New York City is opening the nation's first city-funded homeless shelter specifically for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. 

Ace's Place, a shelter with 150 beds in Long Island City, Queens, will offer transitional housing and specialized support services to members of the LGBTQ+ community, the NYC Department of Social Services says.

The city is partnering with Destination Tomorrow, a national LGBTQ+ organization, to offer shelter residents resources from counseling and employment assistance to independent living, life skills and financial literacy workshops, even a culinary arts program.

The shelter will have a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner and other staff providing specialized mental health support, according to the city. Destination Tomorrow will offer yoga and meditation through its wellness programs, the city added.

"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," Molly Wasow Park, the city's social services commissioner, said. "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." 

"The opening of the country's first city-funded TGNC shelter is more than historic — it is lifesaving," Chanel Lopez, the deputy director of LGBTQ+ affairs for the New York State Executive Chamber, said. "For far too long, my community has been pushed to the margins, forced to navigate systems that were never built with our safety or dignity in mind. This shelter represents what's possible when we center community voices, invest in affirming care, and lead with equity. Destination Tomorrow is setting not only a local, but a national standard — and I am proud to witness this moment."

The New York City Department of Homeless Services is one of the largest government organizations tasked with preventing homelessness, with an operating budget of over $2 billion.