A recently released report has found that many registered sex offenders have stayed or are staying at homeless shelters across the city.

Sen. Jeffrey Klein's (D-34th District) office finds that 26 registered sex offenders have lived in shelters across the city. According to the report, 17 of those were convicted of crimes against children.

Social Services state law says homeless shelters are restricted from announcing that a registered sex offender is staying at their location.

The Department of Homeless Services said in a statement that under legal mandate, all homeless shelters are required to provide housing to eligible individuals or families regardless of their criminal background.

Klein is proposing a bill to ban Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from family shelters. The bill would also require families to be notified of offenders staying in their shelter.