Gloversville mayor seeks Code Blue shelter approval

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Winter is in full swing, and with below freezing temperatures at night, a Capital Region city is looking to finalize a plan to help those in need.

The city of Gloversville will hold a common council meeting Tuesday night to try and develop a resolution for a citywide Code Blue shelter, which provides overnight housing to the homeless when temperatures dip below freezing, including the wind chill.

The common council previously voted against the approval of a temporary Certificate of Occupancy at the city’s Center of Hope inside the former YWCA on Bleecker Street.

Mayor Vincent DeSantis said he has been working to find a new shelter location since the zoning board voted against the application put in by the Center of Hope. After push back from the mayor, the common council voted to change the zoning ordinance to allow Code Blue shelters to operate in the city’s commercial zones as long as they are not in the downtown overlay district.

DeSanits said the city is now eyeing a new site for the shelter and is urging for a quick decision because he believes the importance of shelter during colder months is crucial not only for the homeless but also those who may find themselves in unprecedented times.

“You know, there are always people that may fall through the cracks; there are always people out there that may find themselves in terribly cold temperatures where they don’t have shelter,” he said. “So, I think it’s really important to have a place where they can walk in the door and get out of the cold.”