Lady Gaga's dad says migrants have 'taken over' NYC neighborhood, causing 'mayhem' — calls city's response to crisis 'a joke'

Lady Gaga's father told the New York Post this week that migrants have "taken over" his Upper West Side neighborhood and caused "mayhem." He called the city's response to the crisis "a joke."

The Post reported that Lady Gaga's dad, 66-year-old Joe Germanotta, is leading an effort to bring the neighborhood's concerns to lawmakers, local law enforcement, and homeless services.

Germanotta, who opened a restaurant in the area in 2012, has lived in the Pythian building on West 70th Street for over three decades.

Down the road from Germanotta's home, the Stratford Arms Hotel was recently converted into a shelter for approximately 500 migrants, he told the outlet. The building previously served as a residence hall for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

He accused the AMDA of selling out neighbors and called the transition a "pretty rapid" "stealth operation."

"There's now 500 migrants living in that dormitory. That's when all the mayhem began," Germanotta told the Post. "Hookers are coming and going. In the mornings, you see prostitutes coming out of the building."

Germanotta bemoaned the late-night noise from loud music and motorbikes, noting that it begins at around 10 p.m. and continues through 4 a.m. He added that the streets are filled with trash, children are catcalled, and residents are verbally abused.

He referred to the migrants as "guests in our neighborhood" who have "basically taken over."

"I think, for the most part, the 500 that are in there are good people," Germanotta stated. "And I think they're locked into very small rooms and when they get out, they go out at night, and they party."

The pop star's father said he does not mind having the migrants in his neighborhood.

"They're gonna be there for three years. That was the contract, I understand. But at least manage it. Put the proper security in place, have a police presence and a code of conduct," he said.

Germanotta and the West 70th Street Association are urging city officials to create a written plan outlining how the neighborhood will be restored.

"Most of the people in (my) building are owners. They feel that this situation has affected their property values," Germanotta continued. "Give us something back. Give us a tax rebate. They're spending all this money, OK, give me some."

Germanotta added that he would have moved if the area had been in such disarray when he was raising his children.

Democratic Mayor Eric Adams' response to the crisis has been "a joke," he said.

Germanotta believes that officials should have suspended the "sanctuary city" status until the situation was under control.

"It's a joke. Why doesn't he get one of the cruise ships? The cruise ships hold more people, and it's a more controlled environment," he continued. "The city is spending a tremendous amount of money that could be spent towards building affordable housing."

"The really sad part is that in the neighborhood, we still have our share of veterans and homeless — but we're not taking care of our own. They don't get food every day. It's really sad. I feel for them," Germanotta said.

The City Hall and AMDA did not respond to a request for comment, the Post reported.

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