A 94-year-old veteran of the US Army is expressing his discontent with his eviction from a Staten Island assisted living facility. He argues that it’s unjust, especially considering the subsequent arrangement to accommodate migrants, and deems the situation as unfair.
Frank Tammaro received notice of less than two months that he, along with 53 other seniors, would need to find alternative living arrangements after being asked to vacate Island Shores Residences in March.
Following his relocation to a different facility, Frank Tammaro experienced a fall. In light of this incident, he and his daughter, Barbara Annunziata, collectively decided that it would be more suitable for him to reside with her and her children.
Under her guardianship, the family learned that Island Shores was undergoing a transformation into housing for migrants. Contrary to the promised assurance of reopening as another assisted living facility, such plans were not materializing.
Republican leaders representing the borough have criticized both the city and the nonprofit organization that owns the facility. They have characterized the arrangement to accommodate migrants as a questionable and dubious deal.
Homes for the Homeless, the recent acquirers of the property, stated their intention to sell Island Shores to align with their primary mission of assisting homeless families. They expressed a preference for the prospective buyer to be another organization specializing in senior housing.
Nevertheless, in August, Homes for the Homeless entered into a agreement with City Hall to relocate migrants to the facility, subsequently renamed as the Midland Beach Migrant Center.
In September, a spokesperson from the Department of Social Services (DSS) informed the Staten Island Advance that the erstwhile senior living facility would be transformed into a shelter for migrants. The new arrangement was designed to accommodate 113 families, providing them with private rooms and meal services. The announcement triggered strong objections from Staten Islanders, leading to protests in front of the shelter. Some even went to the extent of physically obstructing the arrival of an MTA bus carrying asylum seekers.
Mayor Adams characterized the tumultuous demonstration as an unsightly presentation orchestrated by a minority of New Yorkers.
