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City Council oversight hearing on June 24, 2026 reviewed occupancy, complaints, inspection notes, and housing outcomes for ASUS Place (the city’s dedicated trans and gender non-conforming shelter) and Marsha’s House (LGBTQIA+ young adult shelter), including bed counts, a reported 109 occupancy at ASUS Place, 28 permanent placements from Marsha’s House in FY26, and recent complaints tied to burst pipes and alleged harassment. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098
# What’s happening
– ASUS Place has 150 beds and housed 109 people as of the week before June 24, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124
– Marsha’s House operates 81 beds and placed 28 residents into permanent housing in fiscal year 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
– DHS reported complaints about burst pipes and alleged client harassment; staff retraining and investigations followed. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6171
# Why it matters
– LGBTQIA+ and transgender/gender non-conforming (TGNC) shelter residents depend on affirming shelter conditions and placement options. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
– Shelter conditions, complaint handling, and placement rates affect residents’ safety and chances of moving into permanent housing. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
# Key details
– ASUS Place capacity: 150 beds. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124
– ASUS Place occupancy: 109 residents reported the week before June 24, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908
– Marsha’s House capacity: 81 beds. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
– Marsha’s House outcomes: 28 residents placed into permanent long-term housing in fiscal year 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
– Complaint handling changes: designated complaint tracking categories for TGNC retaliation, QR codes and paper forms on every floor, brochures on rights, and staff training within 90 days and refreshers every two years. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124
– Recent inspection-related findings: DHS staff reported the shelter was “very nice” physically; some complaints tied to burst pipes during an extended code blue were addressed and clients were moved to rooms with heat and water. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6171 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098
ASUS Place
– Role or jurisdiction: City’s first dedicated trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) shelter site. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124
– Action taken or responsibility: DHS assigns a program administrator to ensure compliance and conducted site visits. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098
– Relevant numbers or dates: 150-bed capacity; DHS reported 109 residents as of the week before June 24, 2026; opening year referenced as 2022 and inconsistently noted as 2025 in testimony. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908
Marsha’s House
– Role or jurisdiction: Shelter operated for LGBTQIA+ young adults aged 18–35, run by Project Renewal. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10130
– Action taken or responsibility: Project Renewal provides coordinated health, mental health, and employment supports. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10130
– Relevant numbers or dates: 81 beds; 28 permanent housing placements in FY26. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS)
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency overseeing emergency shelter placement and contract oversight for shelter providers. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=7338
– Action taken or responsibility: Tracks TGNC-related complaints, assigns program administrators, visits sites, and updates complaint tracking and client rights materials. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098
– Relevant numbers or dates: Reported 109 ASUS Place residents the week before June 24, 2026; noted inability to provide an accurate count of emergency shelter complaints in 2022. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=7338
Article body
City Council oversight committees questioned DHS and service providers on June 24, 2026 about occupancy, complaints, inspections, and housing outcomes at LGBTQIA+–focused shelters. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908
DHS testified that ASUS Place has capacity for 150 residents and that 109 individuals were housed there as of the week before the hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124
Project Renewal testified that Marsha’s House operates 81 beds and placed 28 residents into permanent long-term housing in fiscal year 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
Council members and witnesses raised complaints alleging subpar living conditions, safety issues, and harassment at ASUS Place and Marsha’s House. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10130
DHS said some ASUS Place complaints were tied to facility problems when pipes burst during an extended code blue; DHS moved affected clients to rooms with heat and water. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098
DHS described complaint processes and improvements: new designated complaint categories for TGNC retaliation, updated client rights materials, brochures for TGNC clients, QR codes in elevators, paper complaint forms on every floor, and an assigned DHS program administrator to monitor compliance. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6171
DHS said staff complete required training within 90 days of hiring and receive refresher training every two years. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846
A DHS witness told the Council the speaker found ASUS Place “very nice” physically, noting rooms, common spaces, offices, and outdoor space during a recent visit. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6171
When asked for complaint totals and inspection findings across shelters, DHS staff said they could not give an accurate count of emergency shelter complaints in 2022 through their system. DHS also noted that shelters receive operating certificates and are overseen by OCFS (the agency that regulates licensed shelters), so some resident complaints are submitted directly to OCFS. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=7338
Project Renewal and other providers told the Council that affirming, specialized shelter and coordinated services produce measurable housing exits, citing Marsha’s House placements in FY26. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230
Council members requested follow-up data, including complaint breakdowns and referral pathways into shelters, and asked DHS to provide additional details after the hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846
Source: https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=5908 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=2124 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=10230 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6098 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=4846 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=6171 https://youtu.be/W81bKWZqyZE&t=7338
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