Island Shores assisted living facility in Staten Island, New York is where 95-year-old Korean War Veteran Frank Tammaro and other seniors called home until a few months ago. Now in response to leftist posterchild Mayor Eric Adams and his Sanctuary City initiative, they were told they had to leave to make way for the illegals.
Under a deal with Adams that many have been incredibly suspicious of, the nonprofit organization Homes for the Homeless has been raking it in under Adams deal. This initiative allows illegals to be put up in various places, including luxury hotels, on the city’s dime. Joining Tammaro and others to speak out against this was Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).
According to Malliotakis, less than a year ago, she was told Homes for the Homeless was looking to shut down Island Shores in favor of this program. She claims she and other elected officials attempted to dissuade them and even found potential new owners, but ultimately were unsuccessful.
“Island Shores refused to speak with us and…They told us to reach out to Homes for the Homeless and we were stonewalled. Next thing we know, March, senior citizens like this veteran who is a Korean War veteran, 95 years old, were kicked out of that facility…Fast forward just a few months after they were kicked out, Homes for the Homeless enters a shady deal with the city of New York to turn the facility into a migrant shelter. I’ll tell you my blood pressure went through the roof when I found out this happened.”
According to Tammaro, it was horrific watching how Island Shores residents were being treated, and had it not been for his daughter, he would have been left homeless. “I thought my suitcases were going to be on the curb because I’m not that fast. If it weren’t for my daughter, they would have been on the curb. That’s what happened and that was it. I said, ‘No, no, no, no you’re not moving me’ and they said ‘Yes, yes, yes we are.’ Everything was done behind closed doors, we didn’t have a chance to make any attempt to stop them.”
Now Malliotakis and others are demanding answers about how all of this played out. She and others want to know when the talks between Homes for the Homeless and Mayor Adams began and how much he is paying to have the illegals housed there. They also want to see full accountability for every senior that the organization displaced in favor of this deal.
Financial records from numerous hotels, apartment complexes, and short-term housing offices have been ordered by multiple organizations. With some of the rates that are being paid out to house these illegals, it’s clear to see why people like Tammaro are being forced out. The Holiday Inn in Manhattan’s Financial District was charging the city a 73% bonus on its rate, sending it soaring to $193 per night, per room.
With so many of these hotels now not only charging premium rates but being fully booked for months in advance, there is no reason for them to lower prices when Mayor Adams will not only just keep on sending them but will keep on willfully paying the bill. With the taxpayers of NY and NYC picking up the check, why shouldn’t they?
Under the current contract with the city, they will be receiving $10.5 million. This is just a drop in the bucket compared to The Row Hotel in Times Square. This premium tourist attraction hotel is booked out with illegals now and will get close to $100 million for housing illegals from the city.
This kind of overspending on people who shouldn’t be here anyway is gross enough. Tossing out Disabled Veterans in favor of border jumpers is nothing less than a slap in their face for their sacrifice. Mayor Adams and the whole Democratic party should be ashamed of their pathetic actions.
