News Summary
New York City will close its final migrant shelter located at The Row hotel in Times Square by April 2024. City officials will not renew the lease for the hotel, which has provided critical housing for asylum-seekers. Despite this closure, the city is committed to supporting approximately 35,000 migrants currently in its shelter system. The decision follows concerns over crime rates linked to the shelter, and local businesses have expressed relief at the upcoming change as the city seeks sustainable housing solutions for residents.
New York City is set to shut down its last remaining migrant shelter located at The Row hotel in Times Square. City officials have confirmed that they will not renew the lease for the hotel, which has been serving as a shelter for migrants since its conversion. The lease is currently set to expire in April 2024, marking a significant shift in the city’s approach to managing the influx of asylum-seekers.
The Row, situated at 700 Eighth Ave., has provided 1,300 rooms for migrants, and its closure symbolizes the end of a chapter for the city’s emergency migrant housing program. The Roosevelt Hotel, which had previously accommodated 2,900 migrants, closed in June 2023 and is currently listed for sale.
Despite the closure of The Row, officials assure that the city will continue to house homeless migrants. New York City is currently providing shelter for approximately 35,000 asylum-seekers, a notable decrease from its peak of 69,000 individuals recorded in January 2024. This decline reflects ongoing efforts to transition individuals into stable housing options and support for self-sufficiency.
Since the onset of the migrant crisis, New York City has allocated more than $7.7 billion to house a total of 238,000 migrants, as mandated by the right-to-shelter law in New York State. City leadership, including Mayor Eric Adams, has emphasized the city’s proactive response to a surge in migrant arrivals. The administration reports that it has successfully assisted over 200,000 migrants in transitioning to independent living.
The financial implications of this move include a substantial payment of $170 million to Boston-based Rockpoint to manage The Row’s shelter operations. The city’s decision comes in the wake of a controversial period in which Texas Governor Greg Abbott bused migrants to New York City, increasing pressure on the local systems. The Adams administration has also cited the closure of 64 emergency migrant shelters around the city, including high-profile tent accommodations at locations such as Randall’s Island and Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
The transition away from using hotels for migrant housing follows concerns regarding crime rates associated with The Row’s operation as a shelter. Local neighborhoods reported a spike in incidents, including a violent altercation between young asylum-seekers and NYPD officers in January 2024, exacerbating safety concerns in the area. Critics, however, argue that advocacy groups contest significant links between increased immigration and rising crime rates.
Residents and business owners in the Times Square vicinity have expressed relief concerning the impending closure. They reported various issues ranging from litter to disruptive behavior that affected local commerce and daily life. At the peak of the migrant crisis, New York City operated 220 hotels and contracted sites to accommodate migrants, but that number has since declined to only four contracted shelters.
Currently, the city has successfully integrated many migrants into its official shelter system, which houses about 92,000 residents, including approximately 35,400 migrants. Mayor Adams has portrayed this management of the migrant situation as a significant achievement for the city, characterizing it as an effective response to an “international humanitarian crisis.”
As New York City moves forward from The Row and its makeshift accommodations, the focus will remain on finding sustainable housing solutions for those in need, as well as addressing the community concerns surrounding the integration of asylum-seekers into the urban landscape.
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Additional Resources
- Chelsea News NY: City Ending Migrant Shelter Hotel Lease
- Wikipedia: Asylum in the United States
- New York Times: Migrants at The Row Hotel
- Google Search: Migrant Shelters NYC
- New York Post: NYC to Shut Down Last Migrant Hotel
- Google Scholar: Migrant Shelters New York
- ABC7 NY: NYPD Says Migrant Children Behind Several Violent Crimes
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Migration
- New York Times: Roosevelt Hotel Migrant Shelter Closing
Author: STAFF HERE NEW YORK WRITER
NEW YORK CITY STAFF WRITER The NEW YORK CITY STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERENewYorkCity.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in New York City, the five boroughs, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as New York Fashion Week, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Tribeca Film Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and United Way of New York City, plus leading businesses in finance and media that power the local economy such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Bloomberg. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBuffalo.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into New York's dynamic landscape.
