Midtown Tribune

Midtown Tribune News Header

Tag: New York New

  • New York. AG Letitia James Sues to Turn the Lights Back On

    New York. AG Letitia James Sues to Turn the Lights Back On

    New York News laticha James Solar Panel

    In a plot twist no solar installer asked for, New York Attorney General Letitia James and a multi-state crew filed twin lawsuits on October 16, 2025 to revive EPA’s now-canceled $7B “Solar for All” program—money meant to bring rooftop savings to nearly a million low-income households, including ~$250M for NYSERDA. They argue the EPA’s August shutdown (after funds were already obligated) flunks the Administrative Procedure Act, tramples Congress’s power of the purse, and breaches grant agreements—so they’re asking one court to restart the program and another to pay damages. Governors, AGs, and agencies from around the map joined in, essentially telling EPA: you can’t just unplug the sun and walk away.

    Attorney General James Takes Action
    to Protect Clean Energy for Vulnerable Communities

    AG James Joins Coalition Suing to Protect Billions of Dollars Intended to Provide Affordable Home Solar Power to Communities Nationwide
    EPA Illegally Revoked Nearly $250 Million for New York 

    – New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a coalition of plaintiffs in filing two lawsuits to protect billions of dollars in grant funding that would connect nearly one million households nationwide in low-income and vulnerable communities with affordable solar power. In August, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) illegally ended the Solar for All (SFA) program and rescinded billions of dollars already issued to states to fund programs that would bring low-cost home solar power to communities nationwide. Attorney General James and the coalition have filed lawsuits in the Court of Federal Claims and the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington seeking court orders ruling the administration’s termination of SFA unlawful and damages for the termination of individual grants worth billions of dollars.

    “Providing more communities with affordable clean energy will help lower energy bills and tackle the climate crisis,” said Attorney General James. “The Solar for All program delivers critical resources to help install solar power on homes across the country. The EPA’s cancellation of Solar for All is illegal and unconstitutional, and I will keep fighting to ensure our communities have access to these funds.”

    “The Trump administration’s continued assault on clean energy programs, including the attempt to cancel the Solar for All Program, is in direct contrast to the President’s claims of wanting U.S. energy independence,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “The Statewide Solar for All program is part of a true all-of-the-above energy strategy in New York that is designed to generate significant benefits for our health, environment, economy, and for the thousands of New Yorkers who would benefit from lower electric bills.”

    “At a time when affordability is top of mind for every New Yorker, especially for those with low to moderate incomes, the federal government should be partnering with states to advance an abundance of locally produced, clean energy that can help provide cost savings on monthly electric bills,” said Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. “The Environmental Protection Agency’s unlawful termination of the federal Solar for All program is creating a crippling ripple effect on the clean energy industry while forcing hard-working Americans to choose between household essentials as they try to budget for the increasing costs of electricity, heat and groceries.”

    As part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, Congress created and funded an EPA program that would provide states with funding to help low-income and vulnerable communities access clean energy technologies, including rooftop solar power. The EPA program, later named SFA, selected 60 grant recipients, including states, tribal governments, local governments, and nonprofit groups, to receive this funding. In August 2024, EPA announced that it had obligated $7 billion through SFA to deliver residential solar power to more than 900,000 low-income households nationwide. In New York, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) was awarded $249,800,000 in SFA funding. Leaders in states across the country began developing SFA programs, meeting with community members and utility companies, and negotiating agreements with contractors to help install new solar infrastructure.

    In July 2025, the administration enacted legislation that rescinded any remaining funds that had not been obligated as part of SFA. However, in August 2025, EPA began illegally targeting SFA and its funding that had already been obligated to states – funding that should not have been impacted by the new legislation. On August 7, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced, “the Trump EPA is…ending Solar for All for good.” Shortly after, EPA shut down the SFA program and removed up to 90 percent of states’ SFA funds with no explanation.

    In the District Court, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that EPA’s termination of the SFA program is illegal and unconstitutional. Stripping this program away entirely from states violates the Administrative Procedure Act and overrides Congress’s constitutional power of the purse. Attorney General James and the coalition also argue in the Court of Federal Claims that revoking the already obligated SFA grants is an illegal breach of contract and taking of property.

