The battle to open New York City’s first affordable LGBTI senior home is on, as some New Yorkers are attempting to block the plans.

While queer pensioners will soon have access to homes in Brooklyn and the Bronx, Manhattan might be awhile coming, the Daily Beast reported. 

Haven Green would comprise 123 studio apartments.

The home would require a razing Elizabeth Street Garden in Little Italy, a one-acre green space run by locals since 2013.

LGBTI pensioner group, SAGE, identified the location.

But some have mobilized against the plan, Curbed New York reported.

Who’s against the home and why?

The garden and a separate nonprofit filed two lawsuits in Manhattan Supreme Court against the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Some formed Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden, and hired land-use attorney Michael Gruen to rep them.

They argued SAGE ‘failed to rigorously evaluate the impacts of the green space’s loss.’

They slammed the ‘poor planning’ of the project.

But clarified the objections are ‘in no way’ related to it being LGBTI-inclusive.

Their supporters

However, SAGE’s chief executive office Michael Adams said he and his organization are ‘optimistic,’ he told The Daily Beast. 

‘Building affordable housing is always a balance between a dire need for the housing and the concerns of local residents.

‘We believe that the Haven Green project does a very good job of balancing those concerns.

‘Among other things by including beautiful green space with neighborhood input that will be available to the community.’

What about the other sites?

While Manhattan’s is mired by lawsuits, the plans to open in Brooklyn and the Bronx ran without a hitch.

In fact, the tradition of topping out a newly-constructed building with an American flag was changed.

A Pride Flag joined the traditional stars and stripes atop the Ingersoll Senior Residences (ISR) in Brooklyn.

New York City’s first affordable LGBTI-welcoming senior housing development welcomes residents at the same time of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall.

A second home in Crotona Park North (CPN) in the Bronx will open in 2o2o.