>>> TONIGHT ON "METROFOCUS" --

SEX OFFENDERS LIVING ALONGSIDE

CHILDREN IN THE CITY'S SHELTER

SYSTEM.

PIX 11'S JAY DOW AND MARIO DIAZ

ARE HERE TO EXPOSE THE SHOCKING

TREND AND TRACK DOWN THE

COMMISSIONER OF HOMELESS

SERVICES AND DEMAND ANSWERS.

WHAT WILL THEY LEARN AND WILL IT

BE ENOUGH TO KEEP THESE FAMILIES

OUT OF HARM'S WAY?

THEY'LL BE HERE WITH THOSE

ANSWERS.

ALL THAT AND MORE AS

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH

RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND

JENNA FLANAGAN.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS

PROVIDED BY --

>> PIX 11'S INTREPID REPORTERS

JAY DOW AND MARIO DIAZ ARE BACK

WITH "NO PLACE TO CALL HOME,

EXPOSING THE HOMELESS CRISIS."

THEY WERE INTRODUCED US TO THE

HOMELESS HOTELS, POPULAR LODGING

LIKE THE DAY'S INN AND THE SUPER

8 WHERE A PORTION OF THE ROOMS

HAD BEEN DEDICATED TO HOUSING

HOMELESS FAMILIES.

TONIGHT JAY AND MARIO ARE

FOCUSING ON THE FORMER PAN AM

HOTEL ON QUEENS BOULEVARD THAT

WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE

FULL-TIME HOMELESS SHELTER IN

2014.

IT'S PART OF OUR SERIES,

"CHASING THE DREAM: POVERTY AND

OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA" AND

LET'S LOOK AT MORE OF A

NIGHTMARE FOR THOSE TRYING TO

RISE OUT OF POVERTY THAN THE

HELP IT'S INTENDED TO PROVIDE.

>> MAYOR DE BLASIO CONVERTED THE

FORMER PAN AM HOTEL INTO THE

FULL-TIME HOMELESS SHELTER IN

2014.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

BUT WHAT IS SHOCKING TO THE

HOMELESS FAMILIES LIVING IN THIS

SHELTER IS THAT THE STATE SEX

OFFENDER REGISTRY CURRENTLY

LISTS TWO LEVEL 3 CONVICTED SEX

OFFENDERS WHO CURRENTLY CALLED

THE PAN AM HOME.

>> YOU HAVE SEEN [ BLEEP ] HERE

AT THE PAN AM?

>> I HAVE SEEN THEM.

>> INSIDE?

>> INSIDE.

>> LIKE SAYING OR JUST VISITING?

>> I THINK HE HAS A FAMILY IN

HERE.

>> WE ARE NOT GOING TO REVEAL

THE SEX OFFENDER'S IDENTITIES

BUT WE CAN TELL YOU ONE OF THE

MEN WAS CONVICTED OF FIRST

DEGREE ATTEMPTED RAPE, THE OTHER

FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE.

AMONG THE VICTIMS, 10 AND

13-YEAR-OLD GIRLS.

IF IT SOUNDS COMPLETELY

ILLOGICAL AND IMMORAL, FOR

HOMELESS SERVICES OFFICIALS TO

PLACE THEM IN THE FAMILY SHELTER

WITH CHILDREN IN THEIR MIDST,

THEN IT MIGHT ALSO SURPRISE YOU

TO LEARN THIS PRACTICE IS A

FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF A POLICY

THE CITY PLANNED TO IMPLEMENT

MORE THAN A YEAR AGO.

>> I ACTUALLY SUPPOSEDLY WORKED

OUT OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE

CITY OF NEW YORK.

>> CREATED LAST YEAR WITH THE

HELP OF NEW YORK'S STATE SENATOR

JEFFREY KLEIN.

>> ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 13

DANGEROUS SEXUAL PREDATORS

LIVING IN CITY SHELTERS.

>> THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE ONGOING

DISCONNECT OF POLICY SET FORTH

BY DEPARTMENT OF HOMELESS

SERVICES AND THE REALITY OF

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY'S

HOMELESS SHELTERS UNDER HOMELESS

SERVICES COMMISSIONER STEPHEN

BANKS.

SEX OFFENDERS IN SHELTERS IS

PART OF A SECURITY SYSTEM FILLED

WITH FLAWS.

LAST MONTH WE WENT UNDERCOVER IN

FIVE HOMELESS HOTELS, EXPOSING

ONE SECURITY LAPSE AFTER

ANOTHER.

