The city is reportedly spending $63 million in taxpayer dollars to fund the project, which is set to operate through 2030, The Gothamist, a local news outlet, reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n The shelter, called Ace\u2019s Place, is located in the Bronx and offers 150 beds along with a suite of services including on-site psychiatric care, job training, GED prep, and even culinary arts programs. Funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and run in partnership with LGBTQ+ nonprofit Destination Tomorrow, the shelter is being hailed by city leaders as a “groundbreaking national first.”<\/p>\n “A landmark moment for NYC,” the Department of Homeless Services wrote on X. “We have opened the city’s first shelter specifically for homeless transgender and gender-nonconforming people.”<\/p>\n SANTA MONICA BUSINESS OWNER OFFERING ONE-WAY FLIGHTS TO GET HOMELESS OUT OF CALIFORNIA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n New York City opens the doors to the nation’s first government-funded transgender homeless shelter in the Bronx through 2030. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n City officials and nonprofit leaders celebrated the move as a milestone in LGBTQ+ rights, even as critics question the growing trend of identity-specific public programs.<\/p>\n “We couldn\u2019t be prouder to make this historic announcement that strongly affirms our values and commitment to strengthening the safety net for transgender New Yorkers at a time when their rights are roundly under attack,” said DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park.<\/p>\n Supporters say the facility will provide a safe, tailored environment for transgender individuals often marginalized or victimized in traditional shelters. Officials added that the aim is to help individuals stabilize and transition into long-term housing and independence.<\/p>\n “New York City has long been a leader in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and protections, and we\u2019re proud to continue that tradition with the opening of the nation\u2019s first city-funded shelter dedicated to supporting transgender individuals,” said DHS administrator Joslyn Carter.<\/p>\n DEM REP CALLS OUT NYC’S ONGOING FAILURE TO TACKLE BRONX ‘OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET’ CRISIS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A person sleeps on a park bench outside of Central Park, New York City, NY on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. The city is currently experiencing homelessness and crime. (Fox News Digital)<\/p>\n Sean Ebony Coleman, CEO of Destination Tomorrow, added that the shelter is “a declaration that transgender people will no longer be pushed to the margins.” Coleman emphasized that this initiative was “by the community, for the community.”<\/p>\n “Ace\u2019s Place is a community-driven answer to systemic neglect, and it\u2019s only the beginning,” Coleman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, critics argue that the project sidesteps the real crisis facing New York City<\/a>.<\/p>\n NYC Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola, who has consistently advocated for hiring more DHS police officers and social workers to improve safety in shelters, opposing identity\u2011based segregation or symbolic policy gestures, criticized the new multimillion-dollar project.<\/p>\n “Every New Yorker should feel safe in our shelter system. But instead of fixing the system for everyone, the city is spending $63 million to build a separate facility based on gender identity,” minority council leader Joann Ariola told The New York Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/new-nyc-homeless-shelter-opens.png\")
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