New York, NY —

Despite an outcry from some elected officials and homeless advocates, the city's Department of Homeless Services has gone ahead with a policy change. On Friday evening, it began turning away families deemed ineligible for shelter because they have other housing options. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

RODRIGUEZ: The city says thorough investigations have determined the families can stay with relatives or friends. But families at a Bronx intake center last night insisted they had no other place to go. Some were holding out, hoping to still get a bed for the night. Shanet Badillo was one of those:

BADILLO: They're pushing us to go to people where they don't want us. All I'm asking is for an apartment. From there I could move on.

RODRIGUEZ: Homeless advocates say DHS makes too many mistakes when determining eligibility and the new policy will result in families being left out on the street.The city says social workers were on hand to assist families. DHS also payed for plane tickets and bus tickets for some families traveling out of state to stay with relatives or friends.

FOR WNYC, I'm Cindy Rodriguez.