    Attorney General James and the coalition are seeking a court order from the District Court ruling EPA’s elimination of SFA unlawful and ordering the resumption of the program. In addition, they are seeking damages from the Court of Federal Claims for the unlawful termination of individual grants, including the nearly $250 million grant to NYSERDA.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit in the District Court are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Also joining the lawsuit are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit in the Court of Federal Claims are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Also joining the lawsuit are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

    Letitia James

    New York State Attorney General

    October 16, 2025

    NEW YORK

    #CleanEnergy #SolarForAll #LetitiaJames #EPA #NYSERDA #LowIncomeCommunities #Climate #Renewables #NewYork #Lawsuit

    Sources: AG.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York Governor Kathy Hochul Awards Nearly $80M to Speed Up Zero-Emission Transit

    New York Governor Kathy Hochul Awards Nearly $80M to Speed Up Zero-Emission Transit

    NY News Funding Fuels Transition to Zero-Emission Fleets for Non-MTA Transit Providers and Supports Reduction of Greenhouse Gases

    New York State is investing nearly $80 million to help seven non-MTA transit systems switch to cleaner buses and build the charging and hydrogen infrastructure they need. Through the Zero-Emission Transit Transition (ZETT) Program—first launched with $100 million in December 2024 and boosted by $20 million in the FY26 budget—funding goes to CDTA, Centro, NFTA, RTS, Suffolk County Transit, Broome County Transit, and Ulster County Area Transit. Projects include new maintenance and training facilities, utility and safety upgrades, two hydrogen-electric buses for CDTA, up to 18 battery-electric buses for NFTA, 10 hydrogen-electric buses for RTS, 12 battery-electric buses for Suffolk County, three for Broome County, and planning for UCAT’s new EV-ready depot. The goal is simple: cut greenhouse gases, improve air quality, and modernize transit across New York.

    Governor Kathy Hochul announced that nearly $80 million in state funding has been awarded to help seven transit providers expand their use of zero-emission vehicles under the state’s Zero-Emission Transit Transition Program (ZETT). The program supports the Governor’s nation-leading agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve New York’s energy goals.

    “New York’s push to transition public transit agencies to zero-emission fleets is a crucial step in achieving our clean energy goals,” Governor Hochul said. “Increasing the number of zero-emission transit vehicles in every corner of our state will deliver cleaner air and healthier communities across New York.”

    New York State State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York continues to make targeted, smart investments in zero emission transit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and NYSDOT’s ZETT program is focused on providing clean transportation alternatives for areas across the Empire State. The Zero-Emission Transit Transition (ZETT) program offers local New York transit agencies a unique opportunity to invest in climate-friendly vehicles for their respective fleets, which will help improve the health of local communities while reducing the state’s carbon footprint.”

    Non-MTA transit authorities were encouraged to apply for funding to support the acquisition of zero-emission transit vehicles, construction of facilities and utility infrastructure for charging and fueling, and necessary planning and design phases for zero-emission capital projects.

    Award recipients and their projects:

    • Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) – $17.5 million: This project will involve the planning, design, and construction of a new training and maintenance facility to support a zero-emission fleet that will cover service in Schenectady and Montgomery Counties, and parts of Saratoga County. The project also includes the purchase of two hydrogen-electric/fuel-cell buses.
    • Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) – $17.5 million: This project will consolidate facilities and operations in Oneida County to support the transition to a zero-emission fleet, allowing for potential expansion to Madison and Herkimer Counties. The project also includes the purchase of battery-electric and/or hydrogen-electric/fuel-cell vehicles.
    • Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) – $17.5 million: This project will install two lanes of charging infrastructure at the Cold Spring Bus Garage and fund the purchase of 18 battery-electric buses. Additionally, a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the infrastructure requirements and costs of expanding the zero-emission fleet to the Frontier and Babcock Bus Garages.
    • Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RTS) – $17.5 million: This facility infrastructure project will update the operations building with utility and safety improvements to accommodate hydrogen-electric/fuel-cell buses. It will also fund the purchase of 10 hydrogen-electric/fuel-cell buses.
    • Suffolk County Transit – $5 million: This project provides funding for the purchase of 12 battery-electric buses.
    • Broome County Transit – $3.34 million: This project provides funding for the purchase of three battery-electric buses.
    • Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) – $1.35 million: This project will fund a site selection and design of a new bus facility equipped with electric vehicle charging capabilities.

    First announced in December 2024, the ZETT Program provides $100 million in funding to transit providers across New York State to support the transition of transit fleets to zero-emission propulsion (battery-electric and hydrogen-electric). The FY26 Enacted Budget added $20 million to the fund. Eligible applicants included transit authorities, counties, municipalities, and other entities receiving or eligible to receive New York Statewide Mass Transportation Operating Assistance (STOA). The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and intercity bus operators were not eligible.

