In just his first few months in office, Mayor Eric Adams has launched a devastating offensive on unhoused New Yorkers, systematically demolishing nearly 200 subway or street encampments where street homeless New Yorkers have gathered themselves and their limited possessions. The Adams administration decision to destroy homeless encampments reached a peak this week, as the city faces frigid temperatures and an ongoing pandemic, and the Mayor has vowed to remove all encampments by Friday, April 1, when the search and destroy mission for new encampments will begin again, according to NY1. At the same time, this administration is proposing to cut critical funding to housing programs and has done nothing to open up existing supportive housing units.
By enacting failed broken windows policies of the past, Mayor Adams has made it clear that he is more concerned about appearances than the lives of homeless New Yorkers. Mayor Adams’ sweeps are about creating a sanitized appearance of order, safety, and security, despite the harm it causes our most vulnerable neighbors. The City, unwilling to do the difficult long-term work of ensuring true safety and stability, which includes deeply investing in housing, sanitation, education, transit, economic support, and health, is instead scapegoating unhoused New Yorkers. We, the undersigned New Yorkers, advocates, organizations, and directly impacted people, reject Mayor Adams' anti-homeless crusade, and offer our vision where all New Yorkers are housed, and housing is truly a human right.
PLEASE USE THIS FORM TO SIGN ONTO THIS LETTER! Full letter here:
https://peoplesplan.nyc/local-elected-officials-advocates-and-new-yorkers-decry-mayor-adams-destructive-raids-on-homeless-new-yorkers/