Update: It’s very cold. Police will begin removing people in 25 minutes, if not sooner. There are no warming busses. Only NYPD and CitiCare vans to transport people who “agree” to go to shelters, almost all of which are dorm-style or congregate settings. 
Three homeless NYers outside tried to go down to the station before 1AM, and were forced out. We provided socks but they were suspicious as to whether we played in any role in their removal. A sign of the challenges outreach teams will face more than ever moving forward.
A man who just woken up comes upstairs and asks “Where am I?”
He asks for the bus to the shelter, which is sitting outside, but no sign of outreach to let him in.
We run down to ask NYPD where they are. They don’t know.
By the time we came back up, the man had left.
He asks for the bus to the shelter, which is sitting outside, but no sign of outreach to let him in.
We run down to ask NYPD where they are. They don’t know.
By the time we came back up, the man had left.
The next train arrives. A man, despite the cold & just being woken up, smiles & talks for a few minutes. His plan is to ride a bus two hours for its full trip, at which point he’ll be woken up and asked to leave. Then wait for the next bus & repeat... By that time, it’ll be 5AM.
We’ve just arrived at South Ferry and despite it being only a few minutes, WOW, it feels colder. The wind is brutal. You can hear it here:
A group of people, clearly freezing cold, sprint from the station to the CitiCare bus, where a man is collecting names. “THIS IS NOT A WARMING VAN!” he yells. The bus is now packed. No chance there is room for social distancing on there.
An outreach worker from MOC calls in over the radio, “Can we get an update on the warming bus?”
“I don’t think there is a warming bus.”
“Oh shit.”
Clearly, the MTA’s announcement didn’t get commmunicated to the outreach teams.
“I don’t think there is a warming bus.”
“Oh shit.”
Clearly, the MTA’s announcement didn’t get commmunicated to the outreach teams.
Groups of people huddle outside the wall of the terminal, protected from the wind. Back at the corner of the street, no signs of CitiCare vans or warming vans.
Off to the last station of the night.
Off to the last station of the night.
Last stop: End of the L on 14th St. One man remaining outside who was removed from the train earlier. He tells us he’s waiting for the bus, which arrives moments later.
Tonight was brutally cold and heartbreaking. @NYCMayor and @NYGovCuomo have disingenuously tried to spin closing the trains as an opportunity to help homeless New Yorkers. We’ve seen firsthand how much damage it is causing. This needs to stop.
