incoming NYC Mayor Mamdani Signals shift in Homelessness Policy, Plans to Halt Encampment Sweeps
NEW YORK – Incoming New York City Mayor Yusuf Mamdani has indicated he will cease teh practice of clearing homeless encampments, a strategy previously championed by his predecessor, Eric Adams. While details remain scarce, Mamdani’s stance represents a important departure from the Adams administration’s approach to addressing visible homelessness across the five boroughs.
The move comes as the city grapples with persistent concerns over encampments, with 311 data revealing over 45,000 complaints related to encampments received in the first 11 months of 2025 alone.
Adams made clearing out tent cities a top priority after taking office in 2022, stating, “We cannot tolerate these makeshift, unsafe houses on the side of highways, in trees, in front of schools, in parks. this is just not acceptable,and it’s something I’m just not going to allow to happen,” in March 2022. However, the effectiveness of these sweeps has been widely questioned.
Data indicated that few individuals displaced by the sweeps transitioned into permanent housing. A 2023 audit found that approximately 95% of those removed from encampments returned to the streets shortly after the camps were dismantled.
City Hall previously disputed the audit findings from City Comptroller Brad Lander, asserting the initiative was “indisputably prosperous.” City Hall spokesperson Fabien Levy stated in a seperate statement that the cleanups had “connected more than 500 New Yorkers to safe, stable housing,” and that New York City ”continues to have the lowest rate of unsheltered homelessness of any major city in the nation.”
Mamdani’s decision to halt the sweeps signals a potential shift towards choice strategies for addressing homelessness, though specifics of his plan have not yet been released. The incoming mayor’s approach will be closely watched by advocates, city officials, and residents alike as New York City continues to navigate the complex challenges of providing housing and support for its unsheltered population.
