Bronx Elected Officials Back Legislation That Would Keep Level Two & Three Sex Offenders Out of Shelters Where Families With Children Reside
State Senator and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester), together with Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Councilman James Vacca , members of Community Board 10, the Ferry Point Park Civic Association and Friends of Ferry Point Park today called on the New York City Department of Homeless Services to ban level two and level three sex offenders from temporary emergency housing and homeless shelters used to house families with children. (In the background of the photo above is the old Capri Motel now called the 'Crystal Family Residence' a 95 room city family shelter which now services about 200 people including children, and 2 reported high level sex offenders).
“Allowing high-level sex offenders to stay in family shelters where vulnerable women and children are trying to get back on their feet is not only troublesome but dangerous. With more than 60,000 homeless New Yorkers sleeping in New York City shelters and thousands more out on the street, we need to take every measure to protect those in our care,” said Senator Klein. “That’s why I have introduced legislation in the State Senate that would prohibit the NYC Department of Homeless Services from placing these risky offenders in shelters housing women and children. This is a critical measure in ensuring the safety and security of all homeless New Yorkers and I look forward to working with my partners in Albany to see this important piece of legislation passed in the coming weeks and months.”
The renewed call comes in response to shocking revelations and widespread press reports that two male sex offenders currently reside at the Crystal Family Residence, a new 95-room family shelter and former location of the controversial Capri Whitestone Motel in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. Curtis Bolden, a 58-year-old male, convicted on two counts of rape in the first degree and released from prison in 2010, was found to be living at the shelter on January 15th. One week later, James Bryant, a 50-year-old male convicted of molesting a 7-year-old child, was also found to be living at the family shelter.
Senator Klein’s legislation (S.S851-2015) would prevent harmful predators, including level two and level three sex offenders, from being housed in family shelters and require by law that they be placed in adult-only shelters or shelters without children. This important legislation would bring the shelter system up to speed with current social services law that bars level two and level three sex offenders from living in public housing.
“The Department of Homeless services had acted with arrogance when they forced this shelter upon our community and refused to work with with elected leaders in finding an alternative site,” said Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. “Now they have apparently shown incompetence in selecting a managing agent who doesn’t bother checking whether they are putting sex offenders in a shelter where young children are being housed. This is intolerable.”
“Our shelters are safe havens for families and children experiencing the most difficult of hardships,” said Bronx Councilman James Vacca. “We cannot, in good conscience, accept the risk of allowing sex offenders to live in close quarters with these already vulnerable families.”
The Crystal Family Residence is a family homeless shelter located at 555 Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx. The new residence was converted from the former hot-sheet hotel, the Capri Whitestone, in September, 2014.
Councilman Vacca expresses his outrage at the lack of screening of residents at this residence.
Assemblyman Benedetto is also outraged that the city could do something like this with little or no regard to the community.
