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A new homeless shelter housing up to 200 men is slated to open on the Upper East Side, Community Board 8 announced this week.
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The facility will be located at 1114 First Avenue, at the corner of East 61st Street, in the building above the Goodwill store. The Department of Homeless Services confirmed details to East Side Feed following CB8’s announcement.“As we continue to transform the shelter system – closing substandard sites and opening new, high-quality facilities across the five boroughs – our focus lies squarely on enhancing the services we provide and ensuring that every community has the requisite safety net resources to support their neighbors in need,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.
The shelter will be the first traditional single-adult shelter facility in Council District 5, which DHS says currently has a very limited shelter footprint. The facility is expected to open in spring 2026.
“I don’t want anybody to get crazy, but there is going to be a new homeless shelter on the Upper East Side,” CB8 Chair Valerie Mason said at this week’s board meeting, adding that the shelter is not anticipated to open before March.
The shelter will be operated by Housing Solutions of New York, the same organization currently running the Welcome Center at 419 East 91st Street, which opened late last year.
HSNY will provide an array of on-site services including case management, individual and group counseling, permanency planning and housing placement assistance, medical and mental health services, support groups, independent living and life skills workshops, and employment assistance.
Off-site service linkages will include primary healthcare, supplementary health and mental health services, referrals to substance use treatment, vocational training, employment placement, GED instruction, conflict mediation, and legal services. HSNY will also work with the community board, local elected officials, and neighbors to facilitate employment opportunities for shelter residents.
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Because the site falls within 1,000 feet of a school, it will have SARA restrictions, which prevent individuals convicted of certain sex offenses from residing within 1,000 feet of a school while on parole or probation. There will also be an 11 p.m. curfew, Mason said.HSNY will provide around-the-clock on-site security, with officers stationed at the entrance to control building access. DHS says 80 security cameras will be installed throughout the building and across the shelter grounds, with recordings made available to authorities if needed. Security staff will also conduct community patrols around the location.
The organization will maintain a 24-hour phone line for community feedback and concerns.
DHS is expected to present details to the community at a CB8 meeting next month via Zoom, though a specific date has not yet been set. Residents can monitor the CB8 calendar at cb8m.com for scheduling updates. You can also sign up for their newsletter.
DHS says it will establish a Community Advisory Board to hold regular meetings and maintain direct communication between shelter staff, including security, and the surrounding community.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with our experienced not-for-profit provider, Housing Solutions of New York, and this Upper East Side community to support our vulnerable neighbors as they work to get back on their feet and transition to permanent housing,” the DHS spokesperson said.
CB8 is also coordinating with the NYPD and Council Member Julie Menin’s office on the project.
The building at 1114 First Avenue was purchased by Bayrock Capital for $19 million in 2024. The New York-based investment firm was also the previous owner of 419 East 91st Street and 160 West 74th Street, a former school building which is now a shelter site.
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