According to Assemblymember William Colton and Councilmember Susan Zhuang, a judge enjoined a developer in trying to construct the homeless shelter at 2501 86th St. while a stop-work order was still in effect.
On Oct. 16, Colton and Zhuang celebrated the continuation of the stop-work order previously issued in the spring. The project had been stalled, but was suddenly accelerated in April despite what Colton’s office describes as “concerns raised by community members and their representatives” for the past three years.
“It is long past time for the city to finally stop this rogue developer, who wants to proceed with this very profitable project despite its extreme negative impact on local residents and merchants,” said Colton, who has been against the project since it was first announced in 2023.
Zhuang also celebrated the victory and said she was calling on the Department of Buildings to “revoke the application in its entirety, and take action to convey to the community that no failures like these to protect the safety of the community will ever happen again.”
Opposition to the 86th Street shelter has existed since the city first announced its plan to open the facilities for 150 single men. In the summer of 2024, protests at the site of construction began. More than 53,000 people have signed a petition in opposition to the plan.
According to Councilmember Colton’s office, the developer and the Department of Buildings have taken shortcuts to arrive at this point in the process and have bypassed key requirements such as gas shutoff, water shutoff, rodent control, notifications to neighbors and Community Board 11 and more.
In April of 2026, representatives from City Hall said they were working to address concerns, and had reiterated that the project would move forward, reported Documented.
“As part of our equitable siting approach, we are committed to ensuring that every community has adequate safety net resources,” the spokesperson said.
The developer had gotten the go-ahead from the Department of Buildings, but the legal system got involved after the owner of an adjacent property took the matter to court.
In a press release on Oct. 16, Colton said that shelters are often unsafe for both neighbors and homeless people themselves, and that the city should redirect its resources to alternative solutions.
“What the city’s homeless population needs is permanent affordable housing, with supportive services as appropriate, that will help them get on their feet and move forward, and the $8 billion New York City spends each year on homeless shelters should be redirected with that goal in mind,” Colton said.
