First-ever city-funded shelter for trans people experiencing homelessness opens in New Yorkhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/first-ever-city-funded-shelter-for-trans-people-experiencing-homelessness-opens-in-new-york/ar-AA1KdBGR?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=644fdadf571645d880f4598416ba31e7&ei=135Story by John Russell (9 Aug 2025)
New York City is now home to what advocates say is the country's first-ever city-funded shelter specifically for transgender and gender non-conforming people.
On Tuesday, August 5, the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) and Bronx-based LGBTQ+ nonprofit Destination Tomorrow announced the opening of Ace's Place, a 150-bed shelter in Long Island City, Queens, that will provide transitional housing and specialized support for trans and gender nonconforming people experiencing homelessness.
According to Gothamist, Ace's Place, named for Destination Tomorrow founder and CEO Sean Ebony Coleman's mother, will provide residents with on-site psychiatric care, culinary and GED classes, and job placement training.
In a statement, DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said that the announcement of Ace's Place "strongly affirms our values and commitment to strengthening the safety net for transgender New Yorkers at a time when their rights are roundly under attack."
Coleman added that the shelter represents "a hard-fought declaration" that trans and gender nonconforming people "will no longer be pushed to the margins."
The partnership between DSS and Destination Tomorrow also represents a first step toward the city fulfilling its commitment to build homeless shelters for trans and gender nonconforming people. As Park explained to Gothamist, NYC already places trans people experiencing homelessness in shelters that align with their gender identity and is required to provide at least 30 beds across the city for trans and gender nonconforming people.
