Block Association 'Deeply Disappointed' Gowanus Migrant Shelter Has Opened

Neighbors are incensed a shelter for 400 migrant men quietly opened in an old factory at 130 3rd Street — just down the street from Whole Foods — in Gowanus on Saturday without promised safety measures.

Stated concerns include a lack of testing for potential toxic contamination and a “high density of male-only residents” near schools and playgrounds. “The proliferation of migrants in Carroll Park this weekend validates our concerns,” said the president of the Third Street Block Association, Robert Mesnard, in an emailed statement.

The group in February filed suit against the city, building landlord, and shelter operator alleging use of the property as a shelter violates zoning and building codes and any residential conversion would first require environmental testing and potential remediation. Arguments in the case are set to be heard in state supreme court April 17, a block association member told Brownstoner.

As well, the shelter operator was a no-show at two recent police precinct community outreach meetings where they were scheduled to speak, according to Mesnard.

Below is the block association’s statement in full:

“April 8, 2024
STATEMENT BY ROBERT MESNARD, PRESIDENT OF THIRD STREET BLOCK ASSOCIATION, BROOKLYN
RE: OPENING OF GOWANUS MIGRANT SHELTER ON 130 3rd STREET
The Third Street Block Association and many of our residents in the Gowanus/Carroll Gardens neighborhood are deeply disappointed with the premature opening of the 130 3rd Street 400-plus men’s migrant shelter as it is suspected to be contaminated and unfit for human habitation. In addition, Mayor Adams and our local elected officials are abundantly aware the contractor chosen to run [the] Gowanus migrant shelter, BHRAGs, has no experience or track record in shelter management. Further, we are seriously concerned about the high density of male-only residents at the shelter within 1,000 feet of our early education schools and children’s playgrounds. The proliferation of migrants in Carroll Park this weekend validates our concerns.
The Gowanus migrant shelter proceeded without any final or approvals required by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the NYS Department of Environmental Protection (DEC), and the NYC Office of Environmental Remediation (OER). Residential development has been denied unless comprehensive testing and remediation requiring extensive soil treatment and vapor protections are installed. None of those tests or treatments have been implemented at 130 3rd Street where Mayor Adams has located 400 single men for a contracted period of 10 years.
The use of this property without testing and remediation violates New York City zoning rules and New York State environmental standards and places all residents and migrants in danger and exposes the City to long term liability that taxpayers will be responsible for.
BHRAGS representatives failed to attend the recent two community outreach meetings held by the local 76 Precinct where they were scheduled to answer community concerns. Consequently, the neighborhood surrounding the shelter has seen that BHRAGS and Mayor Adams have little interest in keeping the neighborhood informed and safe.”

Brownstoner reached out for comment to shelter operator BHRAGS Home Care Corp., whose VP of Shelter Operations Yolanda Fuksman emailed:

“Regarding the soil, the landlord has conducted the soil vapor intrusion test and city experts have also reviewed the test and deemed no current health risk to residents. The DEC is also in the process of conducting a non-mandatory test — so we are taking every step possible and ensuring that we are conducting our due diligence.
In regard to not attending the last 76 Precinct meeting, we are committed to working with the local community to address any concerns or comments they have, as well as attending as many community meetings as our schedules will allow. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it to the last meeting and for very good reasons.”

Meanwhile, since October the DEC has been trying to access the site to perform independent testing for toxic contamination but has not yet been able to get in, The City reported earlier this week. The city’s Department of Social Services has instead relied on a test from building landlord David Levitan, the details of which have not been made public. A spokesperson for the city agency told The City “the city’s technical agencies reviewed the results from the [landlord’s] Vapor Intrusion Survey at the site and found that the results do not indicate a current health risk to building occupants.”

The opening of the facility without advance testing from the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is unexpected. At a contentious public meeting last month about the planned shelter, as Brownstoner reported at the time, Department of Social Services Chief Strategy Officer Chris Gonzalez assured the crowd the facility would not open until it had all the appropriate approvals from city agencies and the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

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