Councilman Andrew Cohen protests Mens Homeless Shelter Across the Street From PS 20

  Councilman Andrew Cohen was joined by Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, members of Community Board 7, Parents, and students of PS 20 in opposition to the placement of a homeless shelter across the street from PS 20 in the current SAM's Carpeting building. Councilman Cohen spoke about how horrible it would be to have a homeless shelter across the street from a k - 8 school where the vulnerable children would be right across the street from many homeless men. 

  

 Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj spoke of finding nine level two or three sexual predators that were currently living in Bronx Homeless shelters, and most recently holding a press conference outside of one such homeless shelter where one of these level two or three sexual predators was placed by the Department of Homeless Services which also housed families with children. 

 The fact that Sam's Carpet was being thought of for a homeless shelter was brought out at a special August Community Board 7 meeting. At that meeting Councilman Cohen suggested that the community board look for an alternate site for the homeless shelter if the board and community did not want it across the street from PS 20. At that meeting Councilman Cohen even suggested an alternate site, that being the currently empty Feggs building  located at 3600 Jerome Avenue. 

  While Sams Carpet remains open for business, and no renovations on the building are going on it was a different matter for the Feggs building on Jerome Avenue where I stopped on the way to Councilman Cohen's rally at PS 20.

  Here at the empty Feggs building on Jerome Avenue work is going on to modify the building. When I asked what was going on I was directed to the supervisor of the site who said to me that the building was being renovated for a homeless shelter.

  When I questioned Councilman Cohen about him suggesting the Feggs site as an alternate site to having a homeless shelter in the Sams Carpet building across from PS 20. When I said that alterations were going on at the empty Feggs building, and not at Sams Carpet which was still open for business Councilman Cohen played dumb just smiling saying 'from my lips...'.