Greenwood Heights Association
Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NY
March 26, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Urgent: Greenwood Heights, Sunset Park Residents Demand Criminal Investigation and Halt Hazardous 225 25th Street Warehouse-Shelter Project
The Greenwood Heights community is urgently calling to stop a warehouse-style shelter being constructed at 225 25th Street, Brooklyn, 11232—a project which is quietly being approved by the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and awarded to David Levitan, one of New York City’s most notorious slumlords.
While shelters are being closed across the five boroughs, our neighborhood—bounded by 3rd and 5th Avenues between 20th and 40th Streets—is being strained yet again. With approximately 10 to 15% of our local population currently residing in shelters, compared to the citywide average of 1.37%, Greenwood Heights, Sunset Park, bears a disproportionate burden. This is a clear violation of the City’s Fair Share Policy, designed to equitably distribute social services across all neighborhoods.
Now, without transparency, independent public review, or community input, the city plans to add over 200+ men to a large-scale congregate facility in a semi-industrial zone plagued by public safety issues, inadequate sanitation, and insufficient infrastructure. The 25th Street subway station faces significant challenges with safety concerns. Proposing a new shelter in an area marked by narrow, dimly lit streets, warehouses, vacant lots, and limited social services requires careful evaluation. There is a risk of unintended negative impacts for those who rely on the 23rd–26th Street corridors daily.
The Developer: A Public Threat
The shelter is being developed by David Levitan, whose name is synonymous with tenant abuse, unsafe buildings, and unchecked profiteering. With thousands of open housing violations, Levitan’s portfolio of shelters and buildings has been repeatedly flagged by media and oversight bodies for endangering vulnerable populations. He is currently under scrutiny for unsafe construction practices at the 25th Street site itself, with a rushed renovation disturbing an asbestos-laden building next to a Pre-K.
Call for a Criminal Investigation
During the De Blasio administration, and continuing now under Adams, multimillion-dollar contracts have been quietly handed to non-profits who work with developers like Levitan with minimal oversight. Greenwood Heights, in particular, has become a target for hotel and warehouse-style shelters. A polluted, hazardous, and poorly constructed shelter is being forced into a neighborhood that already houses more shelter beds per capita than almost anywhere else in the city, violating established city policies.
The city’s decision to work again with Levitan raises deep concerns about corruption and cronyism. We demand a full investigation by the New York State Attorney General, the Brooklyn District Attorney, or the Eastern District of New York into the awarding of this contract—and others—the legality of the development process, and any backroom dealings between DSS, lobbyists, and the developer.
Community Outrage and Urgent Demands
Our community comprises working-class residents and small business owners who rely on elected officials to act in the public interest. Instead, we face silence and neglect from elected officials who can intervene. We are calling on Mayor’s Office, Commissioner Molly Park, City Council leadership, and all city and state oversight bodies to:
- Immediately halt construction at 225 25th Street;
- Enforce New York City’s Fair Share Policy, including a moratorium on new shelters in Greenwood Heights until equitable distribution citywide is achieved;
- Support permanent housing and dignified, community-based care models, not dangerous warehouse shelters that negatively impact both residents and shelter occupants.
This is not about NIMBYism. We support safe, humane housing and comprehensive services for those in need. But warehouse shelters siloed in limited neighborhoods and developed by bad actors are a failed model—dangerous for permanent and temporary residents. Greenwood Heights will not be sacrificed to political negligence and developer greed.
We stand united and will continue to organize, speak out, and fight for a fair and just city.
