New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis, Assemblymember Kalman Yeger, civic organizations, homeowners and community aders on Thursday, July 9, held a rally on the steps of the Holiday Inn at 5244 Kings Highway in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where they demanded that the city immediately reverse its decision to convert the existing Families with Children shelter into a single adult men’s shelter.

Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, told Caribbean Life that the rally brought together residents from Community Boards 17 and 18, “who expressed outrage over what they described as a complete lack of transparency from the New York City Department of Homeless Services.”

Louis, who represents the 45th Council District in Brooklyn, said speakers criticized what she described as “the city’s decision to move families out of the facility and announce the conversion without notifying elected officials, community boards, or neighborhood stakeholders.”

Louis emphasized that the community has “consistently supported shelters serving families and children, partnering with providers to ensure vulnerable New Yorkers have access to housing while integrating into the neighborhood.”

She argued that replacing the facility with a single adult men’s shelter “fundamentally changes the nature of the site and should never have occurred without meaningful public engagement.

Farah Louis, Community Leaders Rally Against Proposal For Men’s Shelter

“We are not here because this community lacks compassion,” Louis said. “We are here because this administration made a life-changing decision about our neighborhood without ever speaking to the people who live here.

“For years, Flatlands has welcomed families, supported shelter providers, and demonstrated what true partnership looks like,” she added. “Yet Commissioner Erin Dalton chose to bypass this community entirely. We never received a phone call, a meeting, or even the basic courtesy of a conversation.

“We are calling on Mayor Mamdani to reverse this proposal, preserve this site as a Families with Children shelter, and restore the trust that this administration has broken,” Louis said.

Yeger, who represents Assembly District 41 in Brooklyn, joined Louis in urging the administration to reconsider the proposal, stressing that major changes affecting neighborhoods require meaningful consultation with local residents and elected officials.

Community leaders also addressed the crowd, including Gerard Brewster of Utica to Flatbush Initiatives, who opened the rally by calling for greater accountability and respect for community voices in government decision-making.

Arnelle Williams, president of the Flatbush Flatlands Civic Association, and Kenny Jean-Baptiste spoke on behalf of neighborhood residents, highlighting years of community investment and expressing concern that “another major policy decision was being imposed without public input.”

Louis said the rally concluded with a unified call for the Mamdani administration and Department of Homeless Services to “immediately reverse the proposed conversion, preserve the site as a Families with Children shelter, and commit to meaningful engagement with the community before making future siting decisions.

“Our message is simple,” Louis said. “Communities deserve honesty, respect, and a voice in decisions that directly affect their neighborhoods.

“We will continue standing with our residents until this proposal is reversed and this administration honors its commitment to transparency and partnership,” she added.