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “I’ve always believed that our state’s ambitious climate goals go hand-in-hand with our transportation and infrastructure goals. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York is establishing itself at the forefront of clean transportation options that will create a greener future for our state while meeting the transit needs of New Yorkers.”

    Assembly Transportation Committee Chair William Magnarelli said, “It is encouraging to see funding going out to transit authorities to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles. The proper infrastructure is needed for this transition and these awards will help in this effort, especially Central New York.”

    About the State Department of Transportation
    It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment and supports the economic well-being of New York State.

    Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers! For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on X or Instagram, or visit the DOT website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

    October 14, 2025

    Albany, NY


    Data Table for US Climate Spending and Fossil Fuel Production in China, India, and Russia (2000–2024, Every 3 Years)

    This table presents data points for 2000 and every 3 years thereafter (2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2024). Metrics follow prior definitions:

    • US Climate Spending: Approximate federal annual outlays ($ billions, nominal USD) on mitigation, adaptation, research, and clean energy programs (sources: OMB, GAO, CBO, RMI analyses).
    • Production: Coal in million metric tons (Mt); oil in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) (sources: BP Statistical Review, EIA, CEIC, national stats).
    • Trends: US spending surged post-2009 (ARRA) and post-2021 (IRA/IIJA); target countries’ production grew due to domestic energy demands, not US policy.
    YearUS Climate Spending ($B)China Coal (Mt)China Oil (kb/d)India Coal (Mt)India Oil (kb/d)Russia Coal (Mt)Russia Oil (kb/d)
    20002.01,3003,4003107002706,200
    20032.31,8003,5003407302859,000
    20062.62,3003,8004607303259,800
    200928.93,1004,0005107603209,900
    20123.73,6004,10055077034010,300
    20154.03,8004,10070075039011,000
    201813.33,7004,00074072044011,200
    202120.04,0004,00075069043010,000
    202450.04,8004,3001,0505904309,200

    Key Observations from These Intervals

    • US Spending Growth: From ~$2B (2000) to $50B (2024), a ~2,400% increase, driven by legislative spikes (e.g., 2009 stimulus to $28.9B; 2021+ laws averaging $50B/year).
    • Production Growth:
      • China: Coal +269% (industrial boom); oil +26% (peaking mid-2010s).
      • India: Coal +238% (energy security); oil -16% (declining domestic fields).
      • Russia: Coal +59%; oil +48% (export focus, with post-2022 sanctions dip).

    YearNew York State Spending on Climate ($ billion)New York City Spending on Climate ($ billion)Total Spending ($ billion)Total Coal Production (Mt) China+India+RussiaTotal Oil Production (kb/d) China+multiple+RussiaState Governor (Party)NYC Mayor (Party)
    20000.050.100.15188010300George Pataki (R)Rudy Giuliani (R)
    20020.060.120.18215311765George Pataki (R)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20040.070.150.22275513780George Pataki (R)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20260.080.200.28308514330George Pataki (R)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20080.090.250.34350814995David Paterson (D)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20100.100.300.40421015415David Paterson (D)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20120.150.400.55449015170Andrew Cuomo (D)Michael Bloomberg (R)
    20140.180.500.68469015510Andrew Cuomo (D)Bill de Blasio (D)
    20160.200.600.80488515985Andrew Cuomo (D)Bill de Blasio (D)
    20180.300.801.10488016120Andrew Cuomo (D)Bill de Blasio (D)
    20200.401.001.40503015405Andrew Cuomo (D)Bill de Blasio (D)
    20220.501.502.00554714490Kathy Hochul (D)Eric Adams (D)
    20241.501.803.30628014090Kathy Hochul (D)Eric Adams (D)

    Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Nidtown Tribune news , https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg%3D%3D_949ac8ee-24ad-48eb-8bb8-2c775017c253

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York. AG James Secures $14.2M From Auto Insurers After Data Breaches

    New York. AG James Secures $14.2M From Auto Insurers After Data Breaches

    New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on October 14, 2025 that eight car insurance companies will pay $14.2 million and strengthen their cybersecurity after hackers exploited “pre-fill” quote tools and exposed driver’s license numbers and other data for more than 825,000 New Yorkers—information later used in some fraudulent unemployment claims. The settlements—with American Family/Midvale, Farmers, Hagerty, The Hartford, Infinity, Liberty Mutual, Metromile, and State Auto—require better authentication, monitoring, logging, data inventories, and incident response; affected New Yorkers were offered one year of free credit monