Mamdani breaks with Adams, vows NYC will stop clearing homeless encampments in January

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani noted Thursday he would stop clearing homeless encampments when he takes office in January ending a longstanding practice by Mayor Eric Adams' administration While answering questions at Hot Chocolate Frozen Rent in Manhattan Mamdani certified he would halt sweeps of homeless encampment sites across the city marking one of his clearest breaks yet from an Adams strategy launched in If you are not connecting homeless New Yorkers to the housing that they so desperately need then you cannot deem anything you're doing to be a success Mamdani explained The mayor-elect mentioned his administration's focus would be securing long-term housing solutions whether it's supportive housing whether it's rental housing whatever kind of housing it is MAMDANI PLEDGES NYC TO REMAIN SANCTUARY CITY AFTER CHUMMY TRUMP MEETINGMamdani added that homelessness is too often treated as if it is a natural part of living in the city when he believes it reflects a political choice being made time and time again New York City Comptroller Brad Lander disclosed an audit in of NYC Department of Homeless Services' role in the Adams administration s sweeps of homeless encampment sites between March and November finding the initiative totally failed to connect homeless New Yorkers with services The evidence is clear by every measure the homeless sweeps failed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander stated in the audit overview MAMDANI TAPS PARTY INSIDERS TO STEER TRANSITION DESPITE VOWING TO TURN THE PAGE ON OLD-GUARD NYC DEMSThe audit noted that individuals were present during city cleanups and only accepted temporary shelter A follow-up review exposed that nearly one-third of cleared encampments saw homeless activity return In August the Adams administration mentioned it had placed more than formerly unsheltered New Yorkers in permanent housing City agents received more than complaints about encampments in according to facts reviewed by the New York Post Mamdani's comments were the latest split with the outgoing mayor who signed two executive orders Wednesday aimed at countering antisemitism and preventing city funds from supporting the anti-Israel Boycott Divestment and Sanctions BDS movement that Mamdani supports Fox News Digital has reached out to Mayor Adams' office for comment