MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN — August 10, 2025 — New York City officials have announced plans to close the Row NYC Hotel, the last hotel in the city used to house migrants who crossed the U.S. southern border and were bused north. The decision marks the end of a three-year period during which hotels served as emergency shelters amid a historic influx of arrivals.
Located on Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, the Row was the first hotel converted by the city to accommodate migrants after shelters reached capacity in 2022. Over the years, it became a central point in the city’s response to a surge of new arrivals, providing temporary housing for thousands while officials sought longer-term solutions.
The city confirmed that it will not renew the Row’s lease when it expires in April. Mayor Eric Adams, in a statement regarding the closure, said New York has “successfully helped more than 200,000 migrants leave the shelter system and take the next step toward self-sufficiency.”
The use of hotels, once seen as a temporary measure, expanded rapidly as the city faced mounting pressure to address overcrowded shelters. At the peak of the program, dozens of hotels were repurposed to meet the emergency need. In recent months, however, the city has scaled back hotel contracts as more migrants secured permanent housing, relocated to other states, or entered the workforce.
The closure of the Row marks both a symbolic and logistical shift in the city’s migrant housing strategy, with officials now focused on expanding access to permanent residences and integrating new arrivals into existing community resources.
City agencies have not yet detailed how current residents of the Row will be transitioned out of the hotel, but officials say relocation plans are underway to ensure no one is left without shelter.
