– New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after all remaining living hostages in Gaza were returned home to Israel:
“Our hearts are filled with joy as an end to the war in Gaza appears to be on the horizon and families have finally been united. All living Israeli hostages have returned home after Hamas kidnapped them from their communities more than two years ago. Since the October 7th terrorist attacks, I have met with families whose children were ripped from their homes, mourned the innocent lives lost, and seen how this unspeakable pain impacted our city. We pray that this news will bring lasting peace, justice, and prosperity to Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
— Mayor Eric Adams marked one year of the PATH co-response push on the subways, bragging that teams of cops and clinicians made 20,100 contacts, delivered care more than 6,100 times, and steered nearly 1,900 people living underground into shelter. Working with PATH clinicians, NYPD also bounced 2,100 riders for MTA rule and law violations. City Hall says transit crime fell 17% in September year over year—capping a summer of record lows—as Adams doubles down on his “end the anything-goes” mantra with more Safe Haven beds, expanded treatment, and a $650M plan to tackle homelessness and severe mental illness.
Mayor Adams Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Path Co-Response Program Connecting New Yorkers in Need on Subways to Shelter, Health Care, and Support
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park today celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness (PATH) program — a public safety and social services co-response outreach initiative, launched in August 2024, to help keep New Yorkers safe and healthy on the subway system. The PATH teams have made over 20,100 engagements with unhoused New Yorkers living in the subway system, delivering critical services — including shelter, meals, medical care, and mental health support — more than 6,100 times. Additionally, NYPD Transit Bureau officers, working alongside PATH clinicians, have removed more than 2,100 individuals from the transit system for various violations of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (MTA) rules of conduct or state law.
Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign, the administration’s landmark effort to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed. This initiative simultaneously makes the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing — to make lasting impacts on lives and communities, and improve New Yorkers’ quality of life. Mayor Adams is bringing the same energy and approach that proved to be successful in carving a new path for people with severe mental illness to address other health crises playing out on city streets, like drug addiction, and he recently laid out plans realize that vision by connecting those suffering with treatment.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is our number one commitment — especially on the subways, which millions of riders rely on every day,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our PATH program, which has already connected thousands of New Yorkers in need on our subways to critical services. When we took office, we made it clear: the days of ignoring people in need on our streets and in our subways were over. And since then, our administration has fundamentally changed the conversation on severe mental illness and fought to end the culture of ‘anything goes.’ Our PATH program shows that compassion, public safety, and justice must all go together — and this anniversary marks an important milestone in making New York City just that: more kind, more just, and safer for everyone.”
PATH teams bring together NYPD Transit Bureau officers, New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) nurses, and outreach staff from NYC Health + Hospitals to connect New Yorkers to services, including shelter, meals, medical care, and mental health support. From 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day, teams conduct targeted outreach across Manhattan stations and trains, engaging anyone who appears to be unsheltered.
The program is part of the city’s growing use of “co-response” — a crisis response model gaining traction nationally in which clinical professionals are paired with police to engage with members of the public in need of medical care and/or social services. Participating police officers receive specialized training in crisis de-escalation and allow their clinical partners to take the lead once safety is assured. While co-response is not meant to replace traditional outreach conducted without police involvement, in certain situations, the presence of police officers affords clinicians a greater sense of personal safety, enabling more meaningful engagement with those in need. Co-response also greatly enhances the ability of a clinician to initiate transport to a hospital for evaluation in circumstances where an individual exhibits symptoms of mental illness presenting a danger to themselves or others.
Co-response offers tailored support based on each person’s needs — from a hot meal and a bed for the night to medical attention or psychiatric evaluation — improving both the safety and effectiveness of outreach efforts and increasing the changes of connecting people to lasting care.
“Strengthening interagency collaboration through initiatives like PATH is vital to expanding the scope of the city’s outreach efforts and increasing reliance on social workers to ensure meaningful engagements with New Yorkers experiencing homelessness,” said DSS Commissioner Wasow Park. “We are grateful for the dedication of our outreach workers and nurses who always lead with dignity and compassion as they engage New Yorkers who have fallen through every safety net, building trust and connecting them to life-saving supports. We are committed to leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to reach and support some of our most vulnerable neighbors and improve health care and housing outcomes for them.”
“The PATH program is a critical initiative to address homelessness and other quality of life conditions in our subway system, and one year later, the results of this whole-government approach speak for themselves,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Thousands of New Yorkers are getting access to the resources they need and deserve, and transit crime is at record lows across the city. None of this is by accident — it’s because of the incredible work of the NYPD, DSS, DHS, and NYC Health + Hospitals that have all provided this important care, and Mayor Adams who has always put the safety of our city first.”
“We’ve known all along that more effective mental health outreach and treatment were needed in our subway system to help cut down on transit crime and deal with disorder underground,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Thanks to investments from Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams, we’ve made progress on both fronts — as proven out by surging ridership and customer satisfaction.”
Addressing transit crime and homelessness in the subway system has been one of Mayor Adams’ top public safety priorities since taking office. In February 2022, Mayor Adams first launched the Subway Safety Plan to address public safety concerns, protect riders, and connect some of the city’s hardest-to-reach New Yorkers to services. Since the start of the plan, over 8,600 New Yorkers have been connected from the subways to shelter, with over 1,000 now in permanent, affordable housing. These outreach efforts, along with others, such as Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams (SCOUT), encounter a range of people living unsheltered with various needs.
These safety efforts together are delivering indisputable results: overall transit crime fell 17 percent in September compared to the same month last year — the lowest level for any September in recorded history, excluding the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years. This follows record low major crime in transit for July and August, excluding the pandemic years.
PATH complements the city’s 24/7 above-ground HOME-STAT outreach efforts — one of the most comprehensive outreach programs in the nation — which have also resulted in vital connections to shelter services for thousands of New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness across city streets, parks, and other public places. As of today, DSS has approximately 400 outreach staff canvassing the five boroughs around-the-clock; this includes a reliable network of contracted outreach workers from not-for-profit human services providers with extensive experience addressing unsheltered homelessness.
Throughout his administration, and as laid out in “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for NYC,” Mayor Adams has been committed to taking a public health approach to supporting people with severe mental illness, focusing on prevention and intervention.
That Adams administration has opened 1,500 new low-barrier Safe Haven and stabilization beds for New Yorkers — bringing the total to 4,000 — and invested in innovative mental health programs like SCOUT, the opening of 13 new Clubhouses, and expanded Intensive Mobile Treatment teams.
Building off all this work, in August, Mayor Adams announced a new change he is proposing in the 2026 state legislative session to support people struggling with substance use disorder and address public drug use on city streets that degrades quality of life and leaves a feeling of disorder among many city residents. The “Compassionate Interventions Act” will give clinical professionals the authority they need to bring someone who appears to pose a danger to themselves or others due to substance use disorder to a hospital and allow a judge to mandate treatment if the person is unwilling to enter treatment voluntarily. The change would help put New York in line with 37 other states that authorize involuntary commitment for substance use disorder as it builds on Mayor Adams’ successful work since the start of the Adams administration to address the interwoven crises of severe mental illness, addiction, and homelessness playing out on city streets.
By combining targeted enforcement with compassionate, evidence-based outreach, the PATH program and broader Subway Safety Plan — along with these other public safety, public health, and housing plans — are delivering safer subways, stronger communities, and better futures for New Yorkers.
NEW YORK—Oct. 10, 2025—Mayor Eric Adams marked the first year of the Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness (PATH), a police-clinician “co-response” program launched in August 2024 to address homelessness and severe mental illness in the subway system. City officials said PATH teams have made more than 20,100 contacts, delivered services over 6,100 times, and connected nearly 1,900 people to shelter, while NYPD officers working with clinicians removed 2,100+ riders for rule or law violations. The initiative is a pillar of the Subway Safety Plan and the administration’s “End the Culture of Anything Goes” push, bolstered by 1,500 new Safe Haven and stabilization beds (4,000 total) and a $650 million mental-health and homelessness package. Mr. Adams also pointed to 2025 state law changes on psychiatric care and a proposed 2026 “Compassionate Interventions Act,” arguing the combined enforcement and outreach have contributed to record-low transit crime and steadier ridership.
