Ten East Village residents and the local group VOICE have sued to block the conversion of 8 East 3rd Street into a temporary intake shelter for homeless men, arguing the city fast-tracked the decision using a 2022 emergency declaration. The move follows plans to close the Bellevue intake facility and reportedly relocate about 250 people; a second site at 333 Bowery Street is due to open May 1. The lawsuit has drawn national commentary, and the New York State Supreme Court has not yet ruled on emergency relief.
East Village Turns on Mayor Mamdani: Supporters Sue To Block Temporary Homeless Shelter
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a press conference at La Marqueta in East Harlem on April 14, 2026, outlining plans for city-run grocery stores aimed at lowering food prices.(Getty Images)
Ten East Village residents who helped elect Mayor Zohran Mamdani have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the conversion of a neighborhood building into a temporary citywide homeless intake center.
What Happened
The legal challenge, filed Monday in the New York State Supreme Court, asks the court to halt plans to convert 8 East 3rd Street into an intake shelter for homeless adult men. Plaintiffs—including members of the Village Organization for the Integrity of Community Engagement (VOICE)—contend the city bypassed required legal and environmental reviews by relying on an emergency declaration issued in 2022.
Trains arrive and depart at the Queensboro Plaza subway station with the New York City skyline visible behind on Dec. 23, 2005.
Key Claims in the Complaint
The suit argues the administration "hastily made and legally invalid" decisions when it designated 8 East 3rd Street as a citywide intake site without following established procedures. According to the filing, the city leaned on a 2022 emergency declaration, originally tied to an influx of asylum-seekers, to justify expediting the process and sidestepping standard review requirements.
City Response And Context
City officials framed the temporary site as a response to the planned closure of the Bellevue intake facility, which the mayor’s office said had deteriorated beyond safe use. Mamdani’s office said the Departments of Social Services (DSS) and Homeless Services (DHS) would implement an operational plan to vacate Bellevue’s 30th Street location and relocate functions and residents to other sites.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ SEIU rally on Park Avenue in Manhattan on April 15, 2026.
The mayor’s statement said there were approximately 250 people at the Bellevue site and that DSS was working to relocate them by mid-March. Officials also announced a second temporary accommodation at 333 Bowery Street, scheduled to open on May 1 to house families without minor children.
Political Reaction
News of the lawsuit drew attention from national conservative figures online. Sen. Ted Cruz posted a one-word reaction—
"Oops."—on X, while Sen. Rick Scott said he was "not shocked." Former NY attorney general candidate Michael Henry criticized the response from local progressives, arguing some supporters resist local impacts even when they backed the candidate.
Legal Status
The New York State Supreme Court has not yet ruled on requests for emergency relief to pause the city’s plans. The litigation is likely to focus on whether the administration lawfully relied on the 2022 emergency order and whether required environmental and procedural reviews were circumvented.
Why it matters: The case highlights tensions between citywide policy decisions on homelessness and neighborhood-level opposition—even in communities that strongly supported the mayor at the ballot box.
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