Clock ticking to do right thing

To the editor:

(re: “Housing is a human right, and why we support shelter,” Nov. 11)

There’s only one thing worse than a politician’s lecture about your civic obligations as a New York City resident: The same lecture from a politician who lives outside the five boroughs.

Congratulations to Congressman Jamaal Bowman and state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi for insulting their constituents in North Riverdale — and, even worse, missing the point regarding the proposed placement of a men’s shelter in the neighborhood.

Let’s start with a bit of history lesson. For decades, North Riverdale — an area represented by both politicians — has become the de facto site for supportive and special needs housing in our district. In order to ensure an equitable distribution of these facilities, the city operates under a “fair share” policy requiring every neighborhood citywide to provide shelter and support for those in need: the homeless, at-risk youth, low-income senior citizens or disabled adults.

We already do our part in North Riverdale — more so than any other neighborhood in this district. More so than most communities in New York City. Our small corner of the world hosts a heavy concentration of special needs and supportive housing. We are oversaturated. And, based on the city’s policies, we should be at the back of the line in siting future facilities.

The population served under this latest proposal is irrelevant. This community is at its breaking point with special and supportive housing.

As the residents of North Riverdale scramble to address this ill-conceived and wrongly sited plan, Bowman (of Yonkers) and Biaggi (of Pelham Bay) need to change course immediately and stop construction of another outsized special needs housing unit in North Riverdale.

Be the progressive leaders you promise to be and start the difficult conversation on how every community needs to contribute. It’s the right and fair thing to do for this city, and for the North Riverdale community you represent. Doing nothing only pits the interests of our neighborhood against others with few — if any — supportive housing facilities.

Force city and state agencies to do their jobs. Equitably distribute supportive housing, rather than divide the people of this city into warring camps.

The common foe here is not homeless people or our neighbors. It’s lazy bureaucrats and fat-cat non-profits. That’s why we need political leadership that will challenge this status quo and ensure everyone in our city contributes equally in helping at-risk citizens.

Congressman Bowman and Sen. Biaggi: It’s not too late to do the right thing, but the clock is ticking. Act now.

Damian McShane

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