Our new East New York site
The site includes 157 beds for homeless men living with mental illness and an Article 28 community health center.
On Monday, March 4th, 2024, Care For the Homeless opened its doors at our newest site at 486 Liberty Avenue in East New York.
The site includes 157 beds for homeless men living with mental illness and an Article 28 community health center, which will serve the primary medical care and behavioral health needs of program residents and the surrounding community. The shelter site will be operated by an experienced director and employs 76 staff including social workers, case managers, housing specialists, 24/7 security and maintenance staff. The community health center will operate 5 days per week and be staffed by a professional team including a physician, nurse, medical assistant and specialists in mental health and substance use disorders.
Speakers included Care For the Homeless President and CEO George Nashak and New York City Department of Homeless Services Administrator Joslyn Carter. Mr. Nashak noted that this is the fourth shelter program managed by CFH and continues our expansion of placing community-based health centers in high-need neighborhoods. After the program, attendees cut a ceremonial ribbon in front of the site and toured the facility. In addition to the beds and services to move residents to permanent housing, the facility has lounge and recreation space and will provide three meals a day for the residents.
Also known as โThe Castle,โ 486 Liberty Avenue is one of a handful of Romanesque Revival-style police stations designed by city employee George Ingram at the end of the nineteenth century. The building opened in 1892 for 60 patrolmen and 14 horses, housed in the adjacent stables. It served as the local police precinct until 1973.
The city sold the building in 1976, after which it remained vacant and fell into disrepair. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The building was sold again in 2016 and has been undergoing renovations. Care For the Homeless, in partnership with the NYC Department of Homeless Services, will operate the shelter and community health center.
