Rockaway Beach Residents Oppose Turning Motel Into Rooms For Homeless Families

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Rockaway Beach residents are fighting a plan to turn a motel into a place for homeless families.

Residents gathered Sunday night to voice their opposition.

The Department of Homeless Services is going to start renting rooms at the Playland Motel, which is going out of business.

Community leaders are angry that Mayor Bill de Blasio made the decision without consulting anyone in the neighborhood.

"He's taking every establishment that's having a little trouble and offering them big bucks to hide this problem," resident Eddie Pastore said.

Another resident said, "We're still rebounding from Sandy. We're still trying to get help that was promised to us from Sandy alone."

The building is not being classified as a shelter, just a facility where families can stay while they're being placed in more permanent housing.

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• Rockaway Beach