Mayor Adams Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Path Co-Response Program Connecting New Yorkers in Need on Subways to Shelter, Health Care, and Support
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park today celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness (PATH) program — a public safety and social services co-response outreach initiative, launched in August 2024, to help keep New Yorkers safe and healthy on the subway system. The PATH teams have made over 20,100 engagements with unhoused New Yorkers living in the subway system, delivering critical services — including shelter, meals, medical care, and mental health support — more than 6,100 times. Additionally, NYPD Transit Bureau officers, working alongside PATH clinicians, have removed more than 2,100 individuals from the transit system for various violations of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (MTA) rules of conduct or state law.
Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign, the administration’s landmark effort to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed. This initiative simultaneously makes the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing — to make lasting impacts on lives and communities, and improve New Yorkers’ quality of life. Mayor Adams is bringing the same energy and approach that proved to be successful in carving a new path for people with severe mental illness to address other health crises playing out on city streets, like drug addiction, and he recently laid out plans realize that vision by connecting those suffering with treatment.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is our number one commitment — especially on the subways, which millions of riders rely on every day,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our PATH program, which has already connected thousands of New Yorkers in need on our subways to critical services. When we took office, we made it clear: the days of ignoring people in need on our streets and in our subways were over. And since then, our administration has fundamentally changed the conversation on severe mental illness and fought to end the culture of ‘anything goes.’ Our PATH program shows that compassion, public safety, and justice must all go together — and this anniversary marks an important milestone in making New York City just that: more kind, more just, and safer for everyone.”
PATH teams bring together NYPD Transit Bureau officers, New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) nurses, and outreach staff from NYC Health + Hospitals to connect New Yorkers to services, including shelter, meals, medical care, and mental health support. From 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day, teams conduct targeted outreach across Manhattan stations and trains, engaging anyone who appears to be unsheltered.
The program is part of the city’s growing use of “co-response” — a crisis response model gaining traction nationally in which clinical professionals are paired with police to engage with members of the public in need of medical care and/or social services. Participating police officers receive specialized training in crisis de-escalation and allow their clinical partners to take the lead once safety is assured. While co-response is not meant to replace traditional outreach conducted without police involvement, in certain situations, the presence of police officers affords clinicians a greater sense of personal safety, enabling more meaningful engagement with those in need. Co-response also greatly enhances the ability of a clinician to initiate transport to a hospital for evaluation in circumstances where an individual exhibits symptoms of mental illness presenting a danger to themselves or others.
Co-response offers tailored support based on each person’s needs — from a hot meal and a bed for the night to medical attention or psychiatric evaluation — improving both the safety and effectiveness of outreach efforts and increasing the changes of connecting people to lasting care.
“Strengthening interagency collaboration through initiatives like PATH is vital to expanding the scope of the city’s outreach efforts and increasing reliance on social workers to ensure meaningful engagements with New Yorkers experiencing homelessness,” said DSS Commissioner Wasow Park. “We are grateful for the dedication of our outreach workers and nurses who always lead with dignity and compassion as they engage New Yorkers who have fallen through every safety net, building trust and connecting them to life-saving supports. We are committed to leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to reach and support some of our most vulnerable neighbors and improve health care and housing outcomes for them.”
“The PATH program is a critical initiative to address homelessness and other quality of life conditions in our subway system, and one year later, the results of this whole-government approach speak for themselves,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Thousands of New Yorkers are getting access to the resources they need and deserve, and transit crime is at record lows across the city. None of this is by accident — it’s because of the incredible work of the NYPD, DSS, DHS, and NYC Health + Hospitals that have all provided this important care, and Mayor Adams who has always put the safety of our city first.”
“We’ve known all along that more effective mental health outreach and treatment were needed in our subway system to help cut down on transit crime and deal with disorder underground,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Thanks to investments from Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams, we’ve made progress on both fronts — as proven out by surging ridership and customer satisfaction.”
Addressing transit crime and homelessness in the subway system has been one of Mayor Adams’ top public safety priorities since taking office. In February 2022, Mayor Adams first launched the Subway Safety Plan to address public safety concerns, protect riders, and connect some of the city’s hardest-to-reach New Yorkers to services. Since the start of the plan, over 8,600 New Yorkers have been connected from the subways to shelter, with over 1,000 now in permanent, affordable housing. These outreach efforts, along with others, such as Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams (SCOUT), encounter a range of people living unsheltered with various needs.
These safety efforts together are delivering indisputable results: overall transit crime fell 17 percent in September compared to the same month last year — the lowest level for any September in recorded history, excluding the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years. This follows record low major crime in transit for July and August, excluding the pandemic years.
PATH complements the city’s 24/7 above-ground HOME-STAT outreach efforts — one of the most comprehensive outreach programs in the nation — which have also resulted in vital connections to shelter services for thousands of New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness across city streets, parks, and other public places. As of today, DSS has approximately 400 outreach staff canvassing the five boroughs around-the-clock; this includes a reliable network of contracted outreach workers from not-for-profit human services providers with extensive experience addressing unsheltered homelessness.
Throughout his administration, and as laid out in “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for NYC,” Mayor Adams has been committed to taking a public health approach to supporting people with severe mental illness, focusing on prevention and intervention.
That Adams administration has opened 1,500 new low-barrier Safe Haven and stabilization beds for New Yorkers — bringing the total to 4,000 — and invested in innovative mental health programs like SCOUT, the opening of 13 new Clubhouses, and expanded Intensive Mobile Treatment teams.
Building off all this work, in August, Mayor Adams announced a new change he is proposing in the 2026 state legislative session to support people struggling with substance use disorder and address public drug use on city streets that degrades quality of life and leaves a feeling of disorder among many city residents. The “Compassionate Interventions Act” will give clinical professionals the authority they need to bring someone who appears to pose a danger to themselves or others due to substance use disorder to a hospital and allow a judge to mandate treatment if the person is unwilling to enter treatment voluntarily. The change would help put New York in line with 37 other states that authorize involuntary commitment for substance use disorder as it builds on Mayor Adams’ successful work since the start of the Adams administration to address the interwoven crises of severe mental illness, addiction, and homelessness playing out on city streets.
By combining targeted enforcement with compassionate, evidence-based outreach, the PATH program and broader Subway Safety Plan — along with these other public safety, public health, and housing plans — are delivering safer subways, stronger communities, and better futures for New Yorkers.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams lauded votes by the Council’s Land Use and Zoning committees to advance his Jamaica Neighborhood Plan, sending the Queens rezoning to the full Council later this month. Framed as a bid to jump-start housing and jobs in a key transit hub, the proposal would map the city’s largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing zone across 230 blocks and is projected to unlock thousands of units, including permanently affordable homes. The plan also commits hundreds of millions of dollars to sewer upgrades aimed at reducing flooding. Adams cast the move as part of his broader pro-housing agenda to clear outdated rules and speed construction, while thanking Speaker Adrienne Adams, Land Use Chair Rafael Salamanca Jr., Zoning Subcommittee Chair Kevin Riley, and Councilmembers James Gennaro and Nantasha Williams for their support.
Mayor Adams’ Statement After City Council Committee Votes to Advance Jamaica Neighborhood Plan
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after the New York City Council Land Use and Zoning Committees voted in favor of the Adams administration’s Jamaica Neighborhood Planopens in a new tab, moving it on to a vote by the full Council:
“With its rich history and diversity, Jamaica represents so much of what makes New York City the greatest city in the world. As a bustling commercial and transit center in Queens, it’s exactly where we should be building new homes and creating high-paying jobs. But unfortunately, Jamaica’s zoning has curtailed new housing opportunities and limited new businesses, making it harder for working-class families to stay in their community. It’s past time we changed that.
“With today’s vote, we’re one step closer to bringing forth an even more thriving and vibrant Jamaica where New Yorkers of all income levels can thrive. Spread out over 230 blocks, this plan will be the largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing zone ever mapped in New York City, unlocking thousands of new homes, permanently affordable homes, and jobs. Furthermore, this plan reflects our commitment to a more resilient future, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in upgraded sanitary sewer infrastructure to reduce flooding and help this community weather future storms.
“When it comes to housing, our administration is doing more than talking about it. We’re taking action every single day, cleaning up outdated zoning rules to get shovels in the ground and folks into new homes. Whether it’s crafting neighborhood plans like this one, passing the most pro-housing zoning reform in city history, or shattering affordable housing records year after year after year, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in city history.
