Brand-new ‘lifesaving’ trans-specific homeless shelter opens in New York City

A new transgender homeless shelter geared specifically towards housing trans individuals experiencing homelessness has opened in New York City.

The shelter, known as Ace’s Place, is specifically for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals experiencing homelessness, and has opened in New York City

Ace’s Place is located in Long Island City, which is a neighbourhood in Queens, east of Manhattan, and is managed by Destination Tomorrow, a Bronx-based LGBTQ+ nonprofit (as per Gothamist).

The name comes from the nickname of late mother of Destination Tomorrow‘s CEO, Sean Ebony Coleman. She went by ‘Ace’.

Coleman, in a press release, said, “This shelter is a hard-fought declaration that our Transgender and gender nonconforming siblings will no longer be pushed to the margins.

“Ace’s Place is a community-driven answer to systemic neglect, and it’s only the beginning. Destination Tomorrow is proud to partner with New York City to make this shelter a reality, and we look forward to providing hundreds of TGNC individuals with the holistic services they need to access long-term housing and economic empowerment.”

Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said, “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.

“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. We are grateful to have found an incredible partner in Destination Tomorrow, an organization that is rooted in serving the community and has invaluable expertise in addressing unique barriers to housing for TGNC New Yorkers.”

And Department of Homeless Services Administrator Joslyn Carter added: “New York City has long been a leader in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and protections, and we’re proud to continue that tradition with the opening of the nation’s first city-funded shelter dedicated to supporting transgender individuals.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone alongside Sean Ebony Coleman of Destination Tomorrow, whose tireless advocacy for transgender New Yorkers has been instrumental in creating real, lasting support for those experiencing homelessness in the community.”

Ace’s Place will have on-site services, including case management, individual and group counseling, permanency planning and housing placement assistance, referrals to medical and mental health services, support groups, independent living, life skills and financial literacy workshops, and assistance securing employment and academic supports including college preparation.

The 150-bed shelter will cater to New York’s TGNC (trans and gender non-conforming) population, which experiences disproportionate amounts of homelessness.

38% of transgender girls/women, 39% of transgender boys/men, and 35% of nonbinary youth have experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives, compared to 23% of cisgender LGBQ youth, according to The Trevor Project in 2022.

Update: 7/8/25: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Ace’s Place the US’s “first city-funded TGNC shelter”. San Fancisco’s Taimon Booton Navigation Center opened in 2014.

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