UWS Open Hearts and Da Homeless Hero to Mayor de Blasio: Save Lives, Stop the Transfers!

NEW YORK, NY (07/22/2021) (readMedia)-- This week, the city began notifying temporary hotel shelter residents that they'll be moved from safe hotels to crowded congregate shelters. In response, Corinne Low of UWS Open Hearts issued the following statement:

"The pause on transfers from Legal Aid gave the Mayor the opportunity to do the right thing. Instead, he's recklessly moving forward with transferring a majority unvaccinated population back to 30-50 person sleeping halls, starting Monday. Let's be very clear: people will die because of this decision. The Delta variant is surging across the city, now making up 75% of cases. Cases are up 248% since June 22nd, and the positivity rate has doubled. We are imploring the Mayor to access his dormant compassion and keep our neighbors safe. Instead of ramming these deadly transfers through, Mayor de Blasio should use Intro 146 to provide an immediate pathway to housing."

Shams DaBaron aka "Da Homeless Hero," said:

"Congregate shelters are death traps. I would know - I got Covid and almost died last year when I was living in one. By moving my homeless brothers and sisters out of hotels and back to congregate death traps, the Mayor is recklessly endangering lives. And he's doing so while he has the power to, right now, open up a pathway to permanent housing for thousands of homeless New Yorkers. Instead of giving this death sentence, Mayor de Blasio should immediately implement Intro 146 to provide homeless New Yorkers not just the chance at a better life, but the chance to survive this pandemic."