Mayor Adams releases new plan to stop homeless people from sheltering in subway

Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul announced the new Subway Safety Plan, which will stop homeless people from sheltering in the NYC subway. The city will deploy police officers to patrol transit systems and enforce rules of conduct. These rules prohibit taking up more than one seat per passenger by lying down or sleeping, littering, spitting, exhibiting aggressive behavior, smoking, using drugs, and “using the subway system for any purposes other than transportation”.

There are more than 1,000 people who use the subway as a shelter regularly, the New York Times reports. In January, Gov. Hochul and mayor Adams increased the presence of police officers in the subway and deployed teams of trained mental health professionals to tackle homelessness. According to Mayor Adams, this was the first wave of a complex problem that the city is facing, and “we are now going to move into the next phase of our operation.”

“Public safety and justice are the prerequisite to prosperity. I’ve said it for years, and I will continue not only to say it but to make it happen,” said Mayor Adams. "The days of turning a blind eye to this growing problem are over, and I look forward to collaborating with the state, the federal government, TWU, advocates, and law enforcement to solve this challenge. It will take time, but our work starts now.”

The city will also deploy five community-based outreach teams to work with NYPD officers at “high-need” locations and help people find shelter outside of subway stations. In addition, “End of Line” teams will patrol the stations to make sure all individuals exit the train at the last stop. 

Finally, the Subway Safety Plan includes the restoration of 600 New York City psychiatric inpatient beds that were previously converted for COVID care. However, the plan raises concerns among advocacy organizations for homeless people. 

“Repeating the failed outreach-based policing strategies of the past will not end the suffering of homeless people bedding down on the subway,” wrote Shelly Nortz, Deputy Executive Director for Policy with Coalition for the Homeless in the statement. “The Mayor’s own police department recently noted that those who shelter in the transit system are there because they believe they have no safer alternative. Criminalizing homelessness and mental illness is not the answer.” 

Resources:

“New York City Plans to Stop Homeless People From Sheltering in Subway,” by Andy Newman, Dana Rubinstein and Michael Gold (The New York Times, 2022)

“NYC announces plan to stop homeless New Yorkers from sheltering on the subway,” by Devin Gannon (6sqft, 2022)

“The Subway Safety Plan,” (2022)

“Mayor Adams Releases Subway Safety Plan, Says Safe Subway is Prerequisite for New York City's Recovery,” (NYC, 2022)

“Mayor Eric Adams Makes Mental Health and Subway Announcement,” by NYC Mayor’s Office (YouTube, 2022)

‘“Sickening” Analogy – Coalition for the Homeless Statement in Response to Mayor Adams’ Subway Outreach Plan,” (Coalition for the Homeless, 2022)