Thank you to Council Speaker Adams, Land Use Committee Chair Salamanca, Jr., Zoning Subcommittee Chair Riley, Councilmember Gennaro, and Councilmember Williams for their support for this important proposal and for working with our administration to build the homes that New Yorkers need. We look forward to a full vote later this month and bringing this ambitious plan to fruition.”
— New York City joined 73 other local governments in an Oct. 7, 2025 amicus brief backing Oregon in Oregon v. Trump, asking the Ninth Circuit to uphold a district court order blocking the Trump administration’s September deployment of National Guard troops to Portland. The coalition argues Washington overstepped its authority under 10 U.S.C. §12406, saying there was no invasion or rebellion to justify dispatching roughly 200 troops over local objections. City officials warn such deployments disrupt policing, chill commerce and shift costs to taxpayers—citing prior bills of $134 million in Los Angeles and an estimated $10 million in Oregon. The group frames Guard use as a last resort, not a tool for routine civil unrest, while the federal government seeks an immediate stay of the district court’s Oct. 4 temporary restraining order.
City of New York Takes New Action Opposing Federal Government’s Military Deployment in American Cities
– The City of New York — as part of a coalition of 74 localities from around the nation — has filed a new amicus brief supporting Oregon’s ongoing case against the federal government’s unlawful deployment of the National Guard in Portland. In the brief, the coalition urges the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to affirm a district court ruling in Oregon v. Trump, which enjoined the federal government from deploying federal troops in Portland. The coalition warns against the Trump administration’s plans to deploy the National Guard at “anytime, anywhere, for any reason — based on nothing more than sporadic incidents of conflict or being a disfavored jurisdiction.” The coalition highlights the harms to local sovereignty, to local peace and tranquility, and to local economies from the federal government’s deployment of the National Guard to American cities on pretextual and political grounds.
“New York City is proud to — once again — partner with a multitude of localities to assert local control over our own domain: public safety,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Our administration has been unrelenting in driving down crime, rooting out violent criminals, and protecting New Yorkers, and we have had record drops in crime thanks to our commitment to public safety and the precision policing of the NYPD. Collaboration with state and federal law enforcement has always been a key part of our public safety strategy, but we do not need a deployment of the National Guard to our city. Instead, we plan to continue to work with the federal government on areas where collaboration is warranted, such as stopping the flow of illegal guns to our city from the Iron Belt. We remain committed to keeping New Yorkers safe while upholding our constitutional rights.”
“As highlighted in this brief, the president is continuing to treat American cities as military ‘training grounds’ based on pretext and misinformation that is contrary to the facts on the ground,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant. “Federalizing and domestically deploying the National Guard can sow chaos in local communities and should be a last resort, not a primary tactic, reserved for exceedingly rare circumstances. The district court ruling enjoining the federal government should be upheld.”
In September 2025, the Trump administration deployed members of the National Guard to Portland, citing protests of immigration enforcement operations. On October 4, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon ruled that the deployment likely violated federal law because plaintiffs submitted evidence that the cited protests were not significantly violent or disruptive in the days or weeks leading up to the president’s directive. The federal government filed an application in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit seeking an immediate stay of the district court’s temporary restraining order.
In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that the federal government has overreached its authority and that the lower court’s injunction should remain in place, based on longstanding federal laws prohibiting the National Guard from engaging in domestic law enforcement. The brief asserts that the federal government has provided no factual basis or legal justification for deploying 200 federal troops in Portland over the objection of local officials. The coalition states that there was no invasion or rebellion directed toward the federal government that would have allowed it to lawfully deploy the National Guard under 10 U.S.C. 12406, and that this pretext dramatically increases the risk of irreparable injury by inflaming community tensions and interfering with local law enforcement personnel which is better trained to manage situations such as protests and crowd control.
Further, the brief cites the chilling effect that National Guard deployments have on the local economy and taxpayers — as more customers stay inside and local businesses lose customers. Also, taxpayers are stuck paying the bill for these deployments: $134 million for Los Angeles alone and, potentially, at least $10 million for Oregon.
Joining the City of New York and Portland, Oregon are the cities of Tucson, Arizona; Alameda, Anaheim, Berkeley, Culver, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San José, San Leandro, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, San Francisco, and West Hollywood, California; Denver and Ridgway, Colorado; New Haven, Connecticut; Tallahassee, Florida; Bloomington, Chicago, and Evanston, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence, Massachusetts; Ann Arbor, Bellevue, and Exeter, Michigan; Hopkins, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, Minnesota; Hoboken and Newark, New Jersey, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Hudson, Rochester, and Brighton, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Pittsburgh and Norristown, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Austin, El Paso, Iowa Colony, and San Marcos, Texas; Burlington, Vermont; Alexandria and Norfolk, Virginia; Tacoma, Washington; Madison and Exeter, Wisconsin; as well as the counties of Pima, Arizona; Alameda, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma, California; Denver and Ouray, Colorado; Montgomery, Maryland; Ingham and Bellevue, Michigan; Columbia, Cortland, and Monroe, New York; Multnomah, Oregon; Allegheny, Bucks, Clarion, Dauphin, and Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Davidson and Shelby, Tennessee; Harris and Travis, Texas; Kings and Pierce, Washington; Dan and Exeter, Wisconsin.
Mayor Eric Adams said Oct. 6 the city will sell $460 million of taxable, fixed-rate general-obligation social bonds in October, its fourth such sale since 2022, to help finance nearly 2,200 affordable apartments. Proceeds will reimburse projects under HPD’s ELLA, SARA and Supportive Housing Loan programs; more than 80% of units will serve households at or below 60% of area median income ($97,200 for a family of four), including 790 units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The latest deal brings Adams-era social-bond issuance to $2.38 billion supporting over 14,300 units, part of a pipeline of roughly 426,800 homes backed by a 10-year, $25.8 billion capital plan. Moody’s, S&P, Fitch and Kroll reaffirmed the city’s AA-category ratings and stable outlook—building on Fitch’s 2023 upgrade—citing steady fiscal management and resilient revenues.
Mayor Adams Announces New York City’s Fourth Sale of Social Bonds to Support More Affordable Housing as Leading Independent and Internationally-Recognized Rating Agencies Again Affirm City’s Strong Financial Standing and Stability
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that New York City will sell $460 million of taxable, fixed-rate General Obligation Social Bonds in October 2025, helping to support the creation of thousands of units of affordable housing. Additionally, Mayor Adams announced that — for the 18th consecutive time in this administration — the independent, internationally-recognized credit rating agencies Moody’s Ratings, S&P Global Ratings, Fitch Ratings, and Kroll Bond Rating Agency have all affirmed the city’s strong bond ratings and stable outlook. Selling bonds to investors generates resources that the city uses to build and maintain its world-class infrastructure, and, in this case, will be used to support the construction and development of nearly 2,200 units of affordable housing in New York City. Social Bonds exclusively supporting affordable housing in New York City have only been issued during the Adams administration, and this is the city’s fourth issuance of Social Bonds since 2022.
“When it’s come to tackling our generational housing crisis, our administration has gotten creative as we’ve used every tool possible to tackle our generational housing crisis,” said Mayor Adams. “From our historic ‘City of Yes’ plan to our neighborhood rezonings, we have never been afraid to take the bold and necessary steps to build more housing for working-class New Yorkers. Issuing Social Bonds exclusively for housing is yet another example of how we are thinking outside the box to finance and spur more affordable housing. With this latest sale of $460 million of General Obligation Social Bonds, we will support the construction of nearly 2,200 additional units of affordable housing. And because of our work and more, the leading credit rating agencies have, once again, affirmed our administration’s strong fiscal management. Our administration has consistently stepped up to the plate, skillfully managing crises after crises while making our economy stronger and boosting investor confidence. And while we have made great strides, we will never stop fighting to make our city more affordable, more livable, and the best place to raise a family.”
Financing Affordable Housing Through Sale of Social Bonds
Social Bonds allow the city to take advantage of demand for investment opportunities while addressing core policy objectives, including investing in programs and initiatives that can make the city more affordable for working-class New Yorkers. The city’s first three sales of Social Bonds — all of which took place under the Adams administration — totaled $1.92 billion and helped finance over 12,100 units of affordable housing across the city. Following the upcoming transaction, the city will have sold $2.38 billion of Social Bonds since 2022 to help finance over 14,300 units of affordable housing.
