First Meeting of Community Homelessness Committee Is Jan. 5

WINDSOR TERRACE, BROOKLYN — The first meeting of Community Board 7's Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness will take place on Jan. 5. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the CB 7 office, located at 4201 4th Ave. (the entrance is on the building's 43rd Street side). CB 7 represents Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace.

At the meeting, attendees will be able to discuss area homelessness with staffers from the city's Human Resources Administration and Department of Homeless Services. The gathering will also include a discussion of the committee's structure going forward.

Homelessness in CB 7 gained increased attention in 2016, with some residents raising objections to the city's decision to rent rooms for homeless individuals at four local hotels. Those hotels are operating alongside a shelter on 49th Street the city has run since 2015.

CB 7 district manager Jeremy Laufer and Sunset Park Councilman Carlos Menchaca have both said it's important not to stigmatize homeless individuals and families in the neighborhood, but they've also said more information should be provided to the community about the city's homelessness-related actions.

New York City is legally required to provide shelter for those who need it. According to an estimate from activist organization Coalition for the Homeless, there were 62,306 homeless people in the city as of October, 2016, including 15,769 homeless families and 24,121 homeless children.

Pictured at top: CB 7's office in Sunset Park. Image via Google Maps