Temperatures inside NYC homeless shelter plummet to 45 degrees, sparking outrage. Inspectors report that the Schwartz Assessment Shelter on Wards Island failed to meet the city's heating standards by more than 20 degrees.
At the men's homeless shelter, residents were struggling to stay warm in temperatures as low as 45 degrees inside - a far cry from the required minimum of 65 degrees to prevent hypothermia. "I have yogurt, I have cold cuts, I have almond milk... they haven't gone spoiled yet," said Reinaldo, who feared retaliation for speaking out about the conditions.
The Coalition for the Homeless, which regularly inspects shelters like Schwartz Assessment, reported record-low temperatures in multiple readings since early December. One reading recorded inside a dorm room was as low as 45 degrees, prompting widespread complaints from staff and residents alike.
According to city officials, the issue lies not with the heating system itself but rather with old window units that are failing to keep warm air in. "In this instance our teams addressed issues like drafty and open windows... we will continue to monitor this situation through the winter months," said a spokesperson for the Department of Homeless Services.
The Coalition's senior manager, Jamie Powlovich, argued that the shelter's aging infrastructure was to blame for the widespread cold. "Both clients, staff, and security were complaining - people were wearing winter jackets inside. It was unacceptable."
Meanwhile, Reinaldo recounted his own struggles with the extreme temperatures, donning multiple layers just to stay warm. He expressed frustration at the windows' inability to retain warmth.
The Department of Homeless Services maintained that they are working to address the issues, but residents and advocates remain skeptical about the pace and effectiveness of these efforts.
At the men's homeless shelter, residents were struggling to stay warm in temperatures as low as 45 degrees inside - a far cry from the required minimum of 65 degrees to prevent hypothermia. "I have yogurt, I have cold cuts, I have almond milk... they haven't gone spoiled yet," said Reinaldo, who feared retaliation for speaking out about the conditions.
The Coalition for the Homeless, which regularly inspects shelters like Schwartz Assessment, reported record-low temperatures in multiple readings since early December. One reading recorded inside a dorm room was as low as 45 degrees, prompting widespread complaints from staff and residents alike.
According to city officials, the issue lies not with the heating system itself but rather with old window units that are failing to keep warm air in. "In this instance our teams addressed issues like drafty and open windows... we will continue to monitor this situation through the winter months," said a spokesperson for the Department of Homeless Services.
The Coalition's senior manager, Jamie Powlovich, argued that the shelter's aging infrastructure was to blame for the widespread cold. "Both clients, staff, and security were complaining - people were wearing winter jackets inside. It was unacceptable."
Meanwhile, Reinaldo recounted his own struggles with the extreme temperatures, donning multiple layers just to stay warm. He expressed frustration at the windows' inability to retain warmth.
The Department of Homeless Services maintained that they are working to address the issues, but residents and advocates remain skeptical about the pace and effectiveness of these efforts.
. I mean, I know we should be grateful for a roof over our heads, but come on! It's not like they're asking for a five-star hotel experience.
45 degrees in a homeless shelter? it's like they're trying to recreate the surface of mars or something. the fact that staff and clients were complaining about drafty windows and people wearing winter jackets inside says it all - our city can't even get its priorities straight when it comes to basic human needs.
! I mean, 45 degrees in a homeless shelter? That's like asking them to survive in Antarctica 
! And now the city's saying it's not their fault, just some old window units failing to do their job... yeah right 
. The real issue here is the infrastructure, they're trying to shift the blame away from the fact that these shelters are basically glorified tents with broken heating 
. These shelter officials are more worried about reputation than real lives. Something's off here...
The Coalition for the Homeless isn't holding back either, saying it's all because of the old window units... aging infrastructure, yeah right 
. And what really gets me is Reinaldo's comment about people wearing winter jackets inside - that's not just uncomfortable, that's basically basic human decency 
. I'm sure city officials will claim they're working on it, but we all know how effective those promises are... 
65 degrees is already kinda chilly, like, if you're homeless u just chill on a bench and u good lol... i get it ppl need warmth tho, but like, cant they just use space heaters or sumthin? 
this windows thing seems like an excuse to me. how hard is it to fix old heating units?