Residents furious over proposed hotel homeless shelter in NY Irish neighborhood

A proposal by the de Blasio administration to convert a Holiday Inn Express in Maspeth to a homeless shelter has caused outrage among many residents of the tight-knit Queens, NY community, many of whom are Irish and profoundly worried about the impact the plan would have on their way of life.

At the start of August the administration revealed plans to house homeless families at the Holiday Inn Express on 55th Road in Maspeth, a highly visible building right off the Long Island Expressway within walking distance of residences, a park and local businesses. The facility could accommodate up to 220 homeless people in its 110 rooms, with the stipulation that no children under the age of 18 would be housed there.

The city’s Department of Homeless Services had targeted an October 1 opening for the shelter, but an agreement has not yet been finalized according to Maggie Hayes, a spokesperson for New York City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley who represents the area and is a staunch opponent of the plan.

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