# A Night Living in Penn Station > A social worker's midnight rounds reveal the delicate work of connecting homeless New Yorkers to shelter, one conversation at a time. - Title: A Night Living in Penn Station · The New Yorker | Shortify - Summary: A social worker's midnight rounds reveal the delicate work of connecting homeless New Yorkers to shelter, one conversation at a time. Effective outreach to… - Keywords: lisette lojo, bowery residents committee, penn station, homelessness, social work, outreach, new york city, shelters, homeless services, transit stations, politics, news - Source: The New Yorker — https://newyorker.com/news/the-weekend-essay/a-night-living-in-penn-station - Author: Anand Giridharadas - Published: 2026-09-26T10:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 5 min - Topics: lisette lojo, bowery residents committee, penn station, homelessness, social work, outreach, new york city, shelters, homeless services, transit stations, politics, news ## Midnight rounds at Penn Station Lisette Lojo, a social worker with the Bowery Residents' Committee, knows every corner of Penn Station where homeless people shelter from the cold. She cruises through waiting areas, corridors, and under stairs, searching for people who need help. > You'd be amazed where you found people. ## Why Lojo became a social worker Lojo's mother struggled as a single parent in poverty after her parents divorced. At a Section 8 housing meeting, a kind social worker helped them, inspiring Lojo to do the same work for others. ## Building rapport, one person at a time Lojo now manages the Bowery Residents' Committee's transit work. Her job is to coax thousands of homeless New Yorkers into shelters through careful relationship-building, done slowly and laboriously. ## Meeting Christian in the station Christian, a trans person who migrates between Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal, has spent years living in transit hubs. They prefer safe havens with lower thresholds and more privacy over traditional shelters. ## Outreach workers and police work together Lojo maintains good relationships with Penn Station police. Though they have different goals and training, outreach workers and officers work together on the same people night after night and often become fond of them. ## Orange jackets and case histories Bowery Residents' Committee workers wear bright orange jackets and carry tablets with thousands of case histories. When someone agrees to placement, workers call the Serious Incident Unit to find an appropriate shelter bed. ## Matching clients to the right shelter Outreach workers must know their clients deeply to push for placements with real chances of success. One client might need a shelter with no stairs; another needs loose curfew rules for irregular work hours. Each of three hundred shelters has its own personality. ## A woman chooses dormitory over privacy A young woman in a beige overcoat had recently stayed in a safe haven with her own room but found it too small and confining. She requests the Franklin Women's Shelter dormitory instead, and workers call the Serious Incident Unit to arrange her placement. ## Recognizing who needs help Outreach workers must be careful not to assume homelessness based on appearance alone. Someone trudging past repeatedly might be homeless; someone in worn clothes might just be tired from work. Workers learn to remain open and non-judgmental. ## Peter refuses shelter again In the Hilton Passageway, Lojo finds Peter, a man in his sixties struggling with alcohol, drifting in and out of awareness. Workers offer him a bed at Jack Ryan shelter, but Peter refuses, saying Twenty-fifth Street sucks. > Twenty-fifth Street sucks! ## When police step in When Peter won't get up, police arrive and eventually lift him to his feet by force. Peter becomes more alert and pulls a jar of Skippy peanut butter from his coat pocket. Police leave him standing, satisfied he's no longer lying down. ## Why people refuse shelter Lojo understands why people reject shelter. Some have been in prison and fear shelters are the same. Others have been assaulted, sexually harassed, or robbed in shelters. She doesn't judge them for saying no. ## Outside Penn Station after 1:30 AM Lojo walks the block surrounding Penn Station looking for people sleeping outside in the cold. She finds Ray sleeping against a concrete barrier and wakes him gently. He smiles and tells her he's fine. ## Officer H. manages the entrance After a certain hour, Penn Station requires a train ticket to enter, likely to limit the homeless population. Officer H. stands guard cheerfully, managing drunk visitors and protecting clients waiting for transport vehicles. ## A stranded Canadian needs help A young man visiting from Canada is stranded in New York after his train home breaks down and he runs out of money. Lojo arranges for him to stay at a drop-in facility where he can sleep in a chair, get a hot meal, and shower. ## Shorty tries to sneak into the station A man named Shorty runs toward the station entrance with his arms out as if for a hug. Officer H. thrusts his hands forward, and Shorty collides into him. The officer uses the embrace to lift Shorty slightly off the ground and keep him out. ## Christian talks about an island Hours later, Lojo encounters Christian again. After patiently listening to them talk about God and freedom, Christian mentions needing a shower and clean clothes. They also describe a Caribbean island beyond Staten Island with theatres and a city called St. Andrews. > I want my own rest, quiet, no one bothering me. ## Christian agrees to shower and clothes Lojo listens without judgment as Christian describes their island fantasy. When Christian mentions needing a shower and pants with a thirty-one or thirty-two inch waist, Lojo arranges for the morning team to bring clothes and access to washing facilities. ## A night's work: 34 contacts, 23 placements By the end of the night, the Bowery Residents' Committee records thirty-four contacts with potential clients and twenty-three who agree to accept services. Lojo notes Christian's location on her tablet for the morning team. ## The art of patient conversation Lojo explains that you may be the only person a homeless person spoke to that day. If they want to talk about the Yankees instead of housing, talk about the Yankees. Maybe mention a facility near Yankee Stadium. The decision to accept help is always theirs. > The decision for someone to go in is not yours. It's theirs. ## Key takeaway Effective outreach to homeless people requires patience, genuine relationship-building, and respecting their autonomy to refuse help.