Protect Peck Slip School Children: Oppose Safe Haven Shelter

PeckSlip Advocates for School Safety is raising funds to immediately pursue legal recourse to push back against the City's arbitrary and negligent decision to open a low barrier Safe Haven shelter attached to Peck Slip School, an elementary school in Lower Manhattan.

Background:

On June 14, 2024, right before the school year ended, the New York Department of Social Services (DSS)/Department of Homeless Services (DHS) informed Community Board 1 of its intention to open a low barrier Safe Haven shelter operated by Breaking Ground in "Fall 2024" at 320 Pearl Street, a former Hampton Inn physically attached to Peck Slip School. Peck Slip School is a public elementary school of grades Prek to 5th grade, which means children ages 3 through 11 attend the school. It is also home to a District 2 Prek Center.

By definition and per NYC's own policies, low barrier Safe Haven shelters have minimal restrictions on who they allow into the shelter. They accept Level 1 and Level 2 sex offenders who have completed parole or probation, and do not impose any drug or alcohol sobriety requirements. Minimal or no curfews are also standard.

320 Pearl Street, which abuts Peck Slip School, is 5 feet from an entrance and exit used by children and approximately 55 feet from the play street on Peck Slip utilized by children during daily recess. It is so close to Peck Slip School that New York State law does not even allow wine or liquor sales in that space due to the safety risk the mere sale of alcohol presents to children.

The 320 Pearl Street Safe Haven has an outdoor courtyard where smoking cigarettes and marijuana will be permitted and school windows directly face this smoke-filled area.

This summer alone there have been at least two murders at housing facilities operated by Breaking Ground.

The conversion of a hotel into a low barrier Safe Haven shelter attached to an elementary school is wholly-unprecedented in New York City and City Hall and DSS made this decision with complete indifference about the suitability of the location. A family shelter would have been far more appropriate for this location.

CB1 has passed a strong resolution opposing this shelter and local elected officials have also clearly come out against it, all to City Hall's deaf ears. Please donate what you can so we can hold City Hall and DSS accountable for this dangerous plan. We understand the importance of shelters and helping unsheltered New Yorkers get off the street--we are not saying "not in our backyard", we are saying "not in a building attached to an elementary school".

How to help:

Share this go fund me with anyone who may be interested--the City's prioritization of real estate interests over our school children's safety puts all NYC public school families at risk.

Sign up for our email distribution list here.

Sign and share our petition.

Regularly contacted Mayor Adams' offices and other elected officials and share your opposition.

Press:

NYC opening homeless shelter 5 feet from school (NY Post)

Parents fuming over plans for smoking areas (NY Post)

Low-barrier shelter to open attached to school (amNY)

Anger Over Planned Shelter Next to School (Tribeca Trib)

Parents concerned about homeless shelter (news12)

Parents/neighbors raising funds to fight shelter (Tribeca Citizen)

Note:

Our organization is newly formed and is still in the process of obtaining 501c3 non-profit classification. We will email our supporters once that classification has been finalized.

Thank you in advance for your support.