Muslim community center protests opening of youth shelter
BY ALEX MITCHELL
The Zerega community continues
its relentless opposition to a
homeless shelter’s establishment
at 1550 St. Peters Avenue.
The Covenant House shelter,
serving runaway youth, would
use the three-fl oor, recently rehabilitated
building on the corner of
Glebe Avenue to temporary house
30 males and 10 females between
the ages 16 to 24. Most of the youngsters
originally hailed from the
Bronx, but more recently lived in
Covenant House’s 120-bed homeless
shelter near Manhattan’s Port
Authority Bus Terminal, according
to spokesperson for the sponsor.
The east Bronx community
isn’t protesting Covenant House
itself, but rather the logistics and
the lack of transparency.
When originally announced in
fall of 2018, neither Councilman
Mark Gjonaj’s offi ce or Community
Board 10 were notifi ed or included
in the plan’s implementation.
As a matter of fact, that selected
location has had many in
Westchester Square and Zerega
literally up in arms, protesting the
soon-to-be shelter.
One religious leader, Mohammad
Ali, joined dozens of residents
in a rally outside of Covenant
House on Saturday, January
19.
His Muslim community center,
Baitul Mamur Jame Masjid at 1511
St. Peter’s Avenue will be a neighbor
to Covenant House and he has
concerns.
“They need to change the location,”
he said, justifying his
stance, noting that it’s in the heart
of his community, in close proximity
to another shelter, and could be
an issue with neighboring Pearly
Gates Park. The 45th Precinct
has identifi ed the playground as a
crime ‘hotspot’ that was provided
additional monitoring and camera
surveillance due to the criminal
activity that is present during the
evening hours.
While residents and community
leaders are taking to the streets in
protest, Gjonaj is fi ghting the problem
from a legal angle.
“We are exercising every legal
option we have, I’m not giving up
on this,” Gjonaj said, expressing
his total opposition to anymore
supportive housing in the Bronx.
Gjonaj specifi ed his issues
are with the location of Covenant
House, saying that it is not a condusive
environment for the youth
that will enter the program, not
the concept of a youth homeless
shelter.
“There is no clear path on this,
but we are not giving up,” the
councilman mentioned.
Gjonaj admitted that his 13th
Council District may not have
a choice but to accept Covenant
House’s latest facility.
“If we can’t stop it we can certainly
shape it by negotiating favorable
terms with City Hall,” he
said.
Finally, the councilman intends
to make City Hall agree that
he and the community must be
given advance notice and input
into any future proposed developments
for the area.
“We’re not done fi ghting,
though,” Gjonaj said.
The next round of the fi ght will
be on Friday, January 25 at 1:30
p.m. when Ali and other community
activists will hold another
rally to protest Covenant House
outside its proposed facility.
BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY January 27, 2019 2
Mohammad Ali (front, l) and Baitul Maamur Jame Masjid Mosque members voiced
their opposition to Covenant House on St. Peters Avenue.
Photo by Silvio Pacifi co
Westchester Square residents and Westchester Square Civic Association members
let their voices be heard. Photo by Silvio Pacifi co
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