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Public hearing set for Kingsbridge homeless center

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The final decision about what will happen with the 5731 Broadway could come at a public meeting in two weeks.

The city's homeless services department have scheduled a public hearing for the proposed homeless shelter in Kingsbridge for Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. Anyone wanting to attend will have to commute a bit — it takes place at 1 Centre St., Mezzanine, in Manhattan.

No other details on how the department will receive public comments was offered, but the meeting will be an open meeting.

During a Community Board 8 land use committee meeting last week, DHS deputy commissioner Jackie Bray said the final contract to use the 83 units for homeless families transitioning to independent residences would be signed after this public meeting, unless the organization decided to go in a different direction.

DHS created an uproar late last month when it was revealed the new apartment building — which was originally announced to have "market-rate" housing — would instead be a homeless center. In the process, DHS said it was closing its operations at the nearby Van Cortlandt Motel.

CB8 members have called for homeless services to open a permanent homeless center instead. Bray, however, indicated that such an option wasn't available to them for this site.

Homeless, Jackie Bray

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