Protesters decry homeless at hotel

Meadowmere Park Civic Association members are upset at the lack of transparency, communication and regulation when it comes to the housing of homeless people by the New York City Department of Homeless Services at the Holiday Inn at 154-71 Brookville Blvd., in an area of Queens near the Nassau County border. 

Civic association members who live in the enclave of nearly 90 homes off Rockaway Turnpike say their quality of life is being threatened. More than 60 Meadowmere Park and Queens residents took part in a rally outside the 201-room Holiday Inn on Sunday to air their concerns.

Diane Kirchner, a member of the Meadowmere Park and Rosedale civic associations, said that using commercial hotels to accommodate homeless people is not something that government officials should hide from the public. “It needs to be transparent to these communities and the community boards,” she said. “We are perplexed that there was no notification or public input prior to implementing this homeless shelter, and quite frankly, we feel that Mayor [Bill] de Blasio’s solutions to homelessness are ineffective.” 

As of Oct. 2, 59,887 people live in homeless shelters throughout the city, according to the Department of Homeless Services. In February, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeless Services confirmed that some of them were living at the Holiday Inn. “This group of protesters is opposed to both the creation of new shelters and the renting of hotel rooms until new shelters can be built,” said another spokeswoman, Lauren Gray. “Their demands would put homeless New Yorkers on the street.” 

Homeless men lingering on Rockaway Turnpike is a recurring issue, according to Kirchner and Ruth Samuelson, a Meadowmere Park resident and the president of its civic association. “Mostly I’m concerned about the children,” Samuelson said. 

During a fire call in February 2015, firefighters saw that several men were apparently living in the hotel long-term. With the help of then State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) and media coverage, the men were removed in May 2015. Kaminsky is now a state senator.

Residents began noticing the men again last October. Kirchner said she documented three registered Level 3 sex offenders at the hotel’s address in 2014 and 2015, using the state Division of Criminal Justice Services’ Public Registry of Sex Offenders, although none are staying there currently.

Kaminsky wrote a letter earlier this year to the New York City Human Resources Administration, seeking an explanation, particularly after finding out about one of the sex offenders. He was told that no sex offenders were staying at the hotel. “The mayor should realize that using hotels, especially those as far away from essential social services, transportation and schools, like this one that borders Nassau County, aren’t fair to those people who are homeless or to those who live in the surrounding communities like Meadowmere,” Kaminsky said in a statement. 

“There is a definite uptick in homeless activity,” said an employee at Customers Kitchen & Bath, at 252-02 Rockaway Blvd. in Rosedale, who declined to be identified. He said he had worked at the store for three years, and added, “After a while, you know who lives here and who doesn’t.” He said he had noticed more people he had never seen before, by themselves and sometimes in groups. 

“The Holiday Inn New York JFK Airport area hotel is an independently owned and operated franchised property,” said Caroline Huston, a spokeswoman for the InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns the Holiday Inn franchise. “We are investigating the situation, and will determine if any further action is needed.” IHG did not respond to a request for comment on the sex offenders formerly listed at the hotel’s address by press time. 

“We empower our hotels to support guests, colleagues and local communities in times of need with financial support, vital supplies and accommodation,” reads a statement on the IHG website. The Brookville Boulevard Holiday Inn is part of the franchise, but is independently owned by M&R Management. The company did not respond to a request for comment by press time. 

New York City Councilman Donovan Richards Jr. represents District 31, where the hotel is located. “We are working with everyone to ensure that it’s not a burden on the community,” Jordan Gibbons, a spokesman for Richards, said of the hotel. 

Have an opinion about hotels providing shelter to homeless people? Send your letter to the editor to jbessen@liherald.com.