Mamdani Reinstates NYC Homeless Encampment Sweeps
Mayor Zohran Mamdani will restart Department of Homeless Services-led encampment sweeps after a winter cold snap that left roughly 18 to 19 people dead, with outreach preceding week-long clearances.
Overview
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that he will reinstate homeless encampment sweeps, reversing his campaign pledge to end the practice.
The decision follows scrutiny after roughly 18 to 19 people died during a winter cold snap and amid more than 3,300 encampment complaints, according to 311 data.
Advocacy groups including the Coalition for the Homeless and The Legal Aid Society called the move a "broken promise," and City Council Speaker Julie Menin blamed the administration at a hearing.
The Department of Homeless Services will lead the effort, with outreach teams issuing a week’s notice, conducting daily visits, and the Sanitation Department clearing sites on day seven while NYPD accompanies teams.
The mayor’s preliminary budget added $6 million to hire 60 outreach workers, and officials cited 1,400 shelter placements over three weeks as evidence the approach could yield different results.
Analysis
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Sources (4)
FAQ
Mayor Mamdani reversed his position following a winter cold snap that resulted in approximately 18 to 19 deaths and amid more than 3,300 encampment complaints reported to 311[4][5]. He called the previous sweeps policy a "failure" due to its ineffectiveness, but the deadly winter conditions and increased complaints appear to have prompted a reconsideration of his approach[5].
Multiple audits demonstrate the ineffectiveness of sweeps. Between March 2022 and November 2022, only 119 out of 2,308 individuals encountered during sweeps (5%) accepted temporary shelter, and of those, only 90 stayed for more than one day[2]. Additionally, a 2023 audit found that only 3 people out of 2,308 swept individuals secured permanent housing, and 31% of cleared sites had homeless activity resume within six months[3].
The new approach involves Department of Homeless Services-led sweeps rather than police-led operations, with outreach teams providing a week's notice before clearances and conducting daily visits[4]. The administration hired 60 additional outreach workers with $6 million in preliminary budget funding, and they cite 1,400 shelter placements over three weeks as evidence this approach could yield better results than previous efforts[4].
Advocacy groups including the Coalition for the Homeless and The Legal Aid Society called Mamdani's decision a "broken promise," and City Council Speaker Julie Menin blamed the administration for the reversal at a hearing[4]. The move contradicted the mayor's earlier commitment to ending sweeps and focusing instead on connecting people to permanent housing[4].
History
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