WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 16, 2006 UPDATED WITH PICTURES 9:00 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED 11:30 P.M. E.S.T.: Sunday evening with the temperature at 15 degrees with wind chills so numbing you felt your face was going to fall off, about 30 homeless persons were waiting at Quarropas & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains for their ride to the new County Drop Off Shelter one block away down Quarropas Street. The three Volunteers of America vans assigned to pick them up did not arrive until 10:35 P.M. 

Late Monday evening  40 to 50  persons estimated by a WPCNR observer were picked up and loaded efficiently and orderly into five VOA vans at 10:25 P.M, improving the Volunteers of America pickup time performance over Sunday by 15 minutes. At 9:45 P.M., approximately 10 persons were waiting in the 25 degree weather.  The number swelled by some 30 persons over the next 30 minutes.

If the total exceeded 43, that exceeds the stated capacity of the 85 Court Street Drop In Shelter. The largest contingent of homeless since Opening Night of the Shelter seven days ago was delivered to 85 Court Street by 10:40 P.M. It could not be determined if registration procedures had been streamlined. No law enforcement officials observed the pick-up. Two police cars were present at 85 Court.

The Homeless Zone, 10:30 P.M. Monday evening. Five vans appeared to handle the largest contingent of Homeless Guests at the 85 Court Street County Drop In Shelter since January 10, the first night. The homeless appeared orderly but cold. Many holding arms out and standing in place. Photo, WPCNR News

About 30 Homeless Persons toughing it out in 15 Degree temperature Sunday night. They waited at least 55 minutes or more in the frigid windswept conditions for the Volunteers of America Vans to arrive.  Photo, WPCNR News.

Monday evening's 10:25 arrival (with enough vans) continued the pattern of VOA vans assigned to pick up the homeless arriving consistently later than the 10 P.M. advertised arrival time.  On Wednesday the 11th,  vans arrived at 10:40. On Thursday the 12th,  10:25. On Friday evening, the 13th,  in fog and rainswept conditions in the 40s the vans arrived at  approximately 10:40, and were not disembarked into the 85 Court Street until about 11:20 P.M.  Saturday night, WPCNR did not observe. On Sunday with temperatures dropping like a rock to the teens, the vans were 35 minutes late.

Homeless Waiting Friday since  9:45 P.M.  in Fog, Rain, Damp Friday evening, not being picked up until about 10:40 P.M.. Photo, WPCNR News.

The homeless are loaded into 3 to 5 vans that takes about 15 minutes, ( the process having been refined the last five nights).  

The homeless once loaded are driven North down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Main Street, taking a right Eastbound in a circuitious route down Main Street to Mamaroneck Avenue, where they turn South on Mamaroneck and then turn into Quarropas and then into Court Street, rather than picking up their clients on the South side of Quarropas and driving one block after pick up.

Homeless being picked up by 3 vans Friday Evening. Photo, WPCNR News.

The vans turn into the driveway at 85 Court, the Department of Social Services. The vans laboriously turn around and back down a 50 foot driveway enclosed by a fence to unload the homeless right at the door to the 85 Court basement. The homeless sit in the vans while the vans maneuver, the drivers herking and jerking and aligning the vehicles with the long chain-link secured driveway, and backing them down. The homeless are not allowed to exit the vans and walk down the driveway themselves.

Vans Arrive Sunday Evening at 85 Court Street about 10: 55 P.M., passing a restaurant on the corner that appeared to be closed. With no activity at restaurant and 15 degree temperatures chilling the homeless, the vans still did not pick up homeless  until 10:35 P.M. Photo, WPCNR News.

WPCNR has observed four of the first five nights. The homeless are very patient at the Quarropas and Martin Luther King, Jr. pickup point. (Even when appearing to be heckled by youths passing by, the homeless refused to engage Friday night -- the night of fog and rain.) The homeless maintain their composure, sitting docilely  in the vans as the van drivers struggle to turn around and align their vans to back into the loading chute at 85 Court Street, and gingerly inch their way down jerking  and bouncing their human cargo.

The Entrance to 85 Court Street Drop-In Shelter. Vans back down into this chute to unload homeless. Homeless are not allowed to disembark vans until vans are backed down into this driveway and gate is locked. Photo, WPCNR News.

The only breach of security observed the last four nights of observation was the illegal parking of expensive luxury cars in front of the Department of Social Services Thursday evening in the DSS "No Parking Anytime Fire Lane" zone. There were no cars parked illegally Friday evening, Sunday or Monday evenings.

After the vans are all down the driveway to unload their cargo of homeless, the chain link fence is locked for the night, effectively securing the homeless. According to a New York Times article in the Westchester Section of this weekend's Times, the homeless cannot leave the shelter during the night, or they will be arrested. WPCNR has not confirmed this.

A homeless person interviewed by WPCNR last Tuesday evening, the media-saturated first night of the new County Drop-In Shelter at 85 Court, said he did not see why they could not walk to the shelter and be let in. He said being bused to it was crazy.

It could not be determined by WPCNR how the homeless are being "registered" whether it is done at the curbside pick-up at Quarropas and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or when they are dropped off at the shelter. 

43 Beds. Two Bathrooms. No Amenities.

What is the 85 Court Street shelter like? No one knows. Request for a media tour by WPCNR is pending.

Victoria Hochman, spokesperson for the Department of Communciations, in an e-mail sent January 12, described the conditions the homeless once they are let off at the door of the new shelter encounter:

"It is one room. There are 43 beds in the room. There is no t.v., no showers, no food, no amenities -- this is merely a sleep site for those who choose not to enter the shelter system. There are two bathrooms -- same as the airport."

Asked to describe how the first night went ( Tuesday, January 10), Hochman wrote: "The night went fine, I have no idea how the homeless customers thought it went. 6 Client Care Workers and 1 supervisor were used Wednesday night for 85 Court Street Drop In placements. 2 van drivers are also used as emergency back up for the overflow. One supervisor is on duty to coordinate moves. Last night (Wednesday night), VOA staffed 85 Court Street Drop In with 3 staff persons and provided back up from the Grasslands facility."

Staying at Open Arms?

Noting the 25 degree temperatures as night fell on Monday evening, WPCNR contacted Open Arms Shelter where the "Hardcore Homeless" are allowed to stay during the day. The person answering the phone said he could not answer my question as to whether the homeless could hang out in the warmth of Open Arms all evening until the 9:30- 9:45 hour. He said he had been told to defer all questions from the media to the Director, who was not available.