City Converts Former Hotel into Shelter Housing Sex Offenders Near Playground

A vacant hotel has been repurposed into a homeless shelter, which currently houses several registered sex offenders, some of whom are considered high risk. Alarmingly, this shelter is located less than 250 feet from a children’s playground in Chinatown.

According to local residents, at least five Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders live at the shelter on Chrystie Street, near Hester Street Playground. Among them is a convicted offender who had sexual contact with a 7-year-old girl. The congregation of such offenders so close to a space frequented by children has raised serious safety concerns.

“Finding out that the city is housing child predators so close to a playground, financed by taxpayers, is almost beyond belief,” said local parent and activist Brian Chin, who has researched the property. He criticized the lack of transparency and called for accountability.

State law restricts Level 2 and 3 offenders from living within 1,320 feet of parks and schools, yet the shelter’s location violates these guidelines. The detainees include individuals convicted of crimes such as forcibly abusing minors and deviant sexual conduct. Some offenders’ current whereabouts and the total number residing there remain unclear.

The building was once a boutique hotel, converted into a homeless shelter in 2021. It is operated by a Bronx-based nonprofit, NAICA, which has secured nearly $1.3 billion in city contracts over the past decade. Although a previous agreement to close the shelter by mid-2022 was announced, it remains in operation, prompting community concerns about rising crime and safety in the area.

Local residents, including families and community leaders, express frustration and fear, especially after incidents of violence have increased in the precinct this year. Many insist that the housing of sex offenders near recreational spaces is unacceptable and demand stricter enforcement of residency restrictions and increased transparency from officials.

City officials have stated that not all sex offenders are subject to housing restrictions and that shelters operate under legal guidelines. However, community members feel that more should be done to protect vulnerable children and adult residents from potential harm.