Workers from the city's Department Of Homeless Services have refused to fix the trash compactor unit at The Bedford-Atlantic Armory Men's Shelter for the last two months according to staff workers at the shelter so rats and roaches have moved into the neighborhood to feast on the continually growing mountain of garbage.
The Department of Homeless Services allegedly has refused to fix the garbage compacting unit because the homeless shelter has a notorious history of violence.
Residents of the shelter say they see more rats and roaches every day. One resident described the conditions as "nightmarish" and went on to say "Rats are everywhere, they climb over our beds, into our lockers, and they even drink out of our toilets.
Teamsters Local 237 union representative Derek Jackson said the employees who run the shelter are afraid to come to work. They are worried about bringing something home to their own homes.
The huge pile of trash only gets picked up once every two weeks so the smell and liquid runoff from the pile has caused an increase of all filth-loving creatures.
Neighbors of the shelter say the rat and roach problem has spread to their businesses.
The manager of the Green Broccoli Farm deli across the street from the shelter said she has seen big rats running to and from the pile at all hours of the day.
A representative from the Department of Homeless Services claims the garbage compactor issue has nothing to do with the rat and roach problem and there are plans to fix the compactor in the near future.
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