New York mayor cites drop in shelter demand
Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday (Dec. 10) that the Red Roof Inn on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie will be among 25 facilities that New York City will stop using as shelters for immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S.Â
The Crossroads Hotel in the Town of Newburgh is also on the list. Migrants will leave the facilities over the next two months. Adams said the number of asylum-seekers that New York City is sheltering has fallen to its lowest point in 17 months.Â
The transport by New York City of 88 migrants to the Red Roof Inn in May 2023 spurred a lawsuit by Dutchess, and other counties challenged the use of their local hotels. New York City said its shelters were full.
A state judge ruled in December 2023 that New York had to remove, within six months, the migrants at the Red Roof Inn. But an appeal by the city stayed the order.
Thank you for reminding readers of the difficult situation immigrants face in Poughkeepsie. I know some of these current and former residents who are seeking asylum and can attest that the shelter has been a lifeline.
The shelter is closing regardless of whether residents have secured other housing. This is causing a crisis. No institution is helping people, many of whom are new English speakers, navigate our stretched housing system.
One person, whose resources and grit are formidable, found housing for their family over the summer through Zillow. Another described looking at apartments in the area, but a combination of high rents, deposits and broker’s fees means that rentals are out of reach. These searches are being done in a new language without assistance and, in one case, after an overnight shift at a fulfillment center.
My heart breaks for the callous way these immigrants are being forced out of housing in the winter. This vibrant, global community is dispersing into an uncertain future.