The Continental, a new Safe Haven Shelter at 83-97 Apollo Street in Greenpoint, plans to open sometime in May. The facility will house about 145 men and women referred from New York City’s Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement Street Action Teams (HOME-STAT). Referred individuals will mostly be from the streets of Brooklyn, but they will also accept individuals from Queens and Manhattan.
Safe Haven shelters, like the Continental, are low-barrier, meaning that people can come directly off the streets to receive on-site services, and there is no curfew or limit on their stay. Individuals will keep their beds if they return within three days. Usually, individuals remain at the shelter for one year, but every case is different, and the length of stay is increasing due to a lack of housing.
The NYC Department of Social Services (DSS)/Department of Homeless Services (DHS) partnered with not-for-profit Breaking Ground to create the Continental. The facility will be fully ADA accessible, have residential aide staff on each floor, an enclosed roof outdoor space, common areas on each floor, and single and double bedroom configurations.
On April 15, NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler hosted a meeting for the community to ask questions about the new shelter. The primary concern raised by attendees was safety. Residents wondered if the children nearby at P.S. 110 would be safe.
Erin Madden, vice president of Breaking Ground, explained that those staying at the shelter are more likely to be victims of crime than criminals. However, they take security seriously and want to set up their clients for success. Breaking Ground will provide a 24-hour open line for community feedback and the contact information will be shared before opening.
Breaking Ground will have 50 staff members, all trained in de-escalation. Five to seven employees will be on-site, working around the clock to keep individuals in the shelter and the rest of the community safe. Security will monitor access points at all times, and shelter staff will search clients when they enter the building.
In addition, there will be T.V. cameras inside (except for bathrooms and bedrooms), on the roof, and outside the residence. Captain Jonathan A. Navarrete, CO of the 94th Precinct, said the precinct is happy with the number of cameras installed, but if more are needed in the future, they can add additional cameras.
All DSS-DHS facilities have a “Good Neighbor Policy” outlining client behavior expectations. If an individual breaks the rules, the social service provider staff will work with them to resolve questions. If the violation persists, the individual may transfer to a different DSS-DHS location. Breaking Ground patrols the community to ensure clients are not distressed and follow the “Good Neighbor” policy.
“Our recipe: compassion, patience, and persistence,” Madden said. “We will never give up on our clients. Services are accepted voluntarily. We keep working with them until they get into permanent housing.”
The community will have an opportunity to be involved. Restler will create a community advisory board, including the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. The Safe Haven will accept donations of books, clothes, and coats. Look at the Breaking Ground website: https://breakingground.org/ for volunteer and work opportunities.
The Continental’s lease will last nine years, with a five year lease and four year renewal. Following, it will be renewed depending on the need for shelters. Breaking Ground will not be expanding the facilities at any point.
“We struggle to get homeless people in shelters,” Restler said. “But it’s easier to get them into Safe Haven shelters.”
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