Protests continue in Sheepshead Bay over planned homeless shelter as residents demand affordable housing
The demonstration follows two months of ongoing opposition to the city’s plan to turn the empty lot into a transitional housing facility for families.
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The debate over a planned homeless shelter in Sheepshead Bay is intensifying, as more residents join protests outside the construction site on Coyle Street. Demonstrators returned to the corner of Avenue U and Coyle Street Thursday morning—banging on drums, waving American flags, and holding signs that read “No Homeless Shelter.”
This comes after a tense night where police moved in to clear the area. According to the NYPD, seven people were taken into custody—two were arrested, including one protester accused of assault. Five others were issued criminal court summonses. Video shared with News 12 shows a protester being arrested on the sidewalk and another person in the crowd throwing an object toward police.
Protesters say they feel blindsided by the city’s decision to move forward with the shelter. Many claim they were originally told the lot would become affordable housing—not transitional housing for homeless families.
“They get a lot of money from this project,” said Edison, a protester who’s been outside the site since early this morning. “We want affordable housing. Initially, it was an affordable housing plan, but they don’t get any benefits from that—so they switch it to a homeless shelter.”
The city, however, says this plan was publicly announced more than a year ago. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office tells News 12 that the facility will serve up to 170 families with children and will be the first family shelter of its kind in the district.
Still, residents are questioning the lack of community input and say they didn’t receive any formal notice until just a few months ago.
“It just feels like this was done behind our backs,” one protester told News 12. “I think it’s about money and corruption. It’s not fair to the people who live here.”
The site now has a private security guard monitoring it overnight. Despite that, protesters say they plan to continue rallying until the city cancels the project.
