East Elmhurst Homeless Shelter Needs More Security, Neighbors Say

EAST ELMHURST, QUEENS — East Elmhurst residents are calling for more security in and around a homeless shelter where a man was stabbed to death this week.

A stone's throw from LaGuardia Airport, the Landing Family Shelter became the site of a crime scene Tuesday night when a still-unidentified man was stabbed twice in the torso in an attack by a Brooklyn man identified by the New York Daily News as a former shelter resident.

The NYPD arrested 34-year-old East New York resident Richardo Henry two days later.

"The shelter had a responsibility to provide security inside and outside of the shelter," Hiram Monserrate, a former City Council member and state senator who lives in the neighborhood, said during a press conference Thursday outside the shelter.

CAMBA, the nonprofit that runs the shelter, and the city Department of Homeless Services did not respond to requests for comment.

Local activists, including members of the Ditmars Block Assocation and the East Elmhurst Corona Alliance, called for the city to suspend its contract with the nonprofit over the slaying and criticized the use of hotels as makeshift shelters, as is the case with the Landing Family Shelter.

"A poorly-maintained hotel room is not a home," Monserrate added in a statement. "These facilities lack essential services, and this shelter plan is a Band-Aid approach to the issue of homelessness in our city."

Tony Laroche, a member of the Ditmars Block Association, said he wants to start a dialogue between CAMBA and the shelter's neighbors, adding that the shelter has no community advisory board to facilitate that relationship — even though the city has pledged to create these advisory boards at each shelter it opens.

"We're not against them being here," he said. "We just want to make sure they're safe here."

One man standing nearby came over to ask what they’re doing to help. He said his wife and daughter are at the shelter.

Tony Laroche from the block association replies, “We’re just asking for you to get more security to help you here, that’s what we’re reaching out for.” pic.twitter.com/qWQ1EEpzWJ
— Maya Kaufman (@mayakauf) November 7, 2019