The basement of this building, owned by Saint John’s Episcopal Church on Staten Island, could soon become a shelter for asylum seekers newly arrived in the city.
But some residents of Canterbury House, an affordable housing unit for seniors, located in the same building, express concern after finding out. Linda Johnson, 70, is one of them.
“You know what’s going to happen or I’m not going to say that everyone is going to be bad but some are going to break the rules,” says Linda Johnson, a resident of Canterbury House.
In a statement to NY1 News, Henry Tuell, the priest in charge of Saint John’s Church, located in the Shore Acres neighborhood, confirmed the plan, stating that:
“God has called us to a ministry of hospitality toward the stranger among us. Under a City-funded interfaith initiative, New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) and St. John’s, with the full support of our Bishop and Diocese, are pursuing the potential of a 57-bed asylum seeker shelter.” .
He added that they will operate the independent Canterbury House shelter and that residents will not be displaced.
He also specified that the community room of the residents of Canterbury House will be for their exclusive use and that the parish hall of the church will be the space used for this ministry.
According to the church website the basement is where most of the parish events occur.
Among the residents of the community there are divided opinions.
Leonor Alcany, resident of Stante island, maintains:
“I don’t think it’s a danger. I know that there is this stigma that maybe immigrants are going to cause disorder or that they do bad things but it is not true.”
“So these people come and want all the benefits for themselves, all the best, you understand, that can’t be done,” adds Felix Alicea, a Staten Island resident.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, along with Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton and Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks issued a joint statement rejecting the shelter on this property.
For his part, Father Tuell said that the contract with the city’s interfaith disaster services initiative is approved by the sacristy. He stressed that despite the opposition, the church feels a moral and ethical obligation to help those in need.
The Staten Island Advance newspaper reported that according to a Mayor’s Office spokesperson, the installation of this shelter is in its initial stages.
It is not yet known exactly when they will begin housing immigrants.
