Dear Residents –
As most of you now know, last Friday, NYC Mayor Eric Adams called to tell me about a program he was implementing to house migrants from NYC in hotels all across NYS, and that a hotel in Orangetown had been identified as a possible location. Other than saying that NYC would cover the costs, he provided no other information. Throughout the following days, we learned the plan included housing 340 single adult males at the Armoni Inn & Suites in Orangeburg, with on-site staff available 24 hours a day/7 day a week, including social workers and case workers, together with laundry service, housekeeping, medical consultation and more. Below is a copy of the brochure that the Town obtained (not from NYC) that is being given out to migrants as they arrive in the city.
It became clear that the conversion of the Armoni Inn & Suites – a hotel that serves as a place of overnight accommodation for transient occupants – into a housing facility for long-term residence violates our local zoning standards. Thus, the Town Building Inspector issued a Notice of Violation to the hotel on Sunday. Despite this, NYC informed the Town at 4:30 pm on Tuesday that the first bus would be arriving sometime on Wednesday.
By the time of the call, the Town Board had already filed papers in Rockland Supreme Court seeking a Temporary Restraining Order enjoining the use of the Armoni Inn & Suites for the long-term housing of individuals under the care of New York City. The court granted the requested relief around 5:30 pm on Tuesday.
To be clear, the immigration status of these individuals is irrelevant to this matter and the Town’s decision to seek legal recourse. The Town sought this restraint to ensure the integrity of local zoning regulations and the protection of those who would be housed in the Armoni Inn & Suites on a long-term basis, as well as the community at large.
The case will be back in court on May 31, 2023 (adjourned from this Monday, May 15, 2023). The Temporary Restraining Order will remain in place until such time. I will continue to update on this, as needed, on my Facebook page.
Now, on to some happier matters. This week, my office had the pleasure of presenting Moringa Indian Curry House with a certificate for their grand opening in Tappan. The food, I am told, was absolutely delicious. Please stop in and welcome our newest business to Orangetown.
I will be running the rail trail tomorrow in support of the Hunger's 5K Heroes Run/Walk race and our local food pantries. There is still time to register but, for those who would prefer to stand on the sidelines, feel free to come out and cheer us on. Speaking for myself, after this week, I can use all the support I can get.
And for those of you with children, take a look below for a sneak peek of the splash pad that is being installed at Veterans Memorial Park. Very exciting!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Regards,
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