Community | June 04, 2009 | 12 comments

Luxury Living for the Homeless

source: http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2009/06/04/2009-06-04_city_turns_upscale_building_int...

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DeliaTheArtist
"Granite countertops. Terraces. Marble bathrooms. Walk-in closets.

The homeless are livin' large in Brooklyn.

The city is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month to rent luxury condos in a Crown Heights building for homeless families, the Daily News has learned.

"It's like a hotel. It's the nicest place I've ever lived in," said Nelson Delgado, 36, who moved into a swanky two-bedroom, two-bath pad two weeks ago.

"It's beautiful," added Delgado, an out-of-work truck driver from Miami who's living with his son Jeff, 17. "The closet in the main room is so big you could put a twin bed in there."

Raymond, another resident who moved in more than a week ago with his wife and two young daughters, said he is still trying to get over his good luck.

"When I first saw it, I was like, 'Damn, everything is brand new,'" said Raymond, who wouldn't give his last name. "It has marble counters and marble floors in the bathrooms, too. I like the big kitchen. That's my favorite."

City officials said the condos - which couldn't attract buyers in the fizzled housing market - are part of an effort to help an "unprecedented" number of homeless families who have ended up on the street because of the tough economy.

Units priced at $350,000

It appears to be the first time a faltering upscale building has found a new purpose as a shelter, said Steven Spinola, president of the Real Estate Board of New York.

Neighbors were furious the 67-unit building on East New York Ave., where apartments were supposed to sell for $250,000 to $350,000, has been turned into a shelter.

"I'm a hardworking taxpayer, and I don't think homeless people should be living better than me," fumed Desmond John, 35, a window salesman who wanted to rent one of the fancy apartments. "They said it's not for rent. It's a shelter. I was shocked."


What do you think about this situation?
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12 comments // Luxury Living for the Homeless

  • barbie_chola89
  • artemis6
  • good_stuff
    • 0
      good_stuff  

    • "The city is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month to rent luxury condos"

      -$90/day/unit is a lot of money. I know I spent less than half of that on a 2br house. That comes out to $2700/day/unit. Clearly somebody from these condos has some pull. I think there needs to be an investigation.

    • 2 years ago
  • keithponder
  • redvelvet1278
    • 0
      redvelvet1278  
    • keithponder:

      again, in ignorance you assume something is wrong with these people. yes, if they have problems there should- without doubt- be help for them that is manditory if they are put in a place like this. just be careful how you speak about someone- one day it could be you wishing for a little understanding.

    • 2 years ago
  • keithponder
    • 0
      keithponder  
    • keithponder:

      REDVELVET,

      In ignorance, you don't know a damn thing about me or what the fuck you're talking about. For the past 10 years, I've been feeding homeless people at least once a week. I was homeless myself over 19 years ago. I'm speaking from fact and proof.

      In order to rebuild a community, you first have to rebuilt the people.True,the economy is forcing more people than ever before into the streets, but still most people, by and large are homeless from mistakes that they've made in life. It does not make them bad people. Admitting your part in anything is the first step to improving your own situation, rather than blaming others and society.

      I've got double-digit years clean to back my argument. This is not my opinion or something that I read in Time magazine.

      I'm glad that they're being housed there, but I know for a fact that putting homeless people into new housing without some sort of rehabilitation is like putting on a brand new suit without ever bathing. There are model programs all over the country to validate my statements.

      What's your reference point and don't give any ideal shit.

      Better yet, do you know anybody in your "Leave it to Beaver" world that is homeless, or that has ever been homeless ?

    • 2 years ago
  • Abstractics
  • redvelvet1278
  • MissAmanda
    • 0
      MissAmanda  

    • if they are putting up the homeless who have small children in school and have jobs but just don't make enough money, I can see that working out. for a large condo like that, they shouldn't allow just one person to move it, it should be for families.

      But honestly, I do see why people are so upset. Why didn't the company just drop the price of the condos and make $ off of that and condo fees, etc?

      I think it's nice that there are places for these people to stay, and it would have been even better if they did that during the cold winters, but I can also relate as a child of the middle-class whose parents work hard but would never get the opportunity to live in such a posh place...

    • 2 years ago
  • unclecharlie
    • 0
      unclecharlie  

    • Then it makes me rethink homelessness. When homeless folks are living in luxury compared to blue collar workers, priorities are screwed up. These folks living in this bulding are the same type of folks who show up the first of every month at the Pennsylvania State Stores to stock up on their Nikolai vodka, Wild Irish Rose, and Hennessey (which they drink like water.) I worked security in a State Store years ago. I could never afford to live in a place like this, so why is New York letting these folks (many homeless due to drug abuse and alcoholism) be rewarded for their behavior? Yet, if they're putting spoiling college kids by putting them in luxury condos, they might as well put homeless folks in there too.

    • 2 years ago
  • redvelvet1278
    • 0
      redvelvet1278  
    • unclecharlie:

      "These folks living in this bulding are the same type of folks who show up the first of every month at the Pennsylvania State Stores to stock up on their Nikolai vodka, Wild Irish Rose, and Hennessey (which they drink like water.)"

      never been close to being homeless yourself have you? amazing how a sick kid, car payment, bills and a pink slip can really change your mind. an empty building is an empty building and i wouldn't want someone living on the street just because i was jealous of their walk in closet. they didn't GIVE them the apartments, they are staying in a shelter.

      sad, i am happy that these people got to take advantage of this.

    • 2 years ago
  • unclecharlie
  • redvelvet1278
  • magnolia_lain
    • 0
      magnolia_lain  

    • If there was little to no interest in the units coming from renters, then why shouldn't the units be turned into shelters?

      It's strange, but i don't really see the harm...

    • 2 years ago
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