According to an analysis by the New York Post, some of New York City’s poorest communities are taking on the brunt of the Big Apple’s migrant surge. Residents in those communities said that as a result, their struggles have gotten worse.
The New York Post report shows that three of the top five most shelter-inundated ZIP codes are among the poorest areas in the city. The median incomes are below $37,300 in those neighborhoods. On the other end, the top five richest districts in New York City did not have any migrant shelters.
New Yorkers in some low-income areas have asked city officials why their neighborhoods have to support migrant shelters while rich districts do not share in the burden.
Currently, more than 65,000 migrants reportedly shelter in New York City, with the largest share of migrant housing in Queens. Seventy of the city’s 193 shelters are located there.
The New York Post reported that putting shelters in low-income neighborhoods compounds existing problems in these communities. For instance, some residents said that historically long food pantry and welfare check lines have become even longer due to the migrant crisis.
Communities felt the strain all the way down to the education system. Public schools in low-income districts said they are running out of resources due to the influx of migrants. One Queens representative said that the city routinely denies her requests for more resources.
Last year, in attempt to curb the migrant crisis, New York City Mayor Eric Adams implemented limits on how long new migrants could stay in public shelters before they had to find permanent housing. Adams put a 60-day cap on migrant families and a 30-day cap on individuals. However, all migrants can reapply for shelter-status if they cannot find permanent housing.
The Adams administration denied media requests that asked for the locations of most migrant shelters, citing privacy concerns. Officials for the administration have not yet to respond to the reports.
