New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday that he will stop the city’s practice of clearing homeless encampments once he takes office, marking a sharp break from the policies of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams.
Speaking at a news conference, Mamdani — a self-described Democratic Socialist — said he would not continue Adams’ controversial sweep operations when asked directly if the practice would continue, according to The City.
Mamdani: Sweeps Are Not a Solution Without Housing
The incoming mayor argued that encampment removals have failed because they have not connected unhoused individuals to long-term shelter or permanent housing.
“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 said.
He reiterated his plan to address homelessness through a proposed Department of Community Safety, which he says will focus on transitioning people into housing rather than forcibly dispersing them.
“What we have seen is the treatment of homelessness as if it is a natural part of living in this city,” he added, “when in fact it’s more often a reflection of a political choice being made time and time again.”
Mamdani did not provide specific details on how the department would operate or how housing placements would be guaranteed.
Former NYPD Chief Warns of “Sharp Rise in Encampments”
The decision immediately drew criticism from former NYPD Chief John Chell, who cautioned that halting sweeps without first expanding shelter options is reckless.
In a post on social media, Chell wrote, “Under current law, you generally cannot force individuals into shelter — and the majority refuse services. Outreach does not automatically mean acceptance.”
He argued that ending street intervention programs prematurely could worsen living conditions across the city.
“Ending street intervention programs before building sufficient housing, shelter, and treatment capacity is not a plan — it’s a gamble,” Chell said. “The predictable result will be a sharp rise in encampments, declining street conditions, and serious quality-of-life impacts across our neighborhoods.”
Chell also criticized Mamdani’s approach as “socialist rhetoric” lacking real-world feasibility.
NYC’s Growing Homelessness Crisis
New York City continues to struggle with a record homelessness surge exacerbated by an influx of migrants. A 2022 report found that 73 percent of migrants sent to New York from Texas ended up in the city’s already strained shelter system.
Mayor Adams has warned repeatedly that the costs of housing migrants will force the city to cut other essential services. His administration estimated a $1 billion burden on New York taxpayers if the inflow continues.
More recently, the city approved $65 million for a specialized shelter for self-identified transgender individuals — another decision that has stirred debate over resource allocation amid the crisis.
Unanswered Questions
While Mamdani has abandoned Adams’ approach, he has yet to outline how the city will secure enough housing placements for thousands living on the streets or refusing shelter. Without concrete details, critics argue that halting sweeps could worsen conditions both for the homeless population and for the neighborhoods surrounding encampments.
Mamdani is set to take office at a time when New York’s homelessness problem is considered one of the worst in the city’s modern history — and his early policy decisions are already drawing intense scrutiny.
READ NEXT: Schumer Changes Tune On Mamdani Following Mayoral Victory
Maybe open city hall including his office.
Fine, let them camp out on your door step, crap on your sidewalks, leave needles, drugs, and trash in your neighborhood.
Ya know MamDamn does not understand he is not a king. He seems to think an election gave him real power. To Trump and Ice, I will invite them to definitely clean out the tent campers in NYC. The little Hitler in training thinks he can keep his illegal aliens. NOT!