>> WE LEVIED SOME FINES, WE

ENSURED A SUPERVISOR ON EACH

SHIFT.

>> THEN MORE THAN TWO WEEKS

LATER COMMISSIONER BANKS TOLD US

THAT HE ADDRESSED HOMELESS HOTEL

SAFETY ISSUES AFTER WATCHING OUR

REPORTS.

WE WONDERED IF BANKS MADE GOOD

ON HIS WORD, SO WE RETURNED

UNDERCOVER TO THE VERY SAME

SUPER 8 HOTEL IN THE BRONX AND

PARK HOTEL IN QUEENS.

THE RESULTS WERE THE SAME.

ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO

STROLL INTO BOTH FACILITIES.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>> EVEN WELCOMED INSIDE AS WE

WALKED THROUGH THE LOBBY INTO

THE ELEVATOR AND UP TO THE

FLOORS WHERE THE CITY CURRENTLY

SHELTERS THE HOMELESS.

NOT ONE SECURITY GUARD STOPPED

US.

SHOCKING CONSIDERING WHAT

COMMISSIONER BANKS PROCLAIMED ON

OUR AIR.

>> WHICH TOOK -- WE TOOK ACTION.

SECURITY IS CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT

PRIORITY FOR US.

>> I THINK WITH THIS

ADMINISTRATION IT -- THEY TALK A

GOOD STORY, BUT THEY DON'T

FOLLOW THROUGH.

>> NEW YORK STATE SENATOR TONY

AVELLA IS THE CHAIR OF A

HOMELESS TASK FORCE IN ALBANY.

HE CONTINUES TO BE A VOCAL

CRITIC OF MAYOR DE BLASIO'S

HOMELESS POLICIES.

>> WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT

THESE PEOPLE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO

PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THE PEOPLE.

>> ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE

LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY COMING

FROM THE DE BLASIO

ADMINISTRATION?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

ANY TIME YOU ASK A QUESTION, MY

OFFICE ASKS A QUESTION OR

CHANNEL 11 DOES, YOU DON'T GET

AN ANSWER.

>> THEY'RE HIDING SOMETHING.

>> THEY'RE PLACING THE HOMELESS

FAMILIES IN JEOPARDY.

>> WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE

TWO CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS

PLACED IN THE PAN AM HOTEL.

WITH THIS MANAGER --

>> HAVE YOU SEEN THE TWO MEN?

>> NO.

>> BUT HE FELL BACK ON THE

STRATEGY THAT HAS BECOME ALL TOO

FAMILIAR TO US DURING OUR

REPORTING ON THE HOMELESS

CRISIS.

PASSING THE BUCK.

>> THEY ARE TWO OR THREE SEX

OFFENDERS.

YOU WALK AWAY AS -- AS YOU WALK

AWAY WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU

OUT.

>> SPEAKING OF BUCKS, TAXPAYERS

ARE ONCE AGAIN WELL ON THEIR WAY

TO SHELLING OUT MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS IN

HOTELS.

BASED ON THE CURRENT SIZE OF THE

HOMELESS POPULATION.

>> SO 3,100 MEN, WOMEN AND

CHILDREN IN THOSE HOTELS.

THAT WAS COMMISSIONER BANKS IN

EARLY JUNE AND NOW THE PROBLEM

IS EVEN WORSE WITH HUNDREDS MORE

STAYING IN HOTELS.

SO IF WE USED THE FIGURES LISTED

IN THE LATEST MANAGEMENT REPORT,

BANKS AGENCY HAS SPENT MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS TO HOUSE THE HOMELESS

IN CORPORATE HOTELS.

JUST FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THIS

YEAR ALONE.

ALL AT TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE.

THAT'S JUST WHAT WE KNOW.

BECAUSE AT EVERY TURN, WE HAVE

BEEN UNABLE TO GET COMMISSIONER

BANKS' AGENCY TO DELIVER ON ITS

PLEDGE TO BE TRANSPARENT, ON HOW

MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PLACED

IN HOTELS, HOW MUCH THEY ARE

SPENDING, AND HOW MANY HOTELS

ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED BY THE

CITY.

ALL OF THIS COMES JUST MONTHS

AFTER THE MAYOR DECLARED HIS

INTENTION TO SCALE DOWN AND

EVENTUALLY END THE CITY'S

DEPENDENCE ON HOMELESS HOTELS.

STATE SENATORS KLEIN AND AVELLA

DECLINED THE CITY'S APPROACH TO

HOUSING THE HOMELESS IN HOTELS

AS A COMBINATION OF

MISMANAGEMENT AND BLATENT

DECEPTION.

