WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Lawsuit alleges anti-gay discrimination at city shelter, Union Square developers see promise in recent project, Bronx borough president removes commun

 

Dear New Yorkers,

Isaiah Morris, 28,  moved to New York City from Texas a little more than two years ago to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a professional actor while working service jobs.

He resorted to the shelter system in October 2021, after a fallout with a family member who was offering support and a subsequent living accommodation that did not work out.

“To be honest, I was like, ‘Thank God I have a roof over my head,’” Morris said of his first impression of Cooper Rapid Rehousing Center in Glendale, Queens.

But a series of homophobic encounters soon ensued, turning his time living there into “a long-running nightmare.”

Now, Morris is suing the site’s operator for anti-gay discrimination, claiming staff there repeatedly used “denigrating” language about his sexual orientation and failed to address his complaints about homophobic incidents as required by city policy.

The lawsuit alleges that workers “intentionally and maliciously discriminated against [him] by subjecting him to hateful, homophobic slurs” and “by failing to take appropriate steps to protect him” against harassment and threats that targeted his sexual orientation — leading to several instances of physical attacks by residents who “berated” him with anti-gay slurs.

The shelter is run by WestHab, a Westchester-based nonprofit that currently operates at least 18 other active homeless shelters in the city under DHS contracts, totaling about $1.84 billion, according to city records.

The City of New York and its Department of Homeless Services, which in 2020 issued Westhab a $78 million, 5-year contract to operate the Glendale shelter for 200 single men, are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Read more about the lawsuit — and discrimination against LGBTQ residents in city shelters — here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Thursday's Weather Rating: 5/10. The beat goes on. Cloudy this morning with breaks of sun later and high temperatures in the mid 40s. A bit chilly at times, but this still isn't bad for January. The vibes remain all right!

Our Other Top Stories

The possible future of the Union Square neighborhood is on display at 14th Street and Irving Place. There, a new building called Zero Irving has been almost completely leased in two years, with tenants all paying more than $100 a square foot a year — much higher than the $78-per-square-foot average for Manhattan. Plus, the bottom six floors of the building have been set aside for the training center Civic Hall’s ambitious programs to prepare New Yorkers for jobs in the high-paying tech sector. It’s a hopeful sign for an area that developers describe as an ideal “live-work neighborhood,” as Union Square aims to be a template for Manhattan’s economic future. But for all the success of the $250 million Zero Irving, the overall Union Square office market is 23%, just higher than the overall rate for the borough. A member of Bronx Community Board 11, who gave the middle finger to a resident during a Zoom meeting last April, has been removed from his seat by the Bronx Borough President. Community board members are volunteers, albeit with significant advisory power over liquor licenses and some zoning matters; the borough president oversees the boards and has the power to remove any member for just cause.

Reporter’s Notebook

Wind Project Blown

The developers of an offshore wind project that could have powered over half a million homes — and played a key role in generating renewable energy for the state — on Wednesday canceled its contract, citing a lack of financial viability.

The developers, Equinor and BP, requested a price increase of about 66% for their Empire Wind 2 project to cover higher project costs, including those due to inflation, interest rates and supply chain issues. The state Public Service Commission in October rejected that financial boost, as THE CITY reported. That threw the future of four offshore wind projects into question, as well as the state’s legally mandated clean energy goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Now the developers, which have contracts for two other offshore wind projects with New York, will try for a higher price for Empire Wind 2 in future solicitations with the state. The developer's decision to pull out came weeks after others similarly scrapped ambitious wind projects in New Jersey and New England, saying that they were no longer economically viable.

— Samantha Maldonado

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, Jan. 5: “Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism,” a drop-in drawing workshop with teaching artists and all materials provided. Free with museum admission from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 963 in the Robert Lehman Wing. Saturday, Jan. 6: Winter Tea in Prospect Park, featuring a nature walk followed by tea, music and a multilingual poetry performance. Free (RSVP required, limited space) from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Boathouse in Prospect Park. Saturday, Jan. 6 and Sunday, Jan. 7: Mulchfest: Chipping Weekend, in which the Parks Department will chip your Christmas tree and turn it into a bag of mulch for you to take home. Free from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations in the five boroughs.

THE KICKER: Resale on units at the Plaza Hotel has been lower than owners expected — so, a couple that hails from the Smucker’s jam family auctioned their condo with a starting bid of $1.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Thursday.

Love,

THE CITY

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