Passage 3

Concerned about efforts to open more emergency shelters to accommodate a growing homeless population the New York City Council appears likely to adopt legislation requiring the city to alert local communities to any plans for new shelters there.

The bill, sponsored by 30 of the Council's 51 members, would obligate the city's Department of Homeless Services to give at least 60 days' notice to local officials before developing, planning rehabilitating or engaging in a contract to develop an emergency shelter for homeless people. If passed, the bill would need the approval of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The number of people housed in the city's 133 shelters rose to a record of about 39,000 in July, and city officials say they expect to open 24 more shelters for families and adults during the next year.

At a hearing yesterday that grew angry at times, council members insisted that their desire to tighten the rules or opening new shelters was not a case of “not in my backyard” syndrome, but a matter of basic fairness and common sense.

Some council members offered an analysis showing that 16 districts have no homeless shelters at all, while others have nearly two dozen. Councilman William Perkins, whose district includes much of Harlem, said shelters were disproportionately placed in districts with large minority population.

Of the 16 districts with no shelters, 7 are in Queens, 6 are in Brooklyn, 2 are on Staten Island and one is in the Bronx.

“My district has 20 facilities.” Mr. Perkins said. “Certain communities have become overwhelmed by these facilities, and other communities, especially so-called white communities don't have any at all.”

Linda I. Gibbs, the city's commissioner of homeless services, said that shelters were located where they are most needed, and that the city tried to place people in their own neighborhoods “so that disruption to family connections and communities ties can be avoided.”

Ms. Gibbs agreed that her department could do a better job of giving advance notice of plans for new shelters, but said the lengthy period called for in the proposed legislation was not practical. The city is required by other laws to provide same-day emergency shelter to families with children, she said, meaning that during times of peak capacity it must quickly provide new shelter space.

She raised hackles by accusing the Council of being preoccupied with regulating shelter locales “as we face the worst homeless crisis the city has experienced in recent history.”

That prompted Councilman Philip Reed to deliver a lengthy rebuke, defending the Council's efforts on homeless issues and suggesting that Ms. Gibbs did not appreciate the Council's need to balance community interests.

“I just find your comments really disingenuous,” Mr. Reed said. “Some of it just smacked of self-righteousness. It sounds like Joan of Arc showed up today. We're all trying to solve this problem. But we also are trying to rebuild a community.”

Mr. Gibbs apologized to the Council “if any of my comments appeared self-righteous,” saying she was merely asking its help on initiatives to reduce the city's homeless population.

The bill mentioned in the passage ________.

Councilman Philip Reed's reaction to Ms. Gibbs' comment was ________.

At a hearing yesterday, council members insisted that their desire to tighten the rules for opening new shelters was ________.

Which of the following statements is true?

It's likely that there will be altogether ________shelters in the city of New York last year.