>> IF LET'S DO THE SOUND BITE

AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE

DOING SOMETHING, AND THEN WE'LL

FORGET ABOUT IT.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THIS

ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY.

IT'S IN ONE EAR OUT THE OTHER.

>> WHAT DOES IT SAY THAT WE

CONTINUE TO HEAR THESE TALKING

POINTS OF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE

ACTION, BUT YET THE ACTION ISN'T

THERE?

>> I THINK WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS

MISMANAGING THE SITUATION.

>> WE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY

DURING OUR REPORTING FOR THIS

STORY TO GET HOMELESS SERVICES

COMMISSIONER STEPHEN BANKS TO

SIT DOWN FOR A FOLLOW-UP

INTERVIEW.

ALL WE RECEIVED WAS A WRITTEN

STAY IN WHICH A DHS SPOKESMAN

INSISTED THAT THERE ARE NO SEX

OFFENDERS ON THE STATE REGISTRY

LIVING AT THE PAN AM.

THE SPOKESMAN CITED PENDING

LETGATION FOR THE CITY'S

INABILITY TO BAN SEX OFFENDERS

FROM HOMELESS SHELTERS.

HOWEVER, AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY

REPORTED, THERE IS A 1998

FEDERAL LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT

BANS SEX OFFENDERS FROM LIVING

IN PUBLIC HOUSING.

WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THESE

HOMELESS SHELTERS HAVE BECOME.

ESPECIALLY NOW THAT FAMILIES ARE

STAYING THERE LONGER THAN EVER.

UP TO FOUR MONTHS A A TIME.

PERHAPS MOST TROUBLING -- THE

SPOKESMAN TELLS PIX 11

REGARDLESS OF RESIDENCY

RESTRICTIONS IF A SEX OFFENDER

IS A MEMBER OF FAMILY, THEY MUST

BE ALLOWED TO LIVE WITH THEIR

FAMILY.

THAT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH THIS

HOMELESS MOTHER WHO CALLS THE

PAN A.M. HOME --

>> ARE THEY SEX OFFENDERS?

>> LEVEL 3.

>> I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.

I HAVE -- THAT'S WHY I DON'T

WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK HERE.

>> SO JAY DOW AND MARIO DIAZ ARE

JOINING US.

NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK HERE WITH

US.

FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES OUT

THERE THAT YOU DO.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS STORY --

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS STORY

THAT DREW YOU TO IT?

>> ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO,

MARIO SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, ARE

YOU INTERESTED IN WORKING

TOGETHER ON A STORY, ON A

PROJECT.

WE BOTH AGREED WE'D COME BACK A

WEEK LATER WITH AN IDEA AND WE

BOTH CAME BACK WITH HOMELESS.

IT'S A STORY THAT WE HAD BOTH

BEEN COVERING IN OUR OWN LITTLE

WORLDS.

MARIO WORKS FOR THE EARLY

NEWSCAST AND I WORK FOR THE LATE

NEWSCAST.

EVERY DAY WHILE COVERING A

STORY, WHETHER IT'S A STORY LIKE

A FIRE, WE ARE STEPPING OVER ALL

HOMELESS PEOPLE, INCLUDING

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN.

GRAND CENTRAL STATION.

RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR STATION ON

42nd STREET.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IT HAD

BECOME CLEAR THIS WAS A PROBLEM.

A GROWING PROBLEM.

>> WE HAVE HEARD MENTIONED IN

THE PIECE ABOUT IT BEING

CHARACTERIZED AS MISMANAGEMENT

AND DECEPTION.

YOU GUYS ARE THE CHRONICLERS

HERE, BUT FROM WHAT YOU HAVE

SEEN -- MARIO, LET ME ASK YOU IS

THAT A FAIR AND ACCURATE

CHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT YOU

DISCOVERED?

>> WELL, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE

TO IDENTIFY HERE IS AN

ADMINISTRATION THAT SAYS THEY'RE

GOING TO DO ONE STEP OF ACTION

OR TAKE ONE COURSE.

THAT'S REALLY NOT TAKING PLACE.

YOU SAW COMMISSIONER BANKS COME

ON OUR AIR BACK ON JUNE THE

12th, TELL JAY AFTER WHAT WE HAD

EXPOSED -- THE FACT WE'D BEEF UP

THE SECURITY MEASURES INSIDE THE

HOTEL, BUT WE WENT INSIDE THE

HOTELS, WE STAYED THE NIGHT

THERE.

WE RENTED ROOMS.

