Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“The opening of the Morris Avenue Safe Haven, and others like it, will provide unhoused New Yorkers a place to live, heal, and be cared for,” Mayor Adams said.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the opening of the Morris Avenue Safe Haven site in the Bronx, which will connect New Yorkers experiencing homelessness with access to high-quality shelters and services.
The facility will provide 80 beds to New Yorkers in need and will offer dedicated services and medical care on-site, including supports to address mental health and substance use challenges, Adams said. This Safe Haven is also part of the approximately 500 new low-barrier beds Adams announced as part of his Subway Safety Plan last month.
“For too long there have been New Yorkers unseen by our government, but we will no longer abandon our brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness to lives of suffering and pain,” said Adams. “The opening of the Morris Avenue Safe Haven, and others like it, will provide unhoused New Yorkers a place to live, heal, and be cared for. Not only are we offering safe spaces to those experiencing homelessness, but we’re offering New Yorkers second chances. The 80 beds at this location will be a part of the 500 beds opening in the coming weeks. Instead of trapping New Yorkers in a labyrinth of despair, we are making sure those who have been lost are found again by providing a path to stability, long-term housing, lasting community, and common purpose.”
At this location, shelter provider Care for the Homeless will also operate a Federally-Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC). This full-service licensed health center will provide comprehensive primary health care and behavioral health care to the residents on site, as well as other individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the area.
Safe Havens and stabilization beds are small-scale, low-barrier programs specifically tailored for individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness who may be resistant to accepting or who may not be best served by other services, including traditional transitional housing settings. These facilities provide specialized beds and physical and program characteristics specifically meant to address individuals’ unique needs, including smaller physical settings, as well as on-site services and compassionate staff who work closely with these New Yorkers to build trust, stabilize lives, and encourage further transition off the streets and ultimately into permanent housing.
“We are doubling down on our commitment to help New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness get back on their feet, which is why we continue to develop specialized resources dedicated to helping New Yorkers in need come off the streets and subways, with thousands of such beds already serving vulnerable New Yorkers citywide,” said City Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary Jenkins. “This Safe Haven builds on our commitment, and in partnership with not-for-profit provider-partner Care for the Homeless, this site will prove to be a vital resource for our neighbors in need — helping stabilize their lives while encouraging further transition into more permanent housing settings. While there is always more work to be done, New Yorkers should be proud of the positive impact our outreach teams have had on so many lives — and we remain focused on redoubling those efforts and reaching those New Yorkers we have not been able to reach yet, rebuilding trust, and making those important breakthroughs in a caring and compassionate manner.”
