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Community Advocate Thanks Mayor Adams and Criticizes Local Leadership for Lack of Support
A Victory for Clinton Hill Residents
Renee Collymore, the Democratic Liaison for the 57th Assembly District, is celebrating a major victory for the Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, and Prospect Heights communities following Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement to close the city’s largest migrant shelter. Located in Clinton Hill, the facility once housed over 4,000 asylum seekers—ten times the typical size of most shelters, which usually accommodate around 400 individuals.
For months, Collymore led a relentless campaign to either drastically reduce the shelter’s capacity or close it entirely, arguing that its overwhelming size placed an unsustainable strain on local businesses, homeowners, and essential services. Her advocacy included organizing multiple town halls that attracted over 2,000 concerned community members, bringing the issue to the forefront of public discourse.
Residents in Clinton Hill packed a Town Hall Meeting on Friday, May 31. Photo: Tareq Saghie.
Holding Elected Officials Accountable
Collymore also made headlines for calling out local elected officials, particularly City Council Member Crystal Hudson, for failing to stand with the community during the crisis. While Hudson appeared to support the dense concentration of asylum seekers in the district, Collymore consistently pushed back, demanding relief for residents.
A Strategic Meeting with Mayor Adams
In a strategic move that helped sway decision-makers, Collymore organized a pivotal dinner meeting between Mayor Adams and ten Clinton Hill business owners and homeowners. This intimate gathering allowed the mayor to hear firsthand how the massive shelter negatively impacted local commerce and residential life. The meeting proved effective, as Mayor Adams took the community’s concerns seriously, ultimately factoring them into the decision to close the shelter.
Collymore’s Response to the Shelter Closures
In response to the closure announcement, Collymore expressed both gratitude and frustration:
“I commend Mayor Adams for listening to our community and taking decisive action to close this shelter. It was a daunting task, but he got it done, and our neighborhood will finally get the relief it desperately needs. I am thrilled for my community of neighbors who emailed, texted, called and dropped off anonymous letters asking me to continue to push to get the shelter closed.”
Collymore added, “However, it’s disheartening to see local elected officials like Council Member Crystal Hudson prioritize politics over the well-being of the very people they were elected to serve. She ignored our pleas for months but now wants to act as if she supported these closures all along. This kind of political posturing is exactly why our communities continue to suffer.”
Community-First Leadership Leads to Change
Collymore’s leadership and unwavering commitment have been widely recognized as key factors in achieving this outcome. Her proactive stance, media engagement, and direct communication with city leadership not only spotlighted the issue but also ensured that community voices were heard.
The closure of this shelter is part of Mayor Adams’ broader plan to shut down 13 emergency shelters across New York City by June 2025, as the city works to manage costs and reduce its asylum seeker population. For Clinton Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods, this decision marks a turning point and reflects the power of strong, community-first advocacy.
Renee Collymore’s efforts stand as a testament to what dedicated leadership can accomplish when the needs of residents are put before politics.
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