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Mamdani administration to close NYC homeless shelter next month

By
Published  March 5, 2026 12:46pm EST
Housing
FOX 5 NY
Inside homeless shelter

Inside homeless shelter

Fox 5 News went inside a homeless shelter in the Mott Haven section of The Bronx.

The Brief

    • NYC will close the Bellevue men’s shelter by the end of April due to severe disrepair at the nearly century-old 30th Street facility, relocating about 250 residents to other sites.
    • The city says there is no immediate danger, but officials are acting proactively based on safety concerns and engineering guidance while keeping the same number of shelter beds citywide.
    • Shelter intake will remain in Manhattan starting May 1, with new locations on East 3rd Street and the Bowery, as the administration plans long-term redevelopment of the site.

NEW YORK - New York City's largest men's homeless shelter is set to close by the end of April due to deteriorating conditions, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration announced Thursday.

What we know:

The Bellevue Shelter on East 30th Street in Kips Bay, which opened in 1931, houses about 250 people. 

The Department of Social Services and the Department of Homeless Services plan to relocate residents to other facilities by mid-March while maintaining the same number of shelter beds citywide.

What they're saying:

City officials said the building is in severe disrepair but poses no immediate danger. They described the closure as a proactive step based on safety concerns and engineering guidance.

"My administration is focused on ensuring every New Yorker experiencing homelessness not only has access to shelter, but to spaces that are safe, humane and truly livable," Mamdani said in a statement. "We cannot accept a system that treats people without dignity or stability."

Officials said new shelter sitings slowed significantly under the previous administration, leaving several sites neglected, including Bellevue.

What's next:

The city will move shelter intake operations but keep them in Manhattan to avoid service disruptions. Beginning May 1, adult men seeking shelter will report to 8 E. 3rd St. Intake for adult families and family units without minor children will shift to 333 Bowery.

The city says it will launch a regional communications campaign to alert the public about the changes. 

The Department of Homeless Services will also keep a small staff presence at the 30th Street site for at least a year to redirect anyone who arrives there. The city will provide transportation to the new intake locations throughout the day.

At the same time, officials said they are working on a long-term redevelopment plan for the site.

Mayor Mamdani said the closure is part of a broader effort to open new, higher-quality shelters and modernize the city’s homeless services system.

The Source: This report is based on information from Mayor Zohran Mamdani. 

HousingZohran Mamdani