a la Ciudad que detuviera este proyecto, señalando preocupaciones de seguridad y la carga desproporcionada que enfrentan las comunidades inmigrantes y trabajadoras. 

• La concejala Avilés corrigió con firmeza la versión oficial y reafirmó su oposición sostenida a este albergue. Exigió que la Ciudad cumpla con su política de “Fair Share” y deje de enfocarse en refugios temporales, promoviendo en su lugar vivienda permanente y verdaderamente asequible. En sus palabras, la ciudad ha creado un “incentivo perverso” al financiar refugios temporales a precios inflados.

Nos enorgullece ver que nuestra comunidad y sus representantes electos están unidos en la lucha por la equidad, la justicia y soluciones reales a largo plazo.

También queremos extender nuestro sincero agradecimiento a John Blasco, jefe de gabinete adjunto del congresista Goldman, por su compromiso directo y comunicación constante con nuestra comunidad. Su respuesta oportuna ha sido fundamental para que nuestras preocupaciones fueran escuchadas.

Si la Ciudad insiste en utilizar el edificio de David Levitan para cualquier propósito, reiteramos nuestro apoyo a un proyecto de vivienda permanente y verdaderamente asequible en el 225 de la calle 25—no a un albergue colectivo. Según los planos presentados y nuestras propias observaciones, el sitio también podría albergar servicios esenciales como una biblioteca pública, programas comunitarios y capacitación laboral. Con el apoyo adecuado y un socio local confiable, este espacio podría transformarse en un verdadero centro comunitario, alineado con las necesidades reales del vecindario.

Queremos ser claros: nuestro vecindario siempre ha sido acogedor con quienes más lo necesitan. Pero exigimos mejores servicios, apoyo real y transparencia, no tratos oscuros, instalaciones mal administradas, ni más “almacenamiento” de personas vulnerables en comunidades que ya están sobrecargadas. Como parte de esta lucha, estamos impulsando la creación de consejos comunitarios de supervisión para garantizar mayor rendición de cuentas en el funcionamiento de los albergues existentes.

La lucha no ha terminado, y el albergue sigue en planes de abrirse a pesar de la amplia oposición de la comunidad y de representantes electos. Ya hemos contactado a la Vicealcaldía y a la Comisionada del DSS para exigir que se detenga inmediatamente este proyecto. Seguiremos presionando, en todos los niveles del gobierno de la ciudad, hasta que nuestro vecindario sea tratado con equidad y nuestras voces sean respetadas.

Gracias nuevamente por su apoyo.

GWHA

Dear Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayors,

We write again on behalf of the Greenwood Heights Association and our deeply concerned community members. We urgently request your immediate intervention to address a situation that has become profoundly unfair and untenable.

Despite widespread community opposition, thousands of petition signatures, and serious concerns regarding safety, equity, and transparency, we learned that the city continues to aggressively push forward with the 225 25th Street shelter. This shelter, led by notorious developer David Levitan—who has an alarming track record of violations and corruption—risks becoming a devastating reality imposed upon our neighborhood without any accountability.

Mr. Adams, when we handed you our letter at a Clinton Hill event organized by Renee Collymore on April 6th, you personally acknowledged our concerns and the unfair burden we face. While we appreciated your recognition, we now urgently need decisive action.

The Greenwood Heights community already carries an unjust burden, hosting nine shelters within a seven-block radius of this site, with four located within just three blocks of the proposed shelter. The city itself has acknowledged this saturation as one of the most shelter-dense communities in Brooklyn. Our community has 10-15% of its overall population housed in shelters, which is significantly higher than the citywide average of 1.37%. As you are aware, many nearby neighborhoods host no shelters at all. 

Please view our short community video illustrating the severity of our situation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuEr2UvMbOg

We are not refusing responsibility. We demand equitable distribution across New York City. A contaminated warehouse-style shelter in an already overwhelmed neighborhood literally next door to an education center and a pre-K center, in a known hot-spot for drug activity, less than a block away from the only subway station that has just one entrance and exit, is unjust and irresponsible. Additionally, the city and the proposed non-profit have done zero community engagement for this site, despite promises over the last year to do so.

Congressman Dan Goldman has also met with us, listened to our concerns, and recognized the gravity of this situation, acknowledging that it transcends mere zoning—it is fundamentally about safety, equity, and good governance.

We respectfully and urgently request your leadership: Please stop this shelter project immediately and thoroughly investigate the questionable processes and contracts behind it.

Mayor Adams, your action now will clearly demonstrate your administration’s commitment to equity, justice, and transparency for all New Yorkers. It is election season, and thousands of residents, families, workers, and small businesses of Greenwood Heights depend on your fairness and integrity.

Please act swiftly—our community is counting on you.

Respectfully,Greenwood Heights Association
Representing Residents and Small Business Owners
North Sunset Park & South Slope, Brooklyn, 11232
https://thegwha.org | greenwoodheightsassoc@gmail.com

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.