BY: DM
Published 36 seconds ago
New York City just opened a first-of-its-kind, city-funded shelter exclusively for transgender and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers. Research consistently shows trans people face higher rates of homelessness. The 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey found 30% of respondents had experienced homelessness in their lifetime. According to the Williams Institute, 8% of transgender adults reported indicators of recent homelessness, compared with 1% of straight cisgender adults. Those disparities help explain why advocates pushed for a trans-specific site that can offer safety and affirming care under one roof.
The new shelter opens as overall homelessness remains high. As of Aug. 10, the city’s Department of Homeless Services counted 85,488 people in its shelter system that night. That total included 22,846 single adults and 31,024 children, according to the agency’s 2025 daily report. In June, an average of 90,132 people slept in the main shelter system each night. About 69% were in families, including 35,923 children. The state comptroller has also reported that the shelter census nearly doubled between 2022 and 2024. Officials say the arrival of asylum seekers has added significant pressure to the system.
Now, Ace’s Place is stepping in to combat the growing problem.
Ace’s Place was designed for trans and gender-nonconforming adults.
Ace’s Place, run in partnership with the Bronx-based LGBTQIA+ nonprofit Destination Tomorrow, sits in Long Island City, Queens. According to a press release, the facility launched with 150 beds and a deep menu of on-site supports, making it the nation’s first publicly funded homeless shelter created specifically for trans and gender-nonconforming adults.
“We couldn’t be prouder to make this historic announcement that 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,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “Ace’s Place will offer Transgender New Yorkers a safe place to heal and stabilize in trauma-informed settings with the support of staff who are deeply invested in their growth and wellbeing.”
The project traces back to a 2021 federal settlement with the city after a trans woman alleged the shelter system failed to protect her from discrimination and harassment. The settlement required DHS to create dedicated TGNC (transgender and gender-nonconforming) shelter units across the city and reserve at least 30 beds for TGNC clients. This new shelter builds on those obligations with a standalone, city-funded site.
Ace’s Place is tackling homelessness at the root.
Ace’s Place goes far beyond cots and curfews. The program offers case management, individual and group counseling, and a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner. Participants also receive referrals to medical and mental-health care, along with independent-living and life skills workshops. Other services include financial literacy classes, employment assistance, job placement, housing navigation, and an in-house culinary arts program that uses the provider’s commercial kitchens. Yoga and meditation are available as well.
City officials and advocates hope the model spreads. In a press release, Park called the launch “a blueprint for what’s possible” when governments fund community-led, trauma-informed services. With homelessness still elevated and trans people disproportionately affected, Ace’s Place will be a test of whether targeted, identity-affirming shelters can deliver better outcomes.
Do you think more cities should follow New York’s lead in funding identity-affirming shelters? Comment below!
