BP Fossella, Local Elected Officials, Port Richmond North Shore Alliance to Raise Alarm to Upcoming Migrant Shelter at Faith United Methodist Church
Editor’s note: Staten Islander News has previously covered the proposal by Dr. Rev. Breyer at the Interfaith Church in Harlem to use houses of worship as temporary migrant shelters. This has the potential to save more than $225 per night, since the cost for a bed at a place of worship has been agreed to as $75 per night versus $300+ for a hotel room, such as those currently being utilized. This agreement would appear to be the City’s first attempt to implement this cost (and budget) saving plan, at least on Staten Island.
Methodists, as a faith, have a strong tradition of helping immigrants and refugees, which the current asylum seekers are. This church may just be looking for substantial ways to help in this crisis, which the mayor has made clear is not going away. Other religious sects have similar beliefs.
Staten Island, NY – Borough President Vito Fossella, alongside several local elected officials and members of the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance sounded the alarm to a developing migrant shelter in the heart of Port Richmond. This call took place at a press conference at Faith United Methodist Church on Monday, June 17th at 11:15 AM.
The Borough President and his elected colleagues were notified by the City that Faith United Methodist Church had engaged in an agreement to accept and house migrants.
At the press conference, the coalition of elected officials and community members will inform the community of these developments and issue a call for the agreement to cease for the betterment and well-being of the Port Richmond community.
Note: According to CM Kamila Hanks, this church will be used to house single male migrants, exclusively between the hours of 7pm and 7am. This means that they will be in the area during the daytime, presumably working or looking for work, since they cannot return to the shelter. They cannot legally work, however, as the laws are currently written. There will be 15 temporary cots, and Asm. Pirozzolo’s spokesperson mentions that all 15 of the migrants will be sharing a single shower, as this church was not designed to house people.
All of the elected officials called for an end to the right to shelter policy, stating that people who have just arrived are not entitled to this right. The City does not have the legal responsibility to house them, and these politicians feel that these migrant shelters, regardless of where on the island they are placed, are bad for Staten Island.
Following are quotes from the elected officials made during the press conference:
BP Fossella:
“[Port Richmond] is a great robust community, where people work hard, invest in local storefronts and local restaurants and their own homes. And yet, out of the blue in the dark of night, we were told last week that: ‘Guess what? Despite all your best efforts, we’re going to open a migrant shelter tomorrow’. This is wrong.”
“We come here united. We speak with once voice that this is wrong for the people of Staten Island and for the people of Port Richmond.”
“Port Richmond is on the rise, and to go full circle, the last thing we should do to the people of Port Richmond is hurt them intentionally. It’s wrong, it’s wrong, it’s wrong.”
Councilmember Kamillah Hanks:
“The residents of this district are tired of constantly waking up one day to find that an institution they trusted has made the decision that they feel will have a negative impact on the community and their safety.”
“Port Richmond is the most diverse district on the North Shore, and they celebrate that, but the one thing they have in common is that they are united fiercely in protecting their neighborhood.”
“This approach the administration is taking is changing the fabric of our communities, undermining the trust and stability that these houses of worship have historically provided. While the people of Staten Island, including myself and the people that stand behind me, have boundless compassion and charity, our resources are not. We must ensure that the efforts to help do not compromise the well-being of our residents.”
Chief of Staff Nick Robbins, on behalf of AM Pirozzolo:
“We do not know who these men are, how old they are, where they are coming from, or how sufficiently they have been vetted, if they’ve been vetted to begin with. This is intolerable to the people of Staten Island. We have seen the consequences of our City’s sanctuary and right to shelter laws time and time again.”
“The people of Staten Island have been loud and clear. We are not willing to bear the cost of Joe Biden’s migrant crisis any longer, especially when our City and State fail to meet the most basic needs of New Yorker’s, including our esteemed veterans, seniors and the disabled. It is high time to end this crisis once and for all.”
Banner Image: Press conference still. Image Credit – BP Fossella
About The Author
The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government.
The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities.
In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough.
As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses.
The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.
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