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About Urban Pathways


Urban Pathways provides homeless New Yorkers with the services and assistance they need to become stable, develop their ability to live independently and move into permanent housing.

Founded in 1975 (incorporated in 1977) as the West Side Cluster of Centers and Settlements, UP was originally comprised of a coalition of neighborhood centers and settlement houses located on Manhattan's Westside.   The organizational history includes the development of the following programs:
  • In 1980, established the first drop-in center in the country serving only women, the Antonio G. Olivieri Center for Homeless Women.


  • In 1981, opened The Travelers Hotel, a transitional shelter housing 36 homeless women and men.


  • In 1988, opened The Open Door, a drop-in center behind the Port Authority Bus Terminal.


  • In 1989, developed Cluster House, a supportive housing residence for formerly homeless, mentally ill and dually diagnosed women providing a safe, caring environment with a network of services to prevent hospitalization and a return to homelessness.


  • In 1996 started an Assessment, Diagnostic and Engagement (A.D.E.) outreach program to reach a population of alienated and underserved homeless adults on the street.


  • In 1997, opened Ivan Shapiro House, a supportive housing residence for mentally ill men and women.   In addition, launched Operation Alternative, a program providing outreach and referral services to homeless individuals in and around the Port Authority Bus Terminal and around the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.


  • In 2000, launched the George Washington Bridge Bus Station Outreach and the ESTEEM (now UPwards) job readiness programs.


  • In 2005, launched the AMTRAK Penn Station and PATH Outreach Programs to provide outreach and referral services to homeless individuals in and around the Pennsylvania Station/New York complex and in the PATH stations on the Sixth Avenue Corridor.


  • In 2007, as part of the Manhattan Consortium, began to provide expanded outreach in order to move at least 812 chronically street homeless adults into permanent housing by 2009.  In addition, converted The Travelers Hotel into a safe haven, a low-threshold residence with a single goal of moving clients onto permanent housing


  • In 2008, launched the Flatiron BID Outreach Program, closed the Washington Bridge Bus Station and Operation Alternatives outreach programs and brought the first 26 units of our scattered site housing program on line.


  • In 2009, launched the Fashion Center BID Outreach Program.  Started development and pre-development on five new supportive housing residences.  Added 36 additional units to our scatter-site housing program.


  • In 2010, opened the Hegeman Safe Haven in East New York for 55 men; added 40 more units to the scattered site program; and, with City cuts, closed The Open Door and made the Olivieri Center co-ed.


  • In 2011, began an $11 million renovation to transform Cluster House into a supportive housing residence based on our successful Ivan Shapiro House model; received an additional set aside to develop another housing residence; and, in October will open Hughes House, a 55-unit supportive housing residence in the South Bronx.