Lawyers Ask Judge Keep Disabled NYC Homeless Population in Hotels to Prevent a ‘New Super-Spreader Event’ at Unsanitary Shelters Aaron Keller Mayor Bill de Blasio A coalition of New York City legal and advocacy groups on Thursday asked a judge to shut down plans by the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) to move some members of the city’s homeless population out of hotel rooms and into “congregate shelters.” “The class members of the lawsuit all have disabilities and/or serious health issues that put them at a higher risk of severe consequences if they were to contract COVID-19,” the groups, which include the Legal Aid Society and law firm Jenner & Block, said in a joint press release. “The City’s decision to place them in hotel rooms allowed them to safely socially distance, which literally saved lives. In addition, COVID-19 aside, the hotel rooms provided a necessary shelter accommodation for many with disabilities.”