WE STAYED RIGHT BESIDE HOMELESS

FAMILIES, THERE WAS NOBODY

STOPPING US.

WHEN WE BROUGHT THE COMMISSIONER

ON THE AIR HE SAID WE'LL BEEF UP

THE SECURITY, THEY HAVE BEEN

ADDRESSED.

OBVIOUSLY WE APPRECIATE YOU

PUTTING THIS OUT THERE.

SO WE DID OUR JOB AS

JOURNALISTS.

WE IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK THERE

AND CHECKED ONCE AGAIN.

AS YOU CAN SEE, NOTHING HAD BEEN

DONE, JACK.

>> INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU LOOK

AT -- THIS IS ONE OF THE

PROBLEMS I'M SURE ABOUT

INTERMINGLING A TOURIST HOTEL

WITH A RESIDENCE FOR HOMELESS

PEOPLE.

BECAUSE IN ANY OTHER HOTEL YOU

WON'T HAVE THE TYPE OF SECURITY

THAT YOU WILL SEE IN A HOMELESS

SHELTER, FOR INSTANCE.

WHERE YOU SIGN IN.

THIS IS THAT, BUT IN A DIFFERENT

EDIFICE IF YOU WILL.

I GUESS THE QUESTION IS HOW DO

YOU RESOLVE THAT CONFLICT

BETWEEN THE TWO?

>> WELL, THE CITY IS TREATING

THESE HOTELS AS HOMELESS

SHELTERS BY PLACING LARGE

NUMBERS OF HOMELESS FAMILIES

INSIDE OF THESE FACILITIES.

THE SECURITY AS YOU SAID IS IN

PLACE IN A TRADITIONAL SHELTER,

A METAL DETECTOR, GUARDS,

PROTOCOLS.

SECURITY GUARDS PATROLLING THE

HALLWAYS.

NONE OF THAT IS GOOD FOR

BUSINESS.

>> RIGHT.

>> IN A TRADITIONAL HOTEL.

>> SURE.

>> BUT YOU'RE ABOUT TO CHECK IN,

WHOA, WHAT AM I WALKING INTO

HERE?

>> WHAT'S THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST

CITY IN AMERICA?

NEW YORK CITY.

CLOSE TO 50 MILLION CAME HERE

LAST YEAR, NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS

OBVIOUSLY.

BUT THE CITY STATED TO US, IN

THE E-MAIL THEY SENT, THEY'RE

SUPPOSED TO HAVE PATROL --

SECURITY PATROLLING THE HALLWAY.

WE NEVER SAW THAT IN ANY OF THE

STORIES.

>> I'M SURE THAT TOURISTS

WOULDN'T MIND THAT AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT SOMEBODY

IS OUT THERE SORT OF CHECKING ON

THINGS.

>> IF THE TOURIST KNOWS.

IF THE TOURIST KNOWS.

>> THE GUY SAYS I WOULD HAVE

LIKED TO HAVE KNOWN.

>> THINK OF A TOURIST AT HOME IN

THE MIDWEST OR ABROAD, THEY'RE

ABOUT TO SPEND A FEW THOUSAND

DOLLARS ON A TRIP FOR, YOU KNOW,

THEIR FAMILY.

IF THERE'S A DISCLOSURE,

DISCLOSURE ON THE WEBSITE SAYING

THERE WILL BE HOMELESS FAMILIES

IN THIS HOTEL, DO YOU THINK

THEY'LL BE CLICK SUBMIT AND

PURCHASE?

>> AS YOU SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT

THE BOTTOM LINE COMPONENT OF

THIS.

YOU MENTIONED THIS TO ME WHILE

WATCHING THIS, WE TALKED

ABOUT -- WE SAW THE PICTURES,

BLURRED FACES OF THE SEX

OFFENDERS THERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> HOW DO THEY GET THERE?

>> CITY PLACED THEM.

>> SO THIS IS NOT A CHOICE BY

THEM?

>> NOT AT ALL.

WHEN WE EXPOSE THE FACT THAT THE

CITY HAD PLACED THE SEX

OFFENDERS INSIDE THE PAN AM

HOTEL WHICH IS A FULL-TIME

SHELTER, IT WAS OPENED UP AS A

SHELTER UNDER THE DE BLASIO

ADMINISTRATION EARLY ON, WE WENT

TO THEM AND WE DIDN'T GET ANY

ANSWERS.

YOU'D FIGURE THIS IS IS AN ISSUE

THEY'D WANT TO TRY TO ADDRESS.

