320 Pearl

The Safe Haven shelter at 320 Pearl next to Peck Slip School was opened during the stretch of brutal weather we had this winter, and will stay open — the city defended its placement by filing a new Fair Share statement. The city’s Fair Share policy is designed to ensure that certain city facilities — such as jails, homeless shelters and sanitation garages — are distributed equitably across all neighborhoods citywide.

The second shelter at 41-43 Beekman is also on track, with an anticipated late 2027 opening. That will be a long-term shelter for 170 single men in a five-story residential building between William and Gold. The city has been prepping for that since 2023.

41-43 Beekman

The city’s Department of Homeless Service’s press office clarified that when the community group Peckslip Advocates for School Safety challenged the agency’s siting process in court, the judge ruled that the approval process was flawed — that the city failed to demonstrate that it fully considered all potential negative effects of the shelter. The city answered that with the new Fair Share statement in early February and was then able to proceed, it seems, without the judge reviewing the new statement.

“We have remained in close contact with this community and local elected officials, taking steps to address their concerns ahead of opening,” a spokesman for DHS said. “As always, we will maintain these lines of communication, work to address additional concerns as they arise, and collaborate with the community to support our vulnerable neighbors as they come inside and begin their journey to stability.”

The Pearl Street Safe Haven is operated by Breaking Ground and offers 106 beds for both older men and women and the medically frail. The agency said the majority of people placed there are already living unsheltered in the area.

Safe Haven shelters are low barrier shelters, meaning there are fewer rules for residents and they are not required to be sober or drug-free. They are designed to get the most intransigent homeless off the streets. Breaking Ground will provide around-the-clock, on-site security, the DHS said. Also, approximately 60 security cameras will be installed throughout the building. These cameras allow security officers to continually monitor compliance with house regulations and “good neighbor” policies both in and around the facility.

Breaking Ground will also:

• install privacy screening material on all interior windows facing the adjacent school
• limit the ability to open all Safe Haven windows to 4 inches
• install a canopy over the outdoor interior courtyard that obstructs the view from above

“Safe Havens provide specialized overnight beds as well as both physical and program characteristics that are specifically designed to address these individuals’ unique needs, including, for example, featuring smaller physical settings and as more hands-on and intimate case management,” DHS said. “Safe Havens coordinate closely with outreach teams, who refer individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness directly for placement.”

[I will note that the DHS asked me to avoid revealing the full addresses, since city shelter locations are on a protected list, but I don’t really see how that applies here since 1) the sites were discussed at public meetings and 2) everyone already knows the buildings we are talking about.]