The contentious, two-year-long battle over a proposed men’s homeless shelter in Brooklyn boiled over again this weekend, but city officials said Tuesday the project is moving forward — and construction is set to begin this week.
Hundreds of residents opposing the Bensonhurst shelter held a peaceful rally Saturday that was overshadowed by a more chaotic protest Sunday that reportedly left at least three people injured and one person arrested.
But despite the fiery, last-ditch resistance efforts, the mayor’s office confirmed on Tuesday that demolition is set to begin this week, and local residents reported that construction workers have already begun clearing debris at the site on Tuesday morning.
“I feel very sad,” said Ci Ma, who has lived in Bensonhurst for 50 years and opposes the project. “We’ve been protesting for so long. From the previous administration to the current one, they have not been very responsive to us. It’s impossible they don’t know what we need. We’re fighting for our seniors and the next generation.”
Local residents have protested the construction of the 150-bed shelter for single men at 2501 86th St. for 600 consecutive days. Sunday’s clash was the latest flashpoint in the more than two-year standoff between the city and residents — a fight that has been shaped by distrust, misinformation, and competing visions for the neighborhood’s future.
As protests kicked off, shouts from protesters, along with a cacophony of clanging gongs and whistles, mixed with police commands could be heard as flashing patrol lights bathed the area in red and blue light. Within hours, large crowds gathered, with some protesters attempting to block vehicles and push down police barricades.
Videos reviewed by Documented show several people appearing injured. One elderly woman clutched her head after being knocked to the ground, while another sat near a toppled barricade, crying in pain. “Call 911!” Larry He, a community leader, shouted as officers repeatedly ordered the crowd to step back.
For many residents, the scene felt like a repeat of July 17, 2024, when protests at the same site spiraled out of control after an elderly woman fell beneath a barricade. During that incident, Councilmember Susan Zhuang and nine others were arrested; all charges were later dropped.
What sparked the latest protest?
On Saturday, hundreds of residents rallied together after learning the Zohran Mamdani administration planned to move forward with the shelter.
There, community members and local leaders, including Assemblymember William Colton, Zhuang, Senator Steve Chan, Assemblymember Lester Chang, He and Joyce Xie reiterated concerns about transparency, construction safety, and whether proper procedures were being followed.
The next night, rumors began to spread on social media that trucks had arrived to begin demolition, later confirmed to be deliveries of materials for upcoming construction work. Witnesses reported seeing vehicles delivering equipment such as a dumpster and generator. Soon after, crowds gathered at the site, leading to a tense standoff with police.
The NYPD said one person was arrested on charges including resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, alleging he created a hazardous situation by positioning himself under a truck. Police said no additional injuries were officially reported, though witnesses said multiple people were hurt.
“What I saw last night is the opposite of what I or anyone wants in our community. I never want a repeat of what happened years ago,” said Zhuang in a statement on Monday, clarifying that the community convened in an unplanned protest and was not unaffiliated with her office.
What do residents want?
Residents have opposed the project since late 2023, when plans emerged to build a shelter for up to 150 single adult men.
Many say they are not opposed to helping unhoused people but object to the location. They argue the site — near schools, senior centers, and transit hubs — raises safety and quality-of-life concerns.
Reports of alleged corruption involving real estate developers converting hotel projects into shelters to secure lucrative city contracts have further fueled distrust in the city government. For many residents, this has raised questions about whether shelters are the most effective solution to the city’s long-standing homelessness crisis — or a profitable model for developers. Residents have also criticized the lack of communication and transparency under former Mayor Eric Adams’s administration.
Over time, residents’ demands have evolved, with many now calling for the site to be converted into affordable housing and for the city to better respond to the community’s needs.
Zhuang recently raised a series of concerns about the project, including alleged irregularities in asbestos inspection reports, questions about whether required safety procedures were followed, missing or unclear permits, and claims that numerous community complaints were closed without proper investigation.
In response, the Department of Buildings (DOB) said several of the claims were inaccurate. Andrew Rudansky, a spokesperson at DOB, said the agency did not waive required safety or demolition procedures, and that documentation for gas, water, and electrical shutoffs — as well as other required steps — had been properly submitted. Rudansky also said the project’s permits were renewed multiple times through the standard process, with all applicable fees paid. He added that DOB has conducted multiple inspections at the site and continues to respond to complaints, noting that similar complaints are often grouped together and investigated through a single inspection as part of standard procedure.
Deja Stewart, a spokesperson of the Department of Environment Protection, also addressed concerns about the asbestos inspection, saying an initial report filed in September 2025 did miss some materials that could contain asbestos. However, the inspector later submitted a revised report correcting those omissions. Stewart further clarified that the project did not require a stormwater construction permit, which Zhuang said was missing from the project, at the proposed homeless shelter site, though an application for a site connection was submitted, reviewed, and approved.
Zhuang said that ahead of the March 28 rally, she sent a letter to Mayor Mamdani’s office, urging the city to convert the site into affordable housing, citing a shortage of such development in the district. Zhuang said she invited Mamdani to address residents directly at the rally, but did not receive a response.
The city’s response
City officials maintain that the shelter is necessary and that every neighborhood must share responsibility for addressing homelessness. The Mayor’s office said in a statement that the site would be the first shelter in the district and would provide services to help people transition into stable housing.
“Homelessness exists in every part of our city, and in order to effectively address this citywide crisis, we must tackle it across the five boroughs … As part of our equitable siting approach, we are committed to ensuring that every community has adequate safety net resources,” Mamdani’s office said in a statement.
The mayor’s office said the site will be operated with nonprofit partner VIP Community Services, which will provide on-site and off-site services aimed at helping residents stabilize and transition to independent living.
On-site support will include case management, counseling, housing placement assistance, medical and mental health services, life skills workshops, and employment support. Off-site referrals will connect clients to broader services such as healthcare, substance use treatment, job training and placement, GED programs, legal aid, and other community resources.
What happens next?
Residents do not appear to be backing down. As of Monday afternoon, the DOB said it had received 17 new 311 complaints since Sunday night.
Meanwhile, local lawmakers, including Colton, Chan and Chang, are pushing legislation to restrict where shelters can be built, particularly near transit hubs and schools. Residents have also filed challenges with the Board of Standards and Appeals.
For now, community members say they will continue protesting and are urging the city to reconsider the project in favor of affordable housing. Another rally is expected to be held this weekend.
“The mayor said he is an immigrant and will support immigrants,” said Bensonhurst resident Ci Ma in Mandarin. “We are an immigrant community, we will keep fighting for the seniors and the next generation in our community!”
