Mayor, City Council clash on approach to homeless encampments in New York City

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Friday, April 22, 2022
Mayor, city council clash on approach to homeless encampments in NYC
Mayor Eric Adams defended his approach to dealing with homeless encampments in NYC to the city council.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Council leaders are calling on Mayor Eric Adams to do more to help homeless New Yorkers, after criticizing his administration's work to clear encampments.

The City Council wants the mayor to focus on the priorities of the council's preliminary budget response, to invest in affordable housing and expand homeless services.

The mayor says he's working with the City Council speaker, but he defended the work his administration has done.

"What we're doing, and what is interesting here, is what we are finding is many people find this as an opportunity to go back home to family members, find alternative ways of living, now that we're saying this is not dignified," Adams said.

Adams says this issue will be addressed in the final budget.

READ MORE: NYC begins removing homeless encampments

Chantee Lans reports from a homeless encampment cleanup site in Williamsburg.

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