Net proceeds from the upcoming sale of Social Bonds will be used to reimburse prior spending by the city under the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Extremely Low- and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) Program, Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, and Supportive Housing Loan Program (SHLP). The projects being financed are expected to provide an estimated 1,152 units under the ELLA program, 190 units under the SARA program, and 856 units under the SHLP program. Over 80 percent of the units will be for households earning 60 percent of area median income (equal to $97,200 for a family of four) or below. Additionally, 790 of the total units — more than one-third — will provide housing for individuals and families formerly experiencing homelessness.
Leading Credit Rating Agencies Again Show Confidence
Earlier this month, based on the strength of the city’s fiscal management, revenue performance, budget reserves, and post-pandemic recovery, Moody’s, S&P, Fitch, and Kroll all assigned double-A category ratings and stable outlooks to the city’s upcoming sales of approximately $1.5 billion tax-exempt and $1.75 billion taxable General Obligation Bonds, which includes the $460 million of Social Bonds. The four credit rating agencies have repeatedly upgraded or affirmed the city’s strong General Obligation Bond ratings and outlooks over the course of the Adams administration. Notably, in February 2023, Fitch Ratings upgraded the city’s credit rating from AA- to AA. On each occasion, the four agencies cited the city’s ongoing strong fiscal management in support of their decisions.
Maintaining a strong bond rating is an indication of the city’s financial strength and encourages continued investment in the city’s bonds, which help support funding to build and maintain housing, schools, streets, parks, and other critical infrastructure that spans the five boroughs.
In maintaining its Aa2 rating, Moody’s Ratings cited “New York City’s post-pandemic economic recovery, including a record-high employment-to-population ratio, positive trends in assessed property values despite commercial real estate challenges, and steady but slow tax revenue growth. The expanding economy is driven by the city’s competitive advantages: a young, highly skilled labor pool that over time has helped make New York City households wealthier; strong higher education and medical centers that also contribute higher paying jobs; and strong domestic and international transportation links that support New York City’s position as a global economic, financial and cultural hub.”
S&P Global Ratings stated that the AA rating “reflects our view of New York City’s governance strengths and the dynamism and resilience of its economy, which we believe support stable credit quality over the outlook horizon. At the onset of fiscal 2026, we believe that the fiscal trajectory remains stable, and budgetary reserves — while not projected to increase over the near-term — provide the city with financial flexibility to navigate near-term risks…The stable outlook further reflects our view of the city’s continuing ability to navigate potentially disruptive economic uncertainties and sustain financial stability in the near term, particularly amid a shifting federal and state funding landscape.”
Fitch Ratings noted that “New York City’s ‘AA’ Long-Term Issuer Default Rating and GO bond rating reflect the city’s exceptionally strong budget monitoring and controls, supporting Fitch’s ‘aa’ financial resilience assessment…The city experienced record revenue performance and strong economic recovery coming out of the pandemic, as well as improvement in reserve levels, which will help management navigate slowing revenue growth and future economic downturns.”
In its assignment of the city’s AA+ rating, KBRA wrote that “the city’s role as an international business and cultural center, and its position as the hub of the country’s largest metropolitan economy, highlight the diversity of the resource base supporting the G.O. Bonds. Institutionalized, long-range financial management and capital planning practices support financial stability.”
The credit rating and stable outlook affirmations follow the passage of the city’s $115.9 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Adopted Budget, which builds on Mayor Adams’ FY 2026 Executive Budget — often called the “Best Budget Ever.” The “Best Budget Ever” prioritizes investments that will make New York City a safer, more affordable city that is the best place to raise a family. Additionally, this fiscal year, for the first-time ever, New York City abolished or cut personal income taxes for eligible low-income New Yorkers. Recently, in his FY 2026 September Capital Commitment Plan, Mayor Adams announced the largest capital commitment plan in city history, which includes the acceleration of $1.5 billion in the New York City Housing Preservation and Development capital budget and $300 million in the New York City Housing Authority capital budget for FY 2026 to expedite construction and rehabilitation of nearly 6,500 homes, yet another example of how the administration is delivering affordable housing faster and more creatively.
Thanks to careful fiscal management and policies that have fostered robust economic growth, the Adams administration overcame unprecedented challenges in this budget cycle to manage the budget responsibly, support essential services, and make upstream investments that will benefit New Yorkers for generations to come.
NEW YORK—Oct. 5, 2025—Mayor Eric Adams signed Emergency Executive Order 867, extending a key provision of Order 865 for five days to address persistent crises in the city’s Department of Correction, including at Rikers Island. The move prioritizes compliance with the federal Nunez use-of-force case and the 2022 Nunez Action Plan, citing ongoing attrition-driven staffing shortages that threaten sanitation, showers, meals, visitation, religious services, commissary, and recreation. The jail system’s state of emergency, first declared in 2021, remains in effect; the extension is effective immediately and may be modified or terminated earlier.
Emergency Executive Order 867
WHEREAS, on September 2, 2021, the federal monitor in the Nunez use-of-force class action stated that steps must be taken immediately to address the conditions in the New York City jails; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 2022, the federal court in Nunez approved the Nunez Action Plan, which “represents a way to move forward with concrete measures now to address the ongoing crisis at Rikers Island”; and
WHEREAS, although there has been improvement in excessive staff absenteeism, extraordinarily high rates of attrition due to staff retirements and other departures continue to seriously affect the Department of Correction’s (DOC’s) staffing levels and create a serious risk to DOC’s ability to carry out the safety and security measures required for the maintenance of sanitary conditions; and access to basic services, including showers, meals, visitation, religious services, commissary, and recreation; and
WHEREAS, this Order is given to prioritize compliance with the Nunez Action Plan and to address the effects of DOC’s staffing levels, the conditions at DOC facilities, and health operations; and
WHEREAS, additional reasons for requiring the measures continued in this Order are set forth in Emergency Executive Order No. 140 of 2022, Emergency Executive Order No. 579 of 2024, and Emergency Executive Order 623 of 2024; and
WHEREAS, the state of emergency existing within DOC facilities, first declared in Emergency Executive Order No. 241, dated September 15, 2021, and extended by subsequent orders, remains in effect;
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in me by the laws of the State of New York and the City of New York, including but not limited to the New York Executive Law, the New York City Charter and the Administrative Code of the City of New York, and the common law authority to protect the public in the event of an emergency:
Section 1. I hereby direct that section 1 of Emergency Executive Order No. 865, dated September 30, 2025, is extended for five (5) days.
§ 2. This Emergency Executive Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect for five (5) days unless it is terminated or modified at an earlier date.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Oct. 5 issued Executive Order 868, extending Section 1 of Executive Order 866 for five days as the city manages an influx of asylum seekers arriving from the southern border. The order, effective immediately, keeps in place emergency measures first declared Oct. 7, 2022, to expand shelter capacity and services across the DHS system while maintaining support for existing clients. Citing authority under New York Executive Law, the City Charter and Administrative Code, the mayor said the extension may be modified or terminated sooner.
Emergency Executive Order 868
WHEREAS, over the past several months, thousands of asylum seekers have been arriving in New York City, from the Southern border, without having any immediate plans for shelter; and
WHEREAS, the City now faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that requires it to take extraordinary measures to meet the immediate needs of the asylum seekers while continuing to serve the tens of thousands of people who are currently using the DHS Shelter System; and
WHEREAS, additional reasons for requiring the measures continued in this Order are set forth in Emergency Executive Order No. 224, dated October 7, 2022; and
WHEREAS, the state of emergency based on the arrival of thousands of individuals and families seeking asylum, first declared in Emergency Executive Order No. 224, dated October 7, 2022, and extended by subsequent orders, remains in effect;
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in me by the laws of the State of New York and the City of New York, including but not limited to the New York Executive Law, the New York City Charter and the Administrative Code of the City of New York, and the common law authority to protect the public in the event of an emergency:
Section 1. I hereby order that section 1 of Emergency Executive Order No. 866, dated September 30, 2025, is extended for five (5) days.
§ 2. This Emergency Executive Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect for five (5) days unless it is terminated or modified at an earlier date.