THE PREVIOUS MIX --

ADMINISTRATION AT DHS, A

GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF GILBERT

TAYLOR, THE COMMISSIONER AT THE

TIME PROMISED TO CHANGE THIS

POLICY.

WELL, WE WENT TO COMMISSIONER

BANKS, WE HAMMERED THEM AND WE

SAID ARE WE CHANGING THIS, HOW

CAN THIS HAPPEN?

WHAT IS THE STATUS?

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO NEAR THIS

TOPIC WITH US.

>> YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE

CITY -- CERTAIN THINGS WOULD

RING ALARM BELLS.

>> CONSIDERING THE FACT YOU HAD

A MURDER INSIDE OF A HOTEL IN

STATEN ISLAND A FEW MONTHS AGO

YOU'D FIGURE THIS IS A SECURITY

ISSUE ONCE AGAIN COMING TO

LIGHT.

WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF STATE

SENATORS WEIGH IN WITH REGARDS

TO THIS.

WHO HAD MADE THIS A PERSONAL

ISSUE FOR THEM.

>> THIS GOES BACK TO SAFETY.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SAFETY ISSUES

INSIDE THE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND

HOTELS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT

HOMELESS PEOPLE STAYING THERE.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING

HOMELESS, YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT,

BUT THERE ARE DOCUMENTED ISSUES

INSIDE THE HOTELS THAT RINGS THE

ALARM FOR PEOPLE STAYING THERE

AND THE HOMELESS FAMILIES WHO

HAVE NO PLACE BUT TO STAY THERE.

>> BUT THE IDEA IS TO HELP THE

PEOPLE, NOT TO EXPOSE THEM TO

ADDITIONAL DANGERS.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU MENTIONED BEING

TELEVISION PROFESSIONALS YOU SET

UP THE SEGUE VERY NICELY, WHERE

YOU'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO ASK SOME

QUESTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER.

>> NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF

HOMELESS SERVICES COMMISSIONER

STEPHEN BANKS AND HIS STAFF HAVE

BY SEVERAL ACCOUNTS CONSISTENTLY

FAILED TO DELIVER ON A PLEDGE OF

TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO

SHARING THE TRUE DEPTH AND COST

OF THE CITY'S HOMELESS SHELTER

CRISIS WITH THE PUBLIC.

SO WHEN WE NOTICED COMMISSIONER

BANKS AT A MAYOR'S TOWN HALL IN

BROOKLYN LAST NIGHT --

>> WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT -- I'D

BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU.

>> DURING OUR REPORTING FOR AN

UNRELATED STORY ON THE END OF

GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH WE

SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY AND

APPROACHED HIM IN THE GYM AFTER

HIS STAFF DENIED OUR REPEATEDLY

E-MAIL REQUESTS FOR A FOLLOW-UP

INTERVIEW.

>> AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S PENDING

LITIGATION.

AND I CAN'T COMMENT ANY FURTHER.

>> COMMISSIONER BANKS WARNED US

HE COULD NOT DISCUSS THE REPORT

WE AIRED EARLIER THIS WEEK WHICH

INCLUDED THE EYE OPENING

REVELATION HIS AGENCY PLACED TWO

LEVEL 3 OR THE MOST DANGEROUS

TYPE OF CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS

IN ONE OF ITS FAMILY HOMELESS

SHELTERS THAT HOUSES BOTH ADULTS

AND CHILDREN.

>> WE PLACED THEM CONSISTENT

WITH THE STATE LAW, ON WHERE SEX

OFFENDERS CAN BE HOUSED.

I'M NO LAWYER, I'M ASKING YOU,

DOES DHS -- DO YOU AS THE

COMMISSIONER HAVE THE DISCRETION

SAY YOU KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT MOVE

IS NOT TO PLACE THIS SEX

OFFENDER IN A FAMILY SHELTER

REGARDLESS OF WHAT STATE LAW

SAYS?

>> THERE ARE COURT ORDERS THAT

REQUIRE THE CITY TO PROVIDE

SHELTER TO ANY FAMILY WHO HAS NO

OTHER PLACE TO GO.

>> LATE THIS AFTERNOON,

COMMISSIONER BANKS CHANGED HIS

POSITION.

THIS NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY TONY

AVELLA INCREDIBLY ANNOUNCED A

PROMISE FROM BANKS THAT HE MADE.

A COMMITMENT TO NO LONGER PLACE

LEVEL TWO AND THREE SEX

OFFENDERS IN THE PAN-AMERICAN

HOMELESS SHELTER.

