Chaos and anger erupted in New York City’s affluent Upper East Side on Monday as residents gathered for a public meeting in protest Planned homeless shelter They said it “exudes profit-making intent.”

The women’s shelter, converted from a men’s center amid public outcry, is expected to open around April and will be able to house up to 250 women.

At a Manhattan Community Board 8 meeting hosted by Housing Solutions New York (HSNY), opponents sounded the alarm about the shelter’s proximity to schools and day care centers. Residents also accuse city officials of deliberately speeding up the process to limit community input, fast-tracking a deal they believe will be lucrative for the developer with little regard for community well-being.

The city reportedly told local leaders in early 2025 that the project was on hold indefinitely, only declaring it an active and nearly completed center in January 2026, leaving the community with just weeks to organize before opening.

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Residents walk on the streets of the Carnegie Hill neighborhood in New York on June 27, 2023. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“What we’re offended about is the lack of notice and the wrong location. It shouldn’t be here,” said community member Bonnie Barend, criticizing the site’s suitability.

“I’m also offended by the way you spoke to these great citizens here tonight. They care about their community. They care about your safety, the safety of their children. We shouldn’t be denigrating anyone here.”

In response, city representatives and some locals emphasized the urgent need for homeless services in an area that lacks appropriate resources.

To address the issue, the board said the center will include Emphasis on safetystrict curfews, and bans on residents with certain criminal histories, particularly women on probation or parole for sex crimes at nearby schools.

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A homeless man sleeps on the streets of New York City. (Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

However, when HSNY Chief Program Officer Xellex Rivera explained that it only asks newcomers if they have a criminal record, the crowd erupted in anger, with one resident shouting, “Unacceptable. This is not a background check.”

Rivera responded: “That’s fair. I agree with everybody 100 percent. That’s fair.” Rivera added that while it can check sex offender registries, it can’t conduct investigations Comprehensive criminal background check.

Other residents on shelters close to one Legal Marijuana Dispensaries One Home Depot argued that tools sold there could be used as weapons and suggested that guards should be armed. A local father also cited the recent tragedy at a Long Island City shelter to highlight the potential risks to children.

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A woman tries to carry her belongings away from a windy hallway in New York City on February 17, 2025. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

Tensions remained high as community members and city representatives continued to clash, with one resident yelling at board president Valerie Mason: “You’re not defending us!”

Amid the uproar, the host added, “The concerns expressed are valid, but if you’re going to yell at me, the airing of those concerns isn’t helpful.”

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Board member Todd “TJ” Stein also expressed frustration with the process, saying: “Unfortunately, it wasn’t a really well-run meeting. It’s too bad… As a community, we basically had three weeks to get this information across.”

Valerie Mason acknowledged the atmosphere in her closing remarks, saying, “I know it wasn’t that great at first, but people were a little grumpy and unwilling to understand how the process worked.”