CLINTON HILL, Brooklyn (PIX11)—Dozens of Brooklynites rallied Thursday, voicing their frustrations about a migrant shelter in Clinton Hill that neighbors said is impacting their quality of life. They cited several concerns.
The migrant shelter at 47 Hall Street has become a focal point of contention for neighbors who said the influx of more than 3,200 asylum seekers living at the site is overwhelming the neighborhood.
Demonstrators at the rally highlighted a range of concerns, from excess trash to loitering and a surge of homelessness under the BQE among migrants forced to leave the site after their 30-day stay expired.
“Really, it’s overcrowded,” said Yukiko Marshall, who lives in the neighborhood. “It’s impacting — well as the quality of life. You come out your door. Used to the quiet and quaint — now you got droves of people up and down all times of the night. No curfew.”
Neighbors also expressed fears for their safety following a stabbing incident outside the shelter last week. According to police, the man arrested lives in the neighboring shelter on Ryerson Street. That incident heightened anxiety and is amplifying calls for immediate action.
“If they’re committing crimes right within themselves, we are fearful that it may spill out into the community,” said Renee Collymore, who organized the rally.
Despite their grievances, residents are not calling for the shelter to close but for the city to reduce the number of migrants housed there and allocate resources to improve conditions at the site and the surrounding area.
“Take some of the migrants and spread them across Brooklyn. Every area of Brooklyn should be able to hold their fair share of migrants,” a resident said.
A spokesperson for city hall said they understand the frustration. In a statement, the spokesperson told PIX11:
"While we agree that housing thousands of individuals in large sites is not ideal, as we have said repeatedly, we have been out of viable options for months now — especially as hundreds of additional migrants continue to arrive every single week asking for shelter."
The spokesperson did not make mention of any potential plans to reduce the number of migrants at the shelter, only adding that they are continuing efforts to help migrants take the next step in their journeys while reducing strain on the shelter system.
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