New York City logged its seventh consecutive quarterly drop in major crime, with Q3 2025 offenses down 3.1% and six of seven index categories falling, Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said. Shooting incidents declined 15.6% in the quarter (29.7% in September), and shooting victims tied record lows, outcomes officials linked to a data-driven “summer zones” deployment and the seizure of 4,100 illegal guns this year—nearly 24,000 since the administration began. Transit crime reached all-time lows outside the pandemic years, while retail theft fell 19% in the quarter and 13% year to date; the Bronx reversed earlier gains as boroughwide reductions broadened. Murders remain near historic lows, though Adams and Tisch warned federal cuts to NYPD counter-terror funding could erode progress in the months ahead.
Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch Brief the Media on Third Quarter Crime Stats, Record Low Shooting Incidents, and Shooting Victims for First Nine Months of the Year
Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much, good afternoon. When I ran for office, I was clear on one message. Public safety is a prerequisite to our prosperity. And I threw everything at public safety and ensuring that our citizens could be safe. Probably unlike any other mayor, I spent so many days on the streets of shootings, of homicides, of victims, of individuals being shoved to our subway tracks.
I’ve been in hospitals, funerals, speaking with parents, hearing and feeling the pain that they experience when they are the victims of any form of criminal action. And numbers don’t lie, what we have done is clear.
We lived up to our commitment, and I say it over and over again, we can’t go backwards. We can’t go back to the days of the early 80s when I was a rookie police officer, and we can’t go backwards to 2021. Guns were known to be ordinary tools that were used on our streets to permit crime.
Our 2025 third quarter crime data shows that our public safety system is working. We have gone to work to sweep out crime and illegal activities from our neighborhoods. So if we were to start with the top line, because of what this team has done, not only the commissioner and Chief LiPetri, but also those who are in the front rows. On our subway system and housing, our chief of the Department, our entire team were out there doing the job every day, as well as the men and women who are adorned in the blue uniform and wear that shield on their chest.
We have finished our seven consecutive quarter of crime reduction, seven consecutive quarters. And when you think about it and say it simply, since January 2024, for almost two straight years, crime has consistently declined each and every quarter. Major crime for the third quarter was 3.1 percent equated to over 1,000 fewer victims. And that’s more than 1,000 real people who were no longer the victims of serious crime. And more specifically, six of the seven major crimes were also down for this quarter. Including declines in homicides, robberies, felony assaults, burglaries, grand larcenies, and auto theft.
Major crime in our subway system and our public housing developments were also down for the third quarter of the year, chief of Housing and chief of Transit, a job well done. We cannot thank you enough for what you have accomplished. And those have been areas, particularly housing, where public safety has eluded us for decades. And although you hear about some of the high profile incidents, overall the residents of NYCHA are safer and the residents of our subway system.
When you take out the two years of the COVID, two years when no one was on the subway, you’ll see how these numbers are significant. We set records in our transit system. We had the safest summer in recorded history in our subways when you exclude the pandemic years.
In the third quarter, July, August, and September, index crime was a record low in our subway system except for ‘20 and ‘21. Shooting incidents were also, once again, at record lows for the first nine months of the year. No caveats, no asterisks, plain and simple, the lowest. [Inaudible] at record lows in our city history has continued to show that we’re doing the right thing.
Shooting incidents were down 29.7 percent for September and 15.6 percent for the third quarter of 2025. For the first nine months of the year, shooting victims were also at record lows, tying the previous record set in 2018. Shooting victims were down 32.5 percent for September and 11.3 percent for the quarter.
Shootings are down at a staggering 54 percent, when you compare New York City year to day shootings to the same period immediately before I took office. Those are the dividends paid for more than 4,100 illegal guns removed off our streets. 4,100 illegal guns and the almost 24,000 guns removed since the start of our administration. And that 4,100 number was for this year alone.
This is 24,000, 24,000 weapons that no longer threaten the safety of our neighbors, our families, and our children. More specifically, for September, major crime was down 2.8 percent. It was driven by a decrease in six of the seven major crime categories. That includes double digit percentage declines in homicides, rape, and auto theft, as well as declines in robbery, felony assaults, and burglary.
Retail theft, which you are watching across the country, is taking off. And so we should think about that when individuals want to stop enforcing retail theft, what impacts the financial stability of our city. Retail theft in this city and hate crimes are both continuing their decline for month, quarter, and year to date. This reduction in crime is no accident.
It’s the product of our administration priority to take on crime and quality of life issues. While these numbers show real progress, we know there’s more to do. And we’re not resting until every New Yorker is not only safe, but feels safe in their home, in our subways, and on our sidewalks. We have been clear in this administration, we will not tolerate a feeling of anything goes in our streets. And that includes those who want to carry out quality of life conditions.
We’re going to ensure that we enforce them as long as I’m the mayor of this city. We’re making New York City the best place to raise children and families. Because of our steadfast focus on public safety, the deep bench of leaders we’ve put in place here at police headquarters. And the hard work of the brave men and women of the NYPD, New York City remains the safest big city in America. And a clear indication was that we just had UNGA, UN General Assembly week. And we had Jewish High Holidays, the New Years, and you saw the proper deployment to deal with the dignitaries who were here, as well as ensure that those who wanted to worship were able to worship in safety.
We’re going to continue to do the job that New Yorkers expect from us. I want to turn it over to the commissioner, Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Thank you, sir. Good afternoon. It is with deep appreciation for Mayor Eric Adams and immense pride in the women and men of the NYPD that I’m here to report on some historic, record breaking crime reductions achieved by your NYPD cops in the third quarter of this year. Months of July, August, and September, including the fewest shooting incidents for the first nine months of any year, and for any third quarter in recorded history.
Tied for the fewest shooting victims ever for the year, and the second fewest by one for the last quarter. Seven straight quarters of declining major crime under Mayor Adams going back to January 2024. The safest third quarter ever on our subways with all time low major crime numbers for each of the months of July, August, and September, excluding the COVID years. And murders equaled their second lowest level ever for both the third quarter and the year to date.
So let’s get into it and let’s start with shootings. In the first nine months of this year, citywide shooting incidents are down more than 20 percent, their lowest levels ever, shattering the previous record low set in 2018 by 20 fewer incidents. And they are down nearly 16 percent for the quarter, making it the fewest shootings in any third quarter in recorded history.
Shooting victims are also down 19 percent for this year, tied for their lowest levels ever. And they were down more than 11 percent last quarter, the second best third quarter in recorded history. We always hear about how shootings spike in the summer months, but your NYPD cops did not just slow that trend, they reversed it.
Shooting incidents fell by double digits in four out of our five boroughs last quarter, led by a 26 percent reduction in the Bronx, a 20 percent reduction on Staten Island, a nearly 19 percent drop in Manhattan, and an almost 18 percent reduction in Queens.
In Brooklyn, shootings were up less than 3 percent for the third quarter, which represents two more shooting incidents in that borough from a year ago. But it is still the second best quarter for Brooklyn shootings in recorded history. And to be very clear, over the past nine months, Brooklyn has seen the lowest number of shootings ever recorded.
For the year, the decline in shooting incidents is led by Staten Island at more than 38 percent, Manhattan at over 34 percent, followed by Queens at 22 percent, the Bronx at 20 percent, and Brooklyn at more than 12 percent. And this is not a coincidence. It is the direct result of an unprecedented, precise, data-driven deployment of thousands of officers.
We took cops out of desk jobs and put them on high visibility foot posts where and when they were needed most. And we told them to get the guns and to go after the gangs, and they did that in unprecedented fashion. I encourage all New Yorkers to join me in expressing their deep appreciation for the men and women of the NYPD for their noble, selfless, and historic work this summer.
The centerpiece of our strategy over the last quarter has been our summer zones. Up to 2,300 cops were sent to work in 72 summer zones across nearly 60 communities last May. The largest deployment of its kind in NYPD history. But this strategy wasn’t just about size. It was about planned precision, and it worked.
Over the past 19 weeks in our summer zones, shooting incidents fell more than 47 percent during deployment, with shooting victims down 44 percent. This includes a 77 percent reduction in Manhattan North, a 46 percent reduction in Brooklyn North, and a 40 percent reduction in shootings in the Bronx. I want to be clear, the communities where we’re seeing the deepest reductions in violent crime are the same communities that have historically been plagued by the most gun violence.
