Manhattan elected officials are asking Mayor Eric Adams for detailed plans on the city’s opening of Midtown’s iconic Roosevelt Hotel as it prepares to reopen as an “asylum seeker arrival center” to handle the crush of new immigrants this Friday.
“As the elected officials representing the Roosevelt Hotel and nearby areas, we want to ensure the opening of the shelter is done in a safe and secure manner for both the families housed there and the neighboring community,” wrote the pair, along with Democrats Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, state Senators Liz Krueger and Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblymembers Alex Bores and Tony Simone in a copy of the document obtained by The Post.
“We recognize the challenging situation that New York City faces with the arrival of over 65,000 asylum seekers in the past year, with more expected to arrive soon.
“We appreciate your administration’s efforts to provide places for individuals and families to reside, and acknowledge that the Roosevelt Hotel provides an opportunity to address this crisis immediately.”
Manhattan elected officials are asking Mayor Eric Adams for detailed plans on the city’s opening of Midtown’s iconic Roosevelt Hotel. James Messerschmidt for NY Post
The hotel is preparing to reopen as an “asylum seeker arrival center” to handle the crush of new immigrants this Friday. Matthew McDermott for NY PostThe city has received upwards of 65,000 individuals from the southern border since last spring, with over 41,000 currently living in taxpayer-funded shelters.
It’s pushed the city to open upwards of 150 “emergency” shelters — mainly hotels across the five boroughs — to house asylum seekers.
Struggling to find space, the Adams administration began bussing migrants to several upstate counties earlier this month and even suspended a decades-old “right to shelter” requirement governing how the city cares for its homeless population.
City Councilman Keith Powers and Rep. Jerrold Nadler sent a letter to City Hall on Wednesday, asking how exactly the 1,000-room hotel will operate as the Big Apple’s city’s “welcome center” for migrants going forward. Stefan Jeremiah for NY Post
The letter stated, “As the elected officials representing the Roosevelt Hotel and nearby areas, we want to ensure the opening of the shelter is done in a safe and secure manner for both the families housed there and the neighboring community.” Stephen YangOn Wednesday, Adams said that hotels currently contracted to provide shelter for migrants have reached nearly 50% capacity.
The pols’ list of questions include:
- What is the average expected length of stay for families?
- What do we expect the breakdown to be between families and single adults?
- Where are the specific schools that children will be sent to? How will overcrowding be addressed? Additionally, how will enhanced English Language Learner (ELL) services be provided?
- Which city agency will be the primary operator of the shelter?
- How will individuals be fed? The shelter will require professional, large-scale food preparation on a daily basis.
- Who is the private contractor that the city is hiring to provide security?
- How will the operator handle disruptive or disorderly individuals?
- What is the maximum capacity for individuals to be housed at the Roosevelt Hotel HERRC? When does the City expect to hit that capacity?
- The building’s entrance is on a narrow, crowded side street with complex construction projects nearby. What plans are in place to address traffic complications from the buses transporting individuals to and from the shelter?
Starting Friday, up to 175 rooms will open up for children and families.
An additional 850 rooms will be opened up when the operation reaches full strength.
“We thank the elected officials for their questions and will respond to our partners, as we always do,” said Adams spokesman Fabien Levy in a statement to The Post.
