PA Williams, UWS Community + Shelter Residents Wrap Lucerne Hotel in Ribbon of Love

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NEW YORK, NY (10/04/2020) (readMedia)-- UPDATE: NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams will join together today with UWS Open Hearts Initiative, shelter residents currently housed at the Lucerne Hotel, elected officials, and other leaders to hold a single ribbon surrounding the Lucerne Hotel in solidarity against segregationist attempts to displace the community. The ribbon will form a "symbolic blockade" of the Lucerne hotel, showing solidarity between the UWS community and shelter residents, while the group sings protest songs.

Clients of Project Renewal were placed at the Lucerne in late July, after being transferred from another hotel in Midtown following community objections. Temporary hotel shelters are being used by the Department of Homeless services (DHS) to stop the spread of COVID-19 in congregate shelters. Recently, Mayor de Blasio caved to backlash from some wealthy members of the Upper West Side who started a racist Facebook group, raised 150K, and hired Randy Mastro to get the residents of the Lucerne relocated to another hotel in Lower Manhattan. The eviction was initially scheduled for Monday, and now is being delayed in the wake of similar objections from the downtown neighborhood.

UWS Open Hearts will also run a voter registration drive and Free Store for shelter residents at the event, with food provided by Feed the Frontlines NYC. Flyer is attached.