NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Upper West Side residents are divided over a local hotel that has been turned into a homeless shelter.
Three hotels in the neighborhood were temporarily turned into homeless shelters amid the coronavirus pandemic, but locals say the presence of the shelter has been causing an uptick in problems throughout the community.
“It's the 70's all over again and that's very sad,” said Tanya Berigan, who has lived on the Upper West Side for over 50 years.
Since the shelters were put in place, residents say they’ve witnessed a flood of lewd behavior and drug use.
While it’s unclear if there been an increase in crime, the Guardian Angels – a group of civilian protectors who wear red jackets and berets as their uniform – have returned to Manhattan to patrol outside the Lucerne Hotel on West 79th Street.
“I was so happy to see them, I gave them a hug and said ‘Thank God you're here,’” Berigan said.
Like many in the neighborhood she's torn, she doesn’t want the litter and drug use to continue but says everyone needs a roof over their head.
The city has moved nearly 300 men into the hotel to remedy overcrowding in homeless shelters on the Lower East Side, ever since social media has been awash with photos of the alleged behaviors.
Though, not all residents are opposed to the idea of sheltering those in need.
Lucy, who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years, says the assumption that “bad things” can’t happen in their own backyard frustrated her.
“If we're a democracy we have to start thinking about taking care of all of the people instead of just the people we want,” she said.
There’s been no word from the city as to if the homeless residents will be moved elsewhere.