April 22, 2026 The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless issued the following statement in response to the court’s ruling granting the plaintiffs a temporary restraining order in litigation challenging the planned opening of a men’s homeless intake site in the East Village: “This situation highlights the consequences of the City’s failure to create permanent affordable housing for the lowest-income New Yorkers. If adequate affordable housing were available, tens of thousands of New Yorkers would not have to rely on shelters every night. “The site at 8 East 3rd St. has long served as a shelter and previously functioned as a men’s intake center, making its current use consistent with its history. Opposition from some neighbors lacks a good-faith basis and appears to be little more than NIMBYism, given both that history and the urgent need for a functioning, legally compliant shelter intake facility. “At the same time, we have serious concerns about the building’s accessibility and the City’s ability to comply with the Butler settlement, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and other disability protections, particularly given the accelerated timeline. The City has committed to making the site fully accessible, and we are actively negotiating the specific steps it will take to operate as an intake facility and to ensure the site is accessible to all single men seeking shelter. “New Yorkers experiencing homelessness deserve — and are entitled to — safe, accessible shelter and services, and the City must prioritize long-term housing solutions to reduce homelessness and prevent these challenges from occurring in the first place.”
