Ben T, 26, graphic designer, Brooklyn
I feel like I‘d need to know more, I’d need to research to know if they’re doing a good job or not. If there’s nine opened up in the last two months, that seems good. ... They need shelter right?
On your block? If they were on my block, I don’t' think it bother me that much, you pass them all the time, in New York, it’s not like there’s one big central group, it’s kind of spattered everywhere, so I don’t know if it would really bother me.
Tarique Pehman, 35, engineer, Manhattan
It’s great that homeless shelters are there; they are needed because not everybody has the capability to help themselves. But for those who are capable to help themselves they need to be provided training and jobs.
On your block? I‘d prefer that there’d be designated areas for homeless shelters, just so that everything can be managed and maintained in a more centralized fashion.
Ali, 31, student, Brooklyn
I'd be curious about not just in context of how many beds they’re opening, but as they’re opening those shelters are they closing other shelters? Are they closing mental health services for them? Are they conglomerating things? Are they breaking them apart? So, I can’t really comment on the opening of the shelters. Homelessness is a serious problem in New York.
On your block? I would be open to it on principle, if these people don’t have a fundamental baseline of living and they need a place to stay, that’s totally fine, it’s the whole cities responsibility to take care of the least fortunate of its citizens.
