Aaron Biller speaks out against the 95th Street shelters at a meeting on January 30.
The operator of a controversial temporary homeless shelter on West 95th Street is seeking a new five-year contract worth $47 million, according to a copy of the contract we obtained. But the shelter could be around for much longer than that if it’s approved — the Department of Homeless Services has the option of extending the contract to nine years. We wrote about a plans for the shelter last week, and reported on a new audit targeting the shelter operator.
The shelter’s fate may rest on a decision by Comptroller John Liu on whether to approve the contract. Because the old contract runs out on February 5, Liu’s decision could come shortly.
Aaron Biller, who runs community group Neighborhood in the Nineties, is calling for people to contact Liu and urge him to block the contract. “The future of our beautiful, caring neighborhood is at stake. The Meeting on Wednesday was meant as a charade. The contract for up to nine more years of this double-shelter disaster was signed by Shelter operator Aguila—one of the City’s worst shelter-lords—prepared and signed the contract two months ago and expects the City to sign off on it.”
“Please call the Comptroller directly at 212.669.4185 (ASAP), his assistant, Nancy Cruz or call the general number, 212.669.3500, ask to speak to Mr. Liu or Ms. Cruz. Leave a message if necessary!
– OR _
Send an email IMMEDIATELY to:
Comptroller John C. Liu, c/o Nancy Cruz at ncruz@comptroller.nyc.gov.
A video of Biller speaking at the meeting is below, and his argument for why the shelter should not be approved is here. The video was filmed by James Panero, who posted other videos here.
Below, check out the contract in four parts:
Proposed DHS-Aguila West 95 Street 5 Year Contract Part 1 of 4.pdf by westsiderag
Proposed DHS-Aguila West 95 Street 5 Year Contract Part 2 of 4.pdf by westsiderag
Proposed DHS-Aguila West 95 Street 5 Year Contract Part 3 of 4.pdf by westsiderag
Proposed DHS-Aguila West 95 Street 5 Year Contract Part 4 of 4.pdf by westsiderag
Biller, figure it out! We have two Upper West Sides. The rich white Upper West Side that includes Lincoln Towers, Riverside Boulevard and the Golden Triangle below 72nd Street–where there are virtually no shelters. And then the area above 85th where most of them are located. The high-handed hypocrites in the south of CB 7, below 72nd Street advocate for the poor and homeless–as long as they are located at least a mile north of their posh villas in the sky. The northern 25 blocks of the CB7 district are chock full of facilities–supportive housing, homeless shelters, drug rehab residences, etc., which have the most challenging needs. The people who live in the north are starting to catch on–they’re inundated with the dreams of those are do-gooders in name only. It is only a matter of time before the Moratorium Now movement rears its head and levels the field of play. If the people in the south of CB7 aren’t racists, they’re elitists who talk Trotsky all the way out to their weekend dashas in the Hamptons!
Hear Hear!!!! Funny how the hypocrites who support all of these things don’t live anywhere near them…lots of UES do-gooders who also would be aghast if any of these facilities ended up in their own backyard. Enough is enough, we are so saturated north of the 70s that we risk losing our compassion, fair share is law for a reason, and it needs to be adhered to.
Any update on what’s going on here??
We’re still tracking it, but haven’t heard any news about Liu’s decision. As of Wednesday. he hadn’t received the contract.