We saw crime reductions in every single borough during deployment, with overall crime in our summer zones down more than 18 percent, felony assaults down 25 percent, robberies down 23 percent, murders down 18 percent, auto theft down 15 percent, grand larceny down 12 percent, and burglary down nearly 1 percent.
This is what happens when we’re not only working hard, but we are working smart. We know that this zone plan is effective, and we know why. It is a data-driven, scalpel approach to fighting crime and disorder. That strategy is going to continue into the fall, and you’ll hear more about the summer zones from the architect of that strategy, Chief LiPetri, in a moment.
Now let me give you the overall crime picture. For both the third quarter and year to date, major crime is down in our precincts, on our subways, and in our housing developments. For the year to date, overall crime is down about 4 percent citywide, and fell more than 3 percent last quarter, making this the seventh straight quarter of declining crime under Mayor Adams, going back to January of last year. And for the month of September, major crime was lower in every one of our eight patrol boroughs.
Of note, we had significant crime reductions in Queens of nearly 7.5 percent for the quarter, and more than 9 percent for the year. And Manhattan, down more than 5 percent for the quarter, and over 4 percent for the year. And in the past three months, we reversed an upward trend that we were seeing in the Bronx, going from a 6.2 percent crime increase in the second quarter to a 3.4 percent decrease in the third quarter.
Given that the past three months are historically when our city sees the most crime and violence at any time during the year, I want to commend all of the Bronx cops who refused to accept the narrative that their borough was an outlier when it came to public safety.
Where they did see stubborn pockets of crime, they executed our plan to address it. Looking at the seven major crime categories, citywide murders are down nearly 18 percent for both the year and for the quarter, bringing them to their second lowest level ever for both time frames. And these aren’t just percentages, they are lives saved.
So far this year, there have been 52 fewer people killed in New York City compared to 2024. Burglaries in the third quarter were down to their second lowest level in recorded history, dropping more than 9 percent, and they are down nearly 4 percent for the year.
Citywide robberies are down nearly 10 percent year to date, and more than 5 percent for the quarter. That means 1,200 fewer incidents than in 2024, reversing an upward trend that we saw through the first nine months of last year. Grand larcenies fell by more than 4 percent for the year, and we’re down 0.5 percent for the quarter, extending the declines we’ve seen in this crime for the last three years in a row.
We’re seeing similar multi-year declines in auto theft. After a significant increase during and immediately after the pandemic, we are now down by more than 4 percent for both the year and the third quarter.
Felony assault, a crime that is mainly driven by domestic violence and attacks on our officers, is about 1 percent lower for the year and down nearly 4 percent for the quarter. And back in July, when we presented the second quarter crime stats, we said that rape was the one index crime that had increased up 21 percent through June. And we explained that the rise was largely due to a change in state law that went into effect in September 2024, which rightfully broadened the legal definition of rape to better capture the full range of these crimes.
Now that we’re past the one year mark of that change, we finally have a clear year over year comparison. And the numbers do show progress. For September of this year compared to last, rape was down more than 13 percent, and this is the first time in over 12 months that we are looking at the same universe of survivors.
And the tide is also turning on our subways. Outside of the COVID years, we just had the safest third quarter ever in transit with major crime falling by nearly 14 percent. Each of the past three individual months, July, August, and September, was the safest in recorded history for major crime. And year to date, crime in our subways is down more than 4 percent to its lowest levels in 15 years, excluding the pandemic years.
For this year, robberies in transit are down to their lowest levels ever, and shooting incidents are down a remarkable 67 percent. Overall, crime in our subways is nearly 12 percent below pre-pandemic levels, with robbery down more than 24 percent, and felony theft down nearly 27 percent.
These results don’t just make the transit system safer, they make people feel safer too. A recent poll conducted by the MTA showed that nearly seven out of ten New York City subway riders felt safe while using the system, an increase of 12 percent from the beginning of this year. Why? Because people are seeing more cops on the trains and on the platforms where we know that the vast majority of transit crime occurs.
The sentiment is shifting, and it’s not just about a visible police presence. Over the past ten years, the transit rules against taking up multiple seats, laying outstretched, smoking, drinking alcohol, etc., were not consistently enforced. This increased the perception of an unsafe system, and it needed to change.
So this year, we made that change. Our cops will no longer walk by someone who is violating the law and disrupting other passengers, they will correct the condition. And I want to be clear, this is about restoring a sense of safety and order in the system. It is also a response to New Yorkers telling us that unchecked disorder makes them feel less safe on the trains. That’s why we’re also matching our enforcement with services.
Through the mayor’s PATH program launched last year, the NYPD has partnered with city agencies, local nurses, clinicians, service providers, and others to provide services such as shelter, meals, medical care, and mental health support. This is how we deliver a safer, more accessible system for all.
Looking ahead, I want to highlight an issue that has taken on increased importance in neighborhoods across our city, and that is retail theft. The numbers here are encouraging. In the third quarter, retail theft dropped by nearly 19 percent citywide, bringing us 13 percent lower for the year compared to 2024. And this didn’t happen by accident. It is a true indicator of what an effective, comprehensive crime fighting plan can really do.
For too long, shoplifting was a leading sign of disorder and lawlessness on our streets to the point where everyday goods behind lock and key has become the norm. Since most retail theft is classified as a misdemeanor though, it wasn’t given the same attention as more serious violent crimes were. But tell that to the small businesses who are constantly victimized by thieves. Tell that to the local shop owners who are unable to make their rent and forced to close in the face of crushing shoplifting losses. It’s devastating to them and it hurts our communities and the NYPD has said no more through a multifaceted, precise, data driven approach.
This year, every precinct in the city has designed and implemented a retail theft plan, which puts officers on foot posts in high propensity locations during the specific hours when most retail theft occurs. And we began seriously investigating these crimes as well. Establishing patterns, identifying recidivists, tracking perps, and closing cases.
This includes closer coordination between patrol cops, squad detectives, and transit officers. Since we know many shoplifters attempt to flee into our subways. Finally, retail theft became a focal point of our weekly CompStat meetings, where local commanders provide our executive staff with regular updates on what’s working and discuss solutions to what isn’t.
The results are clear. Our officers made nearly 6,600 shoplifting arrests last quarter alone. A 30 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels and nearly 21,300 arrests citywide so far this year, which is 40 percent more than in 2019. So it is no wonder that in 2025, retail theft is down in four of our five boroughs.
This work restores order in our neighborhoods. It restores the confidence of our local businesses and it sends a direct, unambiguous message. Shoplifters, regardless of the amount they steal, will be investigated, identified, and arrested. Because accountability matters here.
In a moment, our Chief of Crime Control Strategies, Mike LiPetri, will break down these numbers even further. But I want to take this opportunity to thank the women and men of the NYPD. Every piece of data we’re presenting today is a reflection of their work.
When we talk about record setting crime reductions, we’re talking about the cops. These gains have been achieved on their backs. Long, hot nights of grueling foot posts, risking their own lives to get guns off the street, and an uncommon instinct to run toward the danger when everyone else runs away. These results are also a reflection of the steady leadership and forward leaning strategies developed by our chiefs. Among them, of course, our Chief of Department, John Chell, our Chief of Crime Control Strategies, Mike LiPetri, our Chief of Patrol, Phil Rivera, our Chief of Transit, Joe Gulotta, our Chief of Housing, Charles McEvoy, and our Chief of Detectives, Joe Kenney.
New Yorkers should know that they are served by the most extraordinarily talented group of police leaders that I have seen in my 18 year career. No one does it better, and it is truly the greatest privilege of my lifetime to lead them. And of course, none of this would be possible without the leadership of Mayor Adams, who has made public safety the bedrock of his long service to the city.
Under his watch, we’ve invested in the tools of tomorrow from drones that expand our reach to new facilities, like the 4-0 station house and the brand new 116 precinct that strengthen our foundation. He has given us the people we need, setting us on a pace this year to hire more officers than at any time in the past 40 years. He has quite literally backed the blue.
His vision has turned promises into progress, and his partnership has made New York safer, stronger, and more secure. And all these results are a testament to his leadership. So that was some very good news, but now I have to comment on some profoundly bad news.
