THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

WPCNR The Homeless News. By John F. Bailey. December 22, 2005 UPDATED 6:45 P.M. E.S.T.: Mayor Joseph Delfino called today for Westchester County to continue to keep the Westchester County Airport Drop-In Shelter for the population of “hardcore homeless” the county was planning to house at 85 Court Street (adjacent Mulino’s Restaurant in White Plains,  and called for the county and its communities to develop a comprehensive plan with dealing for their individual homeless that end up in White Plains seeking services, but did not supply specifics of what he was talking about.  

The Mayor’s Executive Officer contacted WPCNR to make clear after  the Mayor was not recommending a central facility specifically suitable for dealing with the hardcore homeless,appropriate “central facility,” but emphasized communities and the county should talk about the services individual communities needed to supply their hardcore homeless persons’ needs and how that could be achieved.

Paul Wood, the City Executive Officer, said he had spoken with Larry Schwartz, the County Deputy Mayor and said “we’d welcome a request to meet”  to discuss the situation regarding the plan to move the homeless to 85 Court Street. Wood was surprised when he learned through the WPCNR report from Bill Ryan, County Legislator, that Schwartz was going to contact the Mayor to invite him (the Mayor) to whether he wanted the county’s help in dealing with the homeless.

 “I don’t understand why they are shifting this responsibility to the Mayor. These are not all White Plains people. I also was told by Rick Ammirato (of the BID) who was at the meeting that when the BID asked why the Airport facility was being closed was according to Mr. Schwartz and the Department of Social Services, said the Mayor wanted it closed. That is not true. Last summer when Mrs. Russo was murdered in The Galleria, the Mayor advocated for a place for the homeless to stay during the day. The Mayor never asked for the airport drop-in shelter to be closed.”

Ammirato, too, in an interview with WPCNR, said “No one has ever explained why the airport shelter has to be closed.”

Ammirato, the BID’s executive Director also suggested that the new Valhalla Grasslands facility could be split between those homeless in the DSS-assisted programs and those who were resisting them.

Centrally located Appropriate Facility Suggested by the Mayor.

Wood said Mayor Delfino suggests  the county government work with all Westchester Communities (whose homeless citizens wander to White Plains for services) to develop a comprehesive plan together  to serve their hardcore homeless “to deal with the needs of people from each community.

David Maloney of the Mayor’s Office told WPCNR that DSS could be more welcoming to the homeless. He cited as an example that New Orleans residents who have come to White Plains when they went to the Department of Social Services for help complained about the service and demeanor in which they were treated. (Earlier, WPCNR had attributed this to Mr. Wood, but it was actually Mr. Maloney to supplied this insight into DSS’s handling of the homeless.)

Asked if the Mayor would be willing to work on his own to develop another facility outside the BID district or inside the BID district within White Plains to house the homeless now rounded up each evening at Lexington and Main and transported to the airport by the County, or even to call Mr. Ryan and work together with him Mr. Wood said, “I don’t know, possibly.”

Ryan Opposes 85 Court Location: Lacks Plan Detail.

County Legislator Bill Ryan, who did not attend the meeting this morning with County Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz, the Department of Social Services and the BID,  was asked late this afternoon by WPCNR what his position was on the 85 Court Street location. (It was not clear whether Mr. Ryan was not invited, or had a conflict, or chose not to attend.)

Ryan said, “I’m opposed to the 85 Court Street location. Though I am willing to listen to whatever the DSS plan is. The plan is not clear at this time. I talked to Tom Roach of the Common Council and Mr. Roach and the Council need to be filled in on the plan, too, and decide whether this is appropriate or whether other locations might be more suitable”

Asked if he would be calling on the Mayor to work with him on finding a solution to the overnight hardcore homeless problem, Ryan said he would do that and was willing to do that. He promised to call the Mayor.  “Maybe if he has not called me by tommorrow, I’ll call and wish him a Merry Christmas.”

Ryan: DSS did not reach out to White Plains Hospitals.

Ryan also told WPCNR that he asked if the Department of Social Services had explored White Plains alternatives or asked New York Presbyterian Hospital, (a White Plains institution specializing in the mentally ill, addiction and other behavioral afflictions), if NYPH would be a resource who could share in handling the hardcore homeless, many of whom are mentally ill.

 Ryan said that DSS told him they had not contacted New York Presbyterian Hospital or any other medical facility for their suggestions on dealing with the chronic hardcore homeless who refuse DSS help.

Other hospitals that are available in the immediate White Plains are

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. December 22, 2005: According to County Legislator Bill Ryan, speaking to WPCNR a little before 1 P.M. today, a meeting was held between Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz, the Department of Social Services and the White Plains BID this morning on the subject of the county housing hardcore homeless persons in the basement of  85 Court Street, home of the Department of Social Services. Ryan said Mr. Schwartz told him that the White Plains BID made it clear they did not want these homeless housed in White Plains anywhere, and expressed concern about the 85 Court Street location and security concerns.  

Ryan reports that Larry Schwartz said he (Schwartz) would contact the Mayor of White Plains to see how the county “could assist the Mayor” in the housing of these homeless, and what the Mayor wanted the County to do.

 Ryan also said at the present time, he (Ryan) was willing to work with the Mayor to assist in the solution of where to house these homeless, if the Mayor no longer wanted the county to bus the homeless and remove them from the city streets evenings. Ryan added that Mr. Schwartz had placed a call to the Mayor’s office after the meeting, offering the county’s assistance and seeking the Mayor’s input on where to house the homeless who consistently refuse county services..

At the present time, Ryan says the county is standing by its plan to place the homeless in 85 Court Street, pending discussions with the Mayor. Ryan did not indicate that any other locations were recommended by either the BID or the DSS.

WPCNR called Paul Wood, the city Executive Officer for Mayor Delfino, to see what the Mayor’s reaction was to Mr. Schwartz’s call but as of 2 P.M. Mr. Wood has not returned our call. WPCNR also asked Mr. Wood if the Mayor would develop a place in White Plains to house the homeless at city expense at a location not owned by the county, taking over responsibility for the homeless at night.

Ryan said he was not at the meeting and there was no official representative from the Mayor’s office, but this was what Mr. Schwartz told him. Ryan also reported that County Executive Spano was “out of the country,” and Mr. Schwartz was managing the County Government in his absence.

The Mayor’s Office said last night they had not been invited to any meeting. However, the Downtown Business Improvement District that was at the meeting has often been known to reflect the Mayor’s position on policy.