THAT COMMISSIONER BANKS IS ALSO

COMMITTED TO FINDING A SOLUTION

SO THAT NO FAMILY HOMELESS

SHELTERS WILL BE SHARED BY LEVEL

TWO AND THREE SEX OFFENDERS.

A DHS SPOKESMAN CONFIRMS TO PIX

11 NEWS THE STATEMENTS

ATTRIBUTED TO COMMISSIONER BANKS

ARE INDEED ACCURATE.

TO BE CLEAR, THOSE NEWS RELEASE

STATEMENTS CONTRADICT WHAT

BANKS' SPOKESMAN HAS BEEN

TELLING US.

IN FACT, PRIOR TO AND AFTER OUR

REPORT REGARDING SEXUAL

OFFENDERS IN THE PAN AM, DHS

WOULD NOT PROVIDE WITH US A

STRAIGHT ANSWER WHETHER OR NOT

THE AGENCY HAD ACTUALLY PLACED

THEM THERE.

THIS ALL COMES ON THE HEELS OF

FLAWS IN CORPORATE HOMELESS

HOTEL SECURITY WE FOUND ONCE

AGAIN EARLIER THIS WEEK FLAWS

THE COMMISSIONER PREVIOUSLY TOLD

US WERE FIXED AND NO LONGER AN

ISSUE BACK ON JUNE 12th.

>> WE HAVE GONE BACK TO THE SAME

HOTELS THAT YOU TOLD US ON OUR

AIR WERE SAFE.

AND THEY ARE STILL UNSAFE.

MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU

EXPLAIN THIS ONGOING PRACTICE

YOU HAVE OF SAYING ALL THE RIGHT

THINGS, MAKING THESE PROMISES,

BUT NONE OF IT HAPPENS?

THERE'S NO FOLLOW THROUGH?

>> AS SOON AS YOU IDENTIFIED THE

TWO HOTELS YOU HAD GONE, WE HAD

REACHED OUT THE THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT AND THEY WERE

FOLLOWED UP ON IT AND THEY HAVE

TAKEN THE ACTIONS TO MAKE SURE

THERE'S APPROPRIATE SECURITY IN

PLACE.

WHEN WE GET THE FINAL REVIEW

THAT WILL ENABLE US TO MOVE

FORWARD.

>> COMMISSIONER BANKS TAKES US

ISSUE WITH US SAYING HE HAD FJC

GUARDS FIRED AND EXPOSED THE

GUARDS AND THEY WERE NOWHERE TO

BE FOUND IN SEVERAL HOMELESS

HOTELS SO INSTEAD HE CLASSIFIES

THEM AS HAVING BEEN REMOVED FROM

THEIR POSTS AT THOSE SPECIFIC

HOTELS.

>> COMMISSIONER, WHAT DOES THIS

SAY ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR

AGENCY, YOUR STAFF?

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE RELYING

ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT AT

THE END OF THE DAY IT'S YOUR

AGENCY THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR

KEEPING THESE FAMILIES SAFE?

>> WELL, ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHAT

WE WANTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

TO TAKE THE REVIEW OF THE ISSUE

THAT'S BUILT UP.

>> I DON'T WANT YOU TO

MISINTERPRET OUR INVESTIGATION

AS A MICROANALYSIS, RATHER WE'RE

LOOKING AT A WAY THAT YOUR

AGENCY DOES BUSINESS IN TERMS OF

SECURING THE HOTELS AND PRO --

PROTECTING THE FAMILIES THAT

STAY IN THERE.

>> WELL, BEFORE WE GOT INVOLVED

WITH THIS, THERE WAS NO FJC

SECURITY AT ANY OF THE HOTELS.

WE TOOK ACTION WHEN WE RECEIVED

REPORTS FROM YOU AND FROM

FAMILIES ABOUT INADEQUATE FJC

STAFFING AND WE TOOK ACTION TO

PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STAFFING.

>> COMMISSIONER BANKS DEFERRED

TO THE NYPD, AND WE DECIDED TO

REFER BACK TO ONE OF OUR KEY ON

THE RECORD E-MAIL EXCHANGES WITH

THE DEPARTMENT.

A SPOKESMAN FROM THE OFFICE OF

THE NYPD'S DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

OF PUBLIC INFORMATION SENT US

THE BELOW BACK ON MAY 26th,

STATING THE NYPD HAS REVIEWED

THE SECURITY PROTOCOLS AT HOTELS

WHERE HOMELESS CLIENTS ARE

HOUSED.

WE DETERMINED THAT THE PRIVATE

SECURITY MEASURES AT THESE

LOCATIONS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH

THE SECURITY REQUIREMENTS OF

THOSE SITES.

APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER

ANOTHER HIGH RANKING NYPD

OFFICIAL REITERATED THIS STANCE.

YET, LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO

COMMISSIONER BANKS STATED HIS

AGENCY CONTINUES TO WORK WITH

THE NYPD ON AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW

OF THE HOMELESS SHELTER SYSTEM

INCLUDING CORPORATE HOMELESS

HOTELS.

THE COMMISSIONER ADDING, WHEN

THE REVIEW COMES OUT, HE WILL

PROVIDE PIX 11 NEWS WITH A COPY.

>> WE ARE DEFINITELY BEEFING UP

THE SECURITY ELEMENTS OF OUR

SHELTERS.

>> MAYOR DE BLASIO HELD A NEWS

CONFERENCE TODAY.

FOLLOWING THE GRADUATION OF MORE

THAN 1,000 NYPD OFFICERS.

I QUESTIONED THE MAYOR OVER WHAT

WE HAVE UNCOVERED SINCE THE

MURDERS OF A HOMELESS MOTHER AND

HER TWO CHILDREN AND A CORPORATE

HOMELESS HOTEL ON STATEN ISLAND.

ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY

10th, FOLLOWING THE MURDERS ON

STATEN ISLAND, YOU STATED TO THE

CITY IT WAS YOUR GOAL TO END THE

RELIANCE OF CORPORATE HOTELS TO

HOUSE THE HOMELESS.

SINCE THAT PERIOD, WE HAVE FOUND

OVERSPENDING IN SOME OF THE

HOTELS THAT ARE BOOKED BY DHS,

SECURITY FLAWS NOT BY THE NYPD,

BUT BY THE PRIVATE SECURITY

SERVICE CONTRACTED BY THE CITY.

AND ACCORDING TO DHS TODAY WE

STAND STILL AT 40 HOTELS.

THE GOAL DID NOT APPEAR TO BE

MOVING IN ANY POSITIVE

DIRECTION.

CAN YOU PLEASE WEIGH IN ON

THE --

>> SURE.

I'M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH YOUR

ANALYSIS.

THE NYPD HAS TAKEN OVER THE

TRAINING AND SUPERVISION OF THE

SECURITY.

THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT

REALITY.

EVERY HOTEL HAS SECURITY

ASSIGNED.

>> THE MAYOR THEN WENT ON TO

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HIS

ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED TO

PRODUCE THE RESULTS REQUIRED TO

GET FAMILIES OUT OF CORPORATE

HOMELESS HOTELS.

>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN A KIND OF

REDUCTION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO

ON A SUSTAINED BASIS GET OUT OF

THE HOTELS.

>> THE MAYOR DID NOT DENY THE

OVERSPENDING THAT WE HAVE

INVESTIGATED AND REVEALED,

STATING --

>> WE DON'T LOVE SPENDING THE

MONEY WE HAVE TO ON THE THOLE.

>> HOWEVER, THE KEY POINT AND

THE FINAL ONE MADE BY THE MAYOR

WAS A RESPONSE TO SECURITY.

>> SECURITY IS ASSIGNED TO EVERY

SINGLE HOTEL.

>> FOLLOWING UP ON THE LAST

POINT WE WERE ABLE TO PENETRATE

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH AN

UNDERCOVER CAMERA SHOWING THAT

THERE WAS NO SECURITY GUARD

INSIDE OF A FEW OF THESE HOTELS.

COMMISSIONER BANKS CAME ON AIR

ON JUNE THE 12th STATED THAT

WE'LL RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM.

ON MONDAY WENT BACK INTO THE

SAME HOTELS AND WE FOUND THE

SAME ISSUES.

IT WAS ON OUR AIR LAST NIGHT.

>> WE CERTAINLY WILL NOT

TOLERATE ANY COMPANY THAT'S

SUPPOSED TO ASSIGN THE GUARD AND

BE THERE AND WE'RE PAYING FOR IT

AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.

WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT COMPANY.

SO IF YOU HAVE UNCOVERED A

PARTICULAR FLAW WE'LL ADDRESS

IT.

EVERY HOTEL HAS A SECURITY

GUARD, AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN

ANY GIVEN PLACE WE WILL DEAL

WITH IT.

>> WE HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR IN

THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REALM

OF THE EXPRESSION OF TOO A BIG

TO FAIL.

IS THE HOMELESS PROBLEM HERE IN

NEW YORK CITY, IN MANY WAYS TOO

BIG TO RESOLVE?

>> THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS

DECADES OLD.

