A judge has granted the Town of Cheektowaga a temporary restraining order to block New York City and government contractor DocGo from sending any more asylum-seekers to Cheektowaga hotels.
Three hotels being used as long-term housing for asylees are in violation of town code because they are essentially acting as homeless shelters, which are not permitted under town zoning laws, Cheektowaga officials argued.
Erie County Legislator Tim Meyers, whose district includes Cheektowaga, said he doesn’t see why Cheektowaga has been the only town in the county to take in the migrants sent by New York City.
As Cheektowaga continues to grapple with an influx of asylum-seekers living in hotels in the community, the town has hired a law firm that has successfully represented another community that did not want migrants living in hotels in its town long-term.
“I’ve said all along that it’s totally unfair that one community should feel all the burden, all the stress and the financial stress on those school districts and so on,” he said. “I mean, this is a big county, they’ve come to one town.”
Meyers knocked on doors Sunday to discuss the issue with his constituents, and said many were concerned about asylum-seekers being housed in town after two separate asylees were…
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