With the discovery of asbestos at the site of the controversial homeless shelter, where demolition was underway, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) is calling on the city to take a more responsible approach to the project, which has been fraught with issues since its earliest days.

The asbestos was discovered at 2501 86^th Street, thanks to the alertness of local residents, after demolition workers began removing the roof. The demolition had begun just days earlier, with trucks arriving on the evening of Palm Sunday, despite numerous objections both to the project, which would house 150 single men, and to the process by which the project came about, which has been filled with irregularities since its inception.

“This is what we feared,” said Assemblyman Colton, “when we kept pushing for more stringent oversight, even as we saw corners being cut consistently. Fortunately, the Department of Environmental Protection did an inspection after my colleague, Councilmember Susan Zhuang, alerted them to the discovery, and a stop work order was issued. But this must be just the first step in making sure that the community receives the appropriate respect with regard to its concerns. This project cannot be allowed to proceed.”

Indeed, one of the major issues raised repeatedly by Assemblyman Colton was that the asbestos inspection, ostensibly done as required by the city’s Department of Buildings, had been fraudulent and that the inspector who said he had done the inspection, and who has prior criminal convictions for filing fraudulent asbestos reports in New York City, actually never went to the property at all when he said he was there.

The project, which had been stalled, was suddenly accelerated last month, despite the many concerns raised by community members and their representatives over the three-plus years that opposition to the proposal has been building. Assemblyman Colton has repeatedly contended that the city’s homeless population would be better served by the construction of affordable housing with supportive services available as necessary, and that the costly project, part of $8 billion spent annually on homeless services, is basically a giveaway to developers and the organizations that run the shelters. In this instance, the developer is Sandhu Builders.

“As I have said before, projects like this one serve neither our homeless neighbors nor the community in which they are placed,” said Assemblyman Colton. “This latest incident makes it clear that this builder does not have the best interests of either at heart, and underlines the importance of the city doing its due diligence. Exposing the surrounding area to this sort of danger is both unacceptable and avoidable, and I will continue advocating for what both neighbors and the homeless people the project is supposed to serve actually need.”

Opposition to the shelter has been strong and sustained since the city announced in late 2023 that it planned to open it on a busy shopping strip, near homes, religious institutions, day care centers and senior centers. Numerous protests over the course of several months drew thousands of protesters, both at the site and at City Hall, and in the summer of 2024, daily protests at the site commenced. In addition, more than 53,000 people have signed a petition in opposition to the plan.