The city opened a homeless shelter for women in Long Island City Oct. 9, spurred by a 9 percent increase in single adult women entering the shelter system.
According to the Queens Courier, the new shelter, which is located at the Verve Hotel at 40-03 29th St., will house up to 200 women. Onsite support services include mental health treatment, health and home coordination, supportive housing and employment services, money management and independent living skills.
The shelter is a part of Community Board 1, which includes parts of Long Island City, and is home to one other shelter, Westway in East Elmhurst.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office held a meeting Friday, Oct. 2 to notify community members about the opening. The services and staff will be provided by the Acacia Network. The average stay for each woman will be 11 months.
“We want these woman to be comfortable. We want them to have a new start,” said Florence Koulouris, district manager for Community Board 1.
A main concern is the shelter’s proximity to Growing Up Green Charter School nearby. Koulouris said the location of the shelter is “a little troublesome” because it’s a residential area.
City officials stated the facility will be supervised around the clock and have security staff stationed on all six floors, including the courtyard, reported the Queens Courier. The front entrance to the shelter is equipped with an X-ray scanner, handheld wand scanner and three security personnel. All floors and public spaces are monitored with cameras, and staff at the operations reception desk will oversee two large video monitors from inside the front lobby.
“We’re seeing more single adult women entering our shelter system, and we want to ensure we can provide shelter and services—including employment services and clinical services—to these women as they rebuild their lives,” said Ishanee Parikh, City Hall deputy press secretary.
The de Blasio administration has invested more than $1 billion over the next four years to address homelessness. There are currently 57,237 individuals in the city’s shelter system, including 12,316 single adults.