The federal government’s decision to slash counter-terrorism funding for the NYPD from 90 million down to nearly 10 million is a betrayal of this city. I want to be very direct about this. If these cuts go through as planned, it will represent a devastating blow to our counter-terrorism and intelligence programs in New York City. The impact of these cuts won’t be felt immediately. New York City will not be a less safe place tomorrow as a result of all of this.
But it will absolutely be a less safe place six months from now. Let me be clear, these funds are the backbone of the NYPD’s counter-terrorism programs. They pay for our highly trained bomb squad technicians, our officers with heavy weapons who guard our subways in major events, the critical response teams who do counter-terrorism patrols at our houses of worship and other sensitive locations, our radiation detection capabilities, the intelligence analysts who uncover plots before they become attacks, our camera systems that enable us to monitor conditions in real time, and the training that prepares us for active shooter attacks.
Counter-terrorism funding cannot be a political issue. It cannot rise and fall based on partisan whims. To strip this funding away from the number one terrorist target in the world is a profound mistake. The cold, hard truth is that since 9/11, New York City has faced more than 70 terrorism plots and ideologically driven acts of violence. And with the support of these critical resources, the women and men of the NYPD have kept our city safe.
Cutting these resources now in a time of global conflict and surging threats puts lives at risk and will make our city meaningfully less safe. To be blunt, this is the difference between a city that prevents the next attack and a city left exposed to it. And I will not stop pressing this issue until the federal government restores the funding and ensures that we continue to have the resources that we need to keep you all safe. Now, I will turn it over to our Chief of Crime Control Strategies, Michael LiPetri.
Michael LiPetri, Chief of Crime Control Strategies, Police Department: Good afternoon. So as the commissioner said, I’m going to speak specifically about the Summer Violence Plan of 2025, which started on May 5th and it ended on September 14th. We identified 72 summer zones across the city for targeted deployment at specific times. 40 precincts, 10 transit districts, and 8 public service areas. The zones were based off of historical data, high volume, violent street crime prone locations.
We used historical intelligence and data analytics to determine deployment, with of course, relentless follow up and precision. Collaborative policing and investigations between all units in the department. Our Gun Violence Suppression Division, our Narcotics Division, our Vice Division, our Neighborhood Safety Teams, our Intelligence Bureau, Housing Bureau, Transit Bureau, patrol, detective squads throughout the city.
Summer violent zones saw an overall decrease of 18 percent less index crimes as compared to last year. Every borough is down in index crimes since inception on May 5th. The transit system within the summer violent zones had efforts focused system wide, which translated to a 14 percent decrease in index crimes. Furthermore, our summer violent zones within our Housing Bureau also achieved significant reductions in index crimes to the tune of 17 percent decrease.
While on the topic of housing, year to date, we have seen the lowest number of murders in housing history. For the third quarter, second lowest number of murders in housing history. Year to date, third lowest year for robberies in housing history. And for the quarter, lowest number of robberies in housing history.
I like to talk about the special Times Square zone. Why am I speaking of that? The crossroads of the world, with hundreds of thousands of people going into that area every day. The zone covers from 6th Avenue to 9th Avenue, from 4-0 to 5-1. Saw a 41 percent reduction in overall crime. That’s a 33 percent robbery decrease and a 34 percent decrease in felony assaults in Times Square. Robberies within the zones, down 23 percent. Felony assaults, down 25 percent.
I’d like to touch on the shootings, city wide between that time frame, May 5th to 9/14. City wide shooting incidents overall, lowest in CompStat history. City wide shooting victims, lowest in CompStat history. City wide murders, second lowest in CompStat history. Let’s talk about housing again. Murders, 12, lowest in CompStat history. Shooting incidents, lowest in CompStat history. Shooting victims, lowest in CompStat history.
This city saw 400 less shooting victims from the year prior to Mayor Adams’ administration in 2021. Think about that, 708 shooting incidents in approximately four month period. That’s what the city is in target right now for the whole year. That is just phenomenal. And that’s hard work, and that’s the men and women doing it.
Let’s talk about the individual summer zone shooting stats. 47 percent decrease, as the commissioner said, overall in the summer zones. Upper Manhattan, down 79 percent in shooting in zones. The Washington Heights zone in the 3-4, zero shootings. The Central Harlem zone in the 3-2, zero shootings. The Bronx, down 40 percent in shootings in the zones. Morrisania in the 4-4, zero shootings for four and a half months in that zone. East Tremont, 4-8, zero shootings in that zone for four and a half months.
Let’s go over to Brooklyn North, 46 percent decrease in shootings in those zones. Crown Heights, 7-7, that zone, down 83 percent shootings, they took one shooting. Brownsville, Brooklyn, the 7-3, that zone, down 56 percent in shootings. Cops were deployed at the right locations. 31 percent of all the gun arrests in the summer were within the zones. Over 350 guns recovered in those zones, and I’m going to tell you stories, because they’re really good.
Example number one, in a 90 minute span on July 9th into July 10th in Mott Haven, in the 4-0, we take two shots fired incidents, and we take three separate arrests of teenagers with guns. The first incident, at 2315, on July 9th. There’s a confirmed shots fired in the Mott Haven houses. Within a month, the 4-0 detective squad solved that case, and that individual has been charged and indicted for attempted murder in CPW-2. As I said in the beginning, we’ve asked all our bureaus to do something different in the zone, and they did.
Approximately an hour later, an 18-year-old male arrested with a gun in the Mitchell houses. Two minutes later, we get another confirmed shots fired. But guess what? The deployment was out there, five minutes later, two separate gun arrests, a 17-year-old and a 17-year-old. Why is this even more significant? Because over the past two weeks in this city, 25 percent of our shooting victims have been under the age of 18. That’s why it’s more significant.
Example number two, three live gun arrests in the 4-0 and the 4-4 zones within about two hours. And remember, these are our field training officers that are grabbing these guns. On 9-8, at 0029 hours, FTU personnel observed an individual drinking an open container of alcohol, found to be in possession of a firearm. About a half hour later, our FTU officers observed an individual riding a city bike, recklessly, found to be in possession of a firearm. And at about 3:30 in the morning, as the commissioner said, still out there, 3:30 in the morning, in front of a problematic club in the 4-4, grabbed a guy with a pistol.
With two tragic incidents in the Bronx, on April 23rd and September 1st, where we’ve had multiple people shot, the response by the units that were deployed to those zones yielded four individuals arrested for the first incident with four guns recovered. And for the second incident, same thing. Four individuals running from that scene with four guns recovered.
And I’d like to just compare the Bronx overall, since I gave the Bronx a lot of credit, as they should get credit, because they have the most zones and they have the most cops. But the cops are out there and the detectives are out there doing the work. So let me compare that to 2021, before the Adams administration took over. The Bronx has seen 203 less shooting victims for the year. That’s lives saved. I just want to thank again all the men and women, and my partners to the right of me, for everything. Thank you.
Question: [Inaudible] budget impasse or does it predate that?
Police Commissioner Tisch: It is not part of the current budget impasse. It’s completely separate. We became aware of the funding totals this week, and this is part of the Department of Homeland Security administers Homeland Security grant programs. And this is our UASI grant and our Homeland Security grant program funding that has been decimated.
Question: [Inaudible.]
Chief LiPetri: So we did do it last summer, we just did not do it with as many cops, with as many zones. It is not just cops on foot, right? In the beginning, I spoke about all the different NYPD units that we asked to do something different. We prioritize, we use precision. Our Detective Bureau, our transit offices, our housing offices. Multiple detective bureau units, narcotics. We wanted them focused in these zones, and obviously it speaks for itself, the success.
Question: [Inaudible.]
Police Commissioner Tisch: Now these are really focused on our counter-terrorism programs.
Question: [Inaudible.]
Police Commissioner Tisch: No, just to be clear, these cuts are devastating or would be devastating if they go through to our counter-terrorism programs, as opposed to our crime-fighting abilities.
Question: [Inaudible.]
Mayor Adams: Yeah, and I think the commissioner probably articulated how important it is that we have the funding to do our terrorist operation. New York City is still a real target for those who want to hurt our city. We’re seeing extremist behavior that’s taking place across the entire globe. And these funds are crucial, not only because the United Nations is here. We have the largest Jewish population outside of Israel that’s here. So many other groups that are the victims of some of the targets.
