Lawsuit to block St. John Villa migrant shelter filed by Staten Island Republicans and neighbor

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A neighbor and a group of Staten Island elected officials hope a last-ditch lawsuit filed Thursday can block an impending migrant shelter at the former St. John Villa Academy.

The lawsuit seeks to halt the shelter meant for 300 migrants — described as single females and “adult families” by City Hall — that city officials confirmed earlier this week. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the site’s neighbor, Scott Herkert, whose property is adjacent to the former school, and Staten Island’s Republican elected officials.

In the state Supreme Court petition, local attorney Louis Gelormino argues that a variety of concerns — the zoning in the area, the impact the site would have on Herkert’s property, a state law requiring community notice for homeless shelters, and the burden the site would have on Staten Island — mean the courts should move to block the Arrochar site.

Gelormino filed the lawsuit against the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul, the city, Mayor Eric Adams, and Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Park on behalf of Herkert and the Island’s Republican delegation of elected officials — Borough President Vito Fossella, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore), Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore), Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn), Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Mid-Island), City Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore), and City Councilman David Carr (R-Mid-Island).

Of those elected officials, only Fossella, Malliotakis, Tannousis and Carr represent the area in question, but in the lawsuit, Gelormino argues that the site’s zoning precludes the city from establishing a shelter there.

However, the state law…