MANY MAYORS HAVE TRIED AND

FAILED TO FIX IT.

I THINK THE FOCUS OF OUR

INVESTIGATION HAS NOT BEEN TO

PROPOSE OR COMPEL THE CITY TO

COME UP WITH A HARD CORE

SOLUTION, BUT TO WORK WITHIN THE

SYSTEM TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE

LOOPHOLES AND ISSUES THAT EXIST,

SAFETY, OVERSPENDING.

IF YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE

HOMELESS PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE

DURATION OF YOUR TERM, AT LEAST

PROTECT THE FAMILIES WHO ARE

STAYING IN THERE WHO ARE TELLING

US THAT THEY FEEL UNSAFE.

>> PART OF THAT COMES OFF THE

FACT THAT YOU HAVE HAD THE MAYOR

COME ON THE AIR AND HAVE A NEWS

CONFERENCE ON THE AFTERNOON OF

FEBRUARY THE 10th FOLLOWING THE

MURDERS OF THE FAMILY ON STATEN

ISLAND AND SAID, LISTEN, WE ARE

GOING TO END THE RELIANCE --

THAT IS OUR GOAL.

OUR GOAL IS TO END THIS RELIANCE

OF USING CORPORATE HOTELS.

WE ARE GOING TO BEEF UP SECURITY

DO ENSURE THAT THIS DOESN'T

HAPPEN AGAIN.

AS JOURNALISTS WE'RE GOING TO

FOLLOW UP AND EXAMINE THAT AND

SEE WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE.

IT'S WHAT EVERYBODY IN OUR FIELD

TENDS TO DO ON THE STORY LIKE

THIS.

AND WE DID AND WHEN THEY TOLD

USED THEY HAD RESOLVED IT ON

JUNE THE 12th, WHAT WE DID IS WE

CHECKED THE CRIME STATS REPORTS

FOR SOME OF THE PROPERTIES WE

HAD VISITED WITH OUR CAMERAS.

THERE WERE CASES OF A ROBBERY,

AN ASSAULT.

THERE WAS ISSUES INSIDE THOSE

HOTELS EVEN AFTER COMMISSIONER

BANKS HAD SAID THAT HE HAD

INCREASED SECURITY.

BUT IN GETTING BACK TO YOUR

POINT, THIS IS ABOUT EXAMINING

WHAT THE CITY SAID THEY'RE GOING

TO DO AND ACTUALLY SEEING

WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S BECOME THE

REALITY ON AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS

ALL OF US HERE IN NEW YORK.

>> IS IT POSSIBLE -- I DON'T

WANT TO MAKE THIS SOUND TOO

SIMPLISTIC, BUT DOES THE CITY

HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO

ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND IF THEY

DO, IS IT A MATTER OF COMPETENCE

OF GETTING IT DONE OR FROM YOUR

PERSPECTIVE LOOKING FROM WITHOUT

AT THIS AND CHRONICLING THESE

PROBLEMS, IS IT A QUESTION OF

THEY DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE LAWS OR THE

REGULATIONS.

WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED TO GET

DONE.

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN

PLACE AND SO ARE THE TAX

DOLLARS.

THESE AGENCIES, DHS, THE HUMAN

RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION, WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT TENS OF MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR AT THEIR

DISPOSAL.

BUT THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN

POLICY DECLARATIONS AND WHAT WE

HEAR AT THE PODIUM TO WHAT GOES

ON IN THE FIELD.

SO IT MAY BE AN ISSUE OF

COMPETENCE.

IT MAY BE AN ISSUE OF

SUPERVISION.

BUT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF HAVING

THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE

RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

>> WELL, I GUESS IT'S COMPELLING

JOURNALISM AT A TIME WHEN OUR

PROFESSION IS UNDER FIRE FOR

SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON SILLY

VIDEOS AND FLUFFY STUFF.

THIS IS IMPORTANT ISSUES AND YOU

HAVE DONE A FABULOUS JOB AT

SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS.

>> VERY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO ADD

ONE QUICK POINT TO THAT.

SOME OF THE REPORTS HAVE BEEN

THE HIGHEST RATED REPORTS AT OUR

STATION.

>> THAT PROVES THAT PEOPLE WANT

TO GET GOOD JOURNALISM.

DESPITE SOME OF THE DECISIONS WE

SEE BEING MADE IN OUR

PROFESSION.

BUT JAY, MARIO, FABULOUS WORK.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING

YOU BACK AGAIN.

>> APPRECIATE IT, JACK.

THANK YOU.

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