And so to be able to be proactive and reactive is crucial. And so we cannot make it any clearer, and I think the commissioner did an excellent job of pointing out the substantial amount of money that we get in the way of doing the job that we do. We are the number one target for many people who want to harm our city.
Question: [Inaudible.]
Mayor Adams: Yeah, listen, I’m leaving this city in good shape. I mean, what more can you say? The city is– more jobs in the city’s history. Our children are outpacing the state in reading and math. We built more housing– We’ve zoned the city to build 426,000 units of housing.
We made the city safer, both above ground, below ground. You don’t see encampments along our highways and streets like you see in other cities. This city’s in good shape. And we need to make sure we don’t go backwards. And I’m going to say you in the words of Bloomberg, when I became mayor, don’t [] it up.
Question: The commissioner used the word “historic” I don’t even know how many times.
Police Commissioner Tisch: You caught that?
Question: But, I’m wondering, how confident are you that your successor, whomever it is, will be able to carry on this legacy and maybe even build on it?
Mayor Adams: I’m not. I’m not. To do what we have done around housing, around public safety, around business, around bringing in business here. To do that, you have to really have the ability to ignore the noise. And it comes with a price tag. And I can’t say I am extremely optimistic about what is going to happen.
When you talk about removing 3,000 dangerous inmates off of Rikers Island and putting them back in the communities that we took them out of. When you talk about disbanding SRG. When you talk about telling police officers not to respond to domestic violence incidents.
When you want to take away the gang database and not collaborate with the takedowns of gangs, which had a lot to do with our safety takedown gangs. Almost, I think, 40 to 50 percent of our shootings are gangs. We don’t understand how imperative it is to focus on guns, get the guns, get them off the street. If that is not your plan, then it’s problematic.
And I am not confident that our New Yorkers are going to continue this success that we have witnessed. Because when you talk about safety, you have to be very clear and you have to be very focused. And I don’t see that clarity. Idealism collides with realism when it talks about going after dangerous and bad people. There are people who want to hurt our residents and who want to hurt our city.
And if you don’t have a welcome mat for businesses so that we have employment, if you’re not willing to sit down with billionaires who pay 50 percent of our taxes, those who are a million plus. When you talk about taxing white communities, all of these things are hurting what it takes to have a successful city. We didn’t stumble into success, we had a well-focused plan.
And then you have to be ready for emergencies. No one expected 237,000 migrants and asylum seekers to come to the city. You don’t even talk about it anymore. It has become so good for you guys that you don’t even realize it. But you know what? You’re going to miss me. Thank you.
New York City said it will participate in a proposed $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, steering about $48 million to the five boroughs to combat opioid harms. The deal—stemming from litigation launched in 2017—combines $6.5 billion from certain Sackler family members and an expected $900 million from Purdue’s bankruptcy estate pending court approval later this fall. City officials said the funds build on roughly $190 million already recovered and are projected to push total opioid-related proceeds to more than $550 million by 2041, supporting prevention, harm-reduction, and treatment efforts across DOHMH, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. The Adams administration has ramped opioid spending to about $50 million annually as overdose deaths showed improvement in late 2024. New Yorkers can call or text 988 for 24/7 support.
City of New York Takes Steps Toward Recovering Approximately $48 Million From Opioid Manufacturer in Ongoing Litigation to Bring Closure to Communities Affected by Opioid Crises
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant today announced the city’s commitment to participate in a new proposed settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family that would bring approximately $48 million to the five boroughs and, more importantly, closure to the communities torn apart by the opioid crisis. The settlement is the result of litigation brought, beginning in 2017, by the city, numerous state attorneys general, and several thousand subdivisions across the country to address the harms caused by the opioid crises. The total settlement amount is expected to be approximately $7.4 billion, including $4.5 billion for state and local governments, of which approximately $48 million will go to the City of New York. The settlement would combine an agreement with certain members of the Sackler family to pay $6.5 billion and an anticipated contribution from the bankruptcy estate of Purdue Pharma, expected to be $900 million pending approval from the bankruptcy court on the proposed bankruptcy plan later this fall. Purdue Pharma and certain members of the Sackler family were at the heart of a scheme to misleadingly market prescription opioids as safe and effective for long-term chronic pain management, contributing greatly to the nationwide opioid crisis.
“The opioid crisis stole thousands of lives, tore apart countless communities, and devastated families across our city and the rest of the nation, and while nothing can replace all that we lost, we will never stop fighting until we bring justice to communities devastated by this crisis,” said Mayor Adams. “At the heart of the scheme to hook Americans on opioids were the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma, and the potential for this $7.4 billion settlement will serve as an example of how New Yorkers can trust us to always hold those with power accountable when they break the law and harm our citizens. I thank Corporation Counsel Goode-Trufant and the Law Department for their role in this settlement and for helping to ensure we do what we can to help make New Yorkers whole again.”
“This settlement will represent a major milestone in the city’s longstanding legal effort to hold manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids accountable for their role in the city’s deadly opioid epidemic,” said Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant. “The opioid crisis resulted in a tremendous human and financial cost to the city. This $48 million settlement adds to the hundreds of millions of dollars we have already worked to recover from irresponsible drug companies. I commend all the dedicated individuals on the city’s legal team for their work in bringing about this outstanding result.”
Today’s announcement builds on the work the city has done to bring justice to the victims and families of the opioid epidemic. In January 2018, the City of New York sued manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids to remedy the harms caused within the city by the misleading marketing and improper distribution of these drugs. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a similar lawsuit in March 2019. Settlements reached by both the city and the state, as well as a court victory by Attorney General James, have provided the City of New York alone with nearly $190 million as of the end of Fiscal Year 2025, which, with this new settlement, is expected to grow to a total of more than $550 million by 2041. In April 2022, Mayor Adams and Attorney General James announced allocations for the first of hundreds of millions of dollars coming to New York City to combat the opioid crisis. In September 2024, Mayor Adams announced city funding will ramp up to an annual $50 million for opioid prevention and treatment.
Ongoing funds from opioid settlements have supported new and expanded activities at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), NYC Health + Hospitals, and the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that collectively aim to reduce opioid overdose deaths through harm reduction, preventive, and treatment strategies.
Funds from opioid settlements through DOHMH have supported wraparound services for syringe service programs, including on-site medical care, connections to health care and social services, and support for basic needs. Between July 2024 and April 2025, syringe service programs that operate Overdose Prevention Centers provided more than 38,000 harm reduction services to approximately 6,600 participants, reducing the risk of overdose and infectious disease and providing referrals to treatment and other health and social services. In 2023, the Adams administration also allocated $3 million to eight providers on Staten Island through a request for proposal to directly support the expansion of buprenorphine treatment, outreach and engagement, and care navigation services in the borough. Procurement to expand the number of hospitals participating in DOHMH’s emergency department-based nonfatal opioid overdose response program, called Relay, remains ongoing.
Since beginning to receive funding through opioid settlements, NYC Health + Hospitals has had over 9,800 patient engagements with expanded substance use services at Street Health Outreach and Wellness vans, nearly 80,000 encounters with patients in emergency departments with addiction services provided by the Emergency Department Leads program, and has successfully launched a cutting-edge addiction simulation training for emergency department prescribers. Additionally, NYC Health + Hospitals has provided comprehensive addiction consultations at over 23,000 inpatient admissions through the Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals program. Further, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Drug Intelligence and Intervention Group program has offered support services to more than 2,000 individuals following the death of a loved one from an overdose.
Today’s investment and all of the actions taken by Mayor Adams and the Adams administration to prevent overdose deaths also underscore the administration’s efforts to improve and extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers through “HealthyNYC” to 83 years by 2030. HealthyNYC sets ambitious targets to address the greatest drivers of premature death, including chronic and diet-related diseases, screenable cancers, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, violence, and COVID-19.
New Yorkers looking to access substance use services can call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. Resources can also be found on the “NYC HealthMap” and on DOHMH’s website.
Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign, which highlights the work the administration has done to date to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed, while simultaneously making the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing — all in an effort to make lasting impacts in lives and communities. Mayor Adams is bringing the same energy and approach that proved to be successful in carving a new path to help people with severe mental illness to address other health crises, like drug addiction, playing out on city streets, and recently laid out plans to realize that vision by connecting those suffering with treatment.
