Next News Network

At 94, Frank Tammaro, a US Army veteran, faced the harsh reality of being evicted from Island Shores Residences, his Staten Island assisted living home. The reason? The facility was to be repurposed for migrant housing. With less than two months’ notice, Tammaro, along with 53 other seniors, was uprooted in March.

Tammaro, who served in the US Army Signal Corps during the Korean War and has been a lifelong New Yorker, expressed his dismay to Fox News, saying, “It’s no joke getting thrown out of a house.” His initial relocation to another facility was short-lived due to a fall, leading him to move in with his daughter, Barbara Annunziata, and her children.

The family’s discovery that Island Shores wouldn’t reopen as an assisted living facility, contrary to promises made, only added to their frustration. Annunziata lamented the lack of support for her father, contrasting it with the resources available to migrants. “These migrants, they’re getting everything. And he’s not entitled to anything,” she said.

The transformation of Island Shores into the Midland Beach Migrant Center was, according to Tammaro, a decision made in secrecy. Initially, residents were told that the senior center would reopen under new management. However, Homes for the Homeless, the building’s new owner, struck a deal with City Hall in August to house migrants instead, abandoning plans to continue serving seniors.

Tammaro’s plight gained attention after he spoke out in a September news conference, supported by Rep. Nichole Malliotakis. He emphasized his futile efforts to resist the eviction and his determination to make the best of a difficult situation. Tammaro also expressed concern for the other displaced residents, including seven fellow veterans.