Mayor Comes To Crown Heights To Defend Controversial Housing Policies

CROWN HEIGHTS, NY — Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday came to Crown Heights to celebrate the success of a recent decision to ease the transition from city shelters to permanent housing — just as City Council prepared to overrule his housing policy decisions.

Standing in the controversial halls of Crown Heights' newly remodeled Bedford Union Armory, — which critics say continuously failed to meet local affordability needs — Adams announced that the city saw a 17 percent increase in shelter exits to permanent housing in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Officials seemingly stood in the Bedford Union Armory remodel as a symbol of the city's housing policy successes, calling the project a "terrific reality." Just a couple years ago, multiple electeds called the development a "failure."

Adams on Tuesday celebrated the success of his decision in June to remove a 90-day contingency for shelter-residents to move on to permanent housing. Since the reversal, over 500 households became eligible for subsidized rental assistance, officials said.

These 500 families still face a difficult housing market, though, said Commissioner Molly Wasow Park.

"People are searching. It does take some time to find a unit in New York City... there is a supply issue," Park said.

The city moves about 200 people a week into subsidized housing, Park said. And in 2023, over 15,000 families have started the move from shelters to permanent housing, officials said.

Other New York City decision-makers aren't so sure the 90-day contingency removal is such an unadulterated win, and Adams continues to battle with City Council over housing policy.

Some Council Members suspected the 90-day concession was just a ploy to avoid City Council pushback on Adams' decision to veto a larger housing package that had already passed the council 41-7.

Adams vetoed the package in June, claiming the proposals would strain the city's budget, overpromise city vouchers and fail to address housing shortages, according to The City and Adams.

"We had several conversations with the council and really tried to show them why the existing legislation that they pushed forward was problematic," Adams said.

City Council was expected to override the veto by the end of July.

"New Yorkers are in desperate need of dignified and permanent housing," said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa. "This is NOT how you 'get stuff done,' and we look forward to overriding his veto."

"Rejecting the historic City FHEPS package with over 80,000 people in our shelter system will exacerbate our housing crisis. I voted for this package once and I'm more than ready to override this veto," said Council Member Jen Gutiérrez.