Guardian Angels see surge of new members as homeless population wreaks havoc on Upper West Side

As New York City continues its descent into chaos with what many decry as seemingly little intervention by city or state leadership, the Guardian Angels, a longtime unarmed civilian patrol group, are being welcomed by New Yorkers with open arms now more than ever.

A number of issues have been plaguing the city over the past few months, including having the highest coronavirus death toll of any state in the country, serious economic issues due to strict lockdown measures, a spike in violent crimes, and now a rising homeless population that is affecting quality of life in the city.

Many residents say they are frustrated by the unanswered calls for city officials' intervention in fixing these problems, with most of the anger targeted towards the mayor, Bill de Blasio.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, is among some frustrated New Yorkers who have taken matters into their own hands.

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While the patrol group can usually be found in the most crime-prone areas within the five boroughs that comprise New York City, recently they have been spending time in uptown Manhattan, an area not known for being particularly crime-ridden.

Due to a recent decision that Sliwa--who has expressed plans to run for mayor--says was made “under the cover of darkness through executive order,” hundreds of homeless men from lower Manhattan shelters were moved into hotels on the Upper West Side, and in just a few weeks the effects on the neighborhood are noticeable.

The Coalition for the Homeless and the mayor credit this decision to stopping the spread of coronavirus in shelters, which are often crowded and leave no room for social distancing.

"The main priority in the midst of a deadly pandemic must be to save lives. Moving people from congregate shelters to hotel rooms is a commonsense and urgently needed intervention to protect homeless people, and should be a model for other cities," said Giselle Routhier, policy director for Coalition for the Homeless.

According to reports, at least 139 hotels are deemed home to people experiencing homelessness – a sharp rise from the estimated 40 hotels that were used in place of shelters prior to the outbreak of the global pandemic this year.

Additionally, some argue this will help hotels, which are largely vacant due to the drop in tourism, as the revenue for these rooms--75 percent coming from FEMA, and the other 25 percent being paid for by the New York City taxpayers--help to keep some of these hotels afloat.

“Here are these people who love Bill de Blasio," Sliwa told Fox News. "They wake up, it's like zombies in Dawn of the Dead. People are shooting up, they're passing out, they're dying. People are pleasuring themselves in the street. They're drinking, they're carousing. They're attacking people. People are saying 'This is not the neighborhood that I'm raising my kids in.’”

A 2018 review by the Department of Investigation found that "prostitution, drug use, and violence occurred at dozens of hotels that New York City used as shelters for homeless families last year."

Despite the cries for action from residents, critics say, little to nothing has been done to remedy the situation, something Sliwa says has pushed more people to welcome the Guardian Angels on their streets.

“The people are left to their own means, that's why they're coming to the Guardian Angels, because we're teaching them how to fight back within the law. The number one responsibility of all government, no matter if it's Republican-led or Democratic-led, is to provide for public safety. And they've abandoned ship,” said Sliwa.

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Last week the mayoral hopeful held an orientation of sorts for a large group of Upper West Siders interested in joining the Guardian Angels and who were fuming over the growing homeless population in their community.

The large crowd gathered in Central Park as residents expressed frustration and disbelief at the rapid deterioration of their neighborhood and concern for their safety.

One particular point of distress stemmed from the recent knowledge that a number of registered sex offenders were among those who were moved. According to a recent New York Post report, the city moved at least six convicted pedophiles – still on parole – into a hotel on Manhattan's Upper West Side

“The Guardian Angels are going to teach everyone else not to be dependent on government, but to take care of their communities," Sliwa said. "Take care of themselves. Do it in a lawful way, a peaceful way, and protect those who can least protect themselves.”

Saturday, Aug. 15, residents met at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament to discuss the growing safety concerns and the growing divide in the community as some Upper West Side dwellers stood up in defense of their new homeless neighbors.

The $78 million dollar contract made with hotels in April runs through October, and with no official move-out date it is unclear when the initiative will end.

De Blasio said in a press briefing on Aug. 6 that the homeless population would remain in hotels until the pandemic was over and a vaccine had been distributed, making it safe for them to return to shelters. 

"As the ... health situation continues to improve, we’re going to start the process of figuring out where we can get homeless individuals back into safe shelter facilities and reduce the reliance on hotels,” de Blasio said, addressing additional concerns about the homeless situation at a press conference Monday, Aug. 17.