Upper East Side Residents Upset Over Secret Homeless Shelter Operations

Residents of Manhattan's Upper East Side are expressing frustration over the continued operation of a homeless shelter at The Bentley Hotel, a 21-story building located at 500 E. 62nd St. The hotel, which once offered rooms for over $200 a night, is currently housing 197 individuals under a contract with the Brooklyn-based nonprofit Highland Park Community Development Corporation, according to Upper East Site. Neighbors are particularly concerned about a perceived lack of transparency from city officials regarding the shelter's status.

This is not the first time The Bentley has served as a shelter. In May 2020, the hotel housed New Yorkers displaced from crowded congregate shelters as part of the city's pandemic response to slow the spread of COVID-19. The hotel resumed shelter operations in 2023, designated as a Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) for asylum seekers amidst the ongoing migrant crisis. Highland Park Community Development Corporation reportedly secured a $32 million contract to manage the facility.

Despite Mayor Zohran Mamdani's directive to close the city's last remaining HERRC in The Bronx by the end of the year, The Bentley has not closed but was reportedly rebranded as a “Tier 2 family shelter” known as “Yorkville Sanctuary,” despite its location in Lenox Hill. This rebranding has drawn criticism, as the Department of Homeless Services typically notifies Community Board 8 about new shelter openings, a practice that appears to have been bypassed in this instance.

Residents, including members of the East Side Accountability Alliance, state they do not object to the presence of a shelter itself but are dismayed by the city's alleged lack of communication. Tyler Hollinger, a founding member of the alliance, noted that the community board and government seem to disregard public opinion. Richard Barcia, another resident, expressed a desire for open communication rather than residents discovering the details themselves.

A spokesperson for the Department of Social Services confirmed that migrant-specific shelters have been phased out citywide but declined to specify the Bentley's current use, citing confidentiality rules for shelter addresses. The agency did not deny that the building is still operating as a shelter and did not respond to questions about the contract terms or the transition for individuals previously housed there. Neither Highland Park Community Development Corporation nor The Bentley Hotel provided comment when contacted by Upper East Site.