Legal Services NYC’s Statement on NYC’s Lack of Housing Support in Homeless Sweeps

Late Friday, the Adams Administration published alarming new data on its sweeping of homeless encampments and individuals from January to September 2024, painting a disturbing picture of how NYC is removing homeless individuals from the streets with little to no supportive housing services. 

For example, data from July to September 2004 shows a shocking 955 sweeps and not a single placement into supportive or subsidized housing. Of those 955 sweeps, there were only 55 temporary shelter placements. During the same period, the NYPD separately conducted 7,000 forced removals of homeless people who were also not placed into permanent housing.

The following is statement from Craig Hughes, a social worker in Legal Services NYC’s Bronx office:

“Data doesn’t lie. The fact that NYC has swept up thousands of individuals and encampments and yet failed to place a single person into permanent housing makes painfully clear that the intent here is to make homeless people disappear from sight. 

“Mayor Adams has repeatedly promised to connect homeless people with permanent housing and wraparound services and yet this data indicates otherwise. In fact, other data LSNYC has obtained shows that thousands of supportive housing units continue to sit vacant, as was the case at the start of the Adams administration.  We know progress can be slow, but struggling New Yorkers don’t need racist Broken Windows policing initiatives, they need permanent housing solutions. The Adams administration must make good on its promise to make NYC a City for All by stepping up and providing housing to people in need.”

For more information or to speak to a housing expert, email Anna Sterling at [email protected].