New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani listens as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House. (Photo: AP)
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has announced that his administration will end the practice of clearing homeless encampments when he takes office in January, Fox News reported. The move marks a clear break from the policy followed under Mayor Eric Adams since 2022.
Speaking at an event in Manhattan, Mamdani said ending street sweeps would be one of the first steps his team would take. He said the city must “connect homeless New Yorkers to the housing that they so desperately need,” adding that without doing so, the current approach “cannot be seen as a success,” according to Fox News.
Mamdani said his focus would be on long-term housing options, including supportive or rental housing. He added that homelessness is often treated “as if it is a natural part of living in the city,” but he believes it shows “a political choice being made time and time again.”
Meanwhile, an audit by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in 2023 found the homeless sweeps had “completely failed” to link people with services. The report said that of the more than 2,300 people present during cleanups, only 119 accepted temporary shelter. A later review found that almost a third of sites saw people return.
Mayor Adams’ office pointed to a response he shared on X on Friday. Adams wrote there is “nothing ‘progressive’ about leaving people to freeze in makeshift encampments” and said it “harms residents and dehumanises the very people who need help”. He urged New Yorkers to ask Mamdani to “reconsider this policy.”
There is nothing “progressive” about leaving people to freeze in makeshift encampments. It harms residents and dehumanizes the very people who need help.
The split comes a day after Adams signed two executive orders aimed at countering antisemitism and blocking city funds from supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which Mamdani supports.
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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani listens as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House. (Photo: AP) 
