Migrant Crisis: Asm. Pirozzolo, Sen. Lanza, BP Fossella, Other Staten Island Politicians Fighting Against Nursing Home Conversion to Shelter, Demand Accountability

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Long-time Staten Islander News article and video contributor Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo, along with Senator Lanza, Borough President Fossella, and other local politicians representing Staten Island held a press conference at the site of the former Island Shores Nursing Home. This nursing home is owned by a non-profit called Homes for the Homeless.

Months ago, the residents of the nursing home, many of whom are veterans or low-income, were evicted. The owners of the property stated publicly, as well as to several of the attending elected officials, that the property would be sold to someone that would maintain it as a senior living facility.

These politicians then contacted the charity in order to provide them with leads for interested buyers who would have kept the facility as an assisted living and nursing home facility. The real estate leads provided were not followed up on, and the nursing home was not sold to another senior living facility.

Instead, the politicians found out through the City that it had entered into a contract with the charity to use the facility as an emergency migrant shelter. Several of the politicians point out that many of the former residents were forced to move to nursing homes and assisted living facilities that provided inferior levels of care to this one.

Asm. Pirozzolo, who is himself descended from immigrants that entered this country legally, points out that the cost for illegal immigration to the United States is tens of thousands of dollars, which is a similar cost to that of entering the country legally. He contends that these same people can hire an immigration layer and use the legal channels to come to the United States.

These migrants are coming into the United States through Mexico from all over the world. BP Fossella mentions that the $12 billion that the City is going to need to pay for the migrants entering the City illegally seeking asylum amounts to them making a payment of $24,000 for each individual resident of New York City, or $100,000 per family. That is to give people an idea of what the costs discussed by the Mayor mean in real life, and what is being taken from the residents of the City in order to be given to these asylum-seekers.

Senator Lanza is demanding accountabililty from this charity with regard to the City. He maintains that there were no Requests-For-Proposals (RFPs) submitted by any other companies who were seeking this same type of contract with the City for the emergency migrant shelter at the nursing home. There is usually a long process in order for the City to justify spending taxpayer money on any project.

The politicians are requesting that the migrants return to Manhattan and other boroughs in New York City. The communities on Staten Island have contacted the politicians, as well as held protests, in order to show that some of them do not want the migrants to be placed in these residential neighborhoods.

The St John Villa Academy is another migrant shelter that is facing community pushback, where some residents have been protesting the presence of migrants there.

There have been numerous protests, in fact nearly every day, by local residents that are opposed to the use of that school as a migrant shelter. The residents who have protested at the nursing home are demanding that the affordable senior housing center reopen for its previous purpose.

Senator Lanza is also calling for an investigation by the NYC Comptroller regarding this matter. He wants to know, and believes that the residents of NYC have the right to know, how their taxpayer money is being spent. He also demands to know what the people in charge of this company are being paid. With regard to that matter, you can view their Form 990 by visiting here.

Assemblymember Carr mentions that there is a large number of elderly people in the community that are in need of affordable senior housing. Carr also stated that the charity had been in contact with his office, where the spokespeople denied that it was not going to remain senior housing until the politicians found out from the City that the former nursing home would become a migrant shelter.

Asm. Michael Reilly reminds the listeners about a similar situation that occurred at the senior living facility in Manhattan called Riverview. CBS News reported on this issue when the community was fighting to save their senior living facility. This Manhattan property was owned by this same charity. Unfortunately, the community response was not sufficient to save the senior’s housing, and this residence was converted into a shelter.

Senator Lanza also mentions that in order to cut the budget sufficiently to afford to handle this migrant crisis, they will have to cut many City jobs. They will have to fire teachers, firefighters, and other essential municipal workers.

Most importantly, the politicians are calling for the migrant shelter to be returned to the senior citizens in the community. Staten Island, and in fact all of New York City, needs more affordable senior living centers. All of the politicians are calling for the property to be sold to another senior housing operator, and they want the migrants to be relocated back to the City.

Banner Image: Video cover. Image Credit – Staten Islander Newsated back to the City. Banner Image: Video cover. Image Credit – Staten Islander News


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This byline indicates that this article was penned by a member/members of the Staten Islander News Organization office team. Our staff writers are the backbone of our newspaper, performing all sorts of important tasks like conducting interviews, investigating leads, besides writing the news stories you see.

One Comment

  • Avatar Justice Concerned Individual says:

    Every sports field on Staten Island should become a settle mint for migrants. There are over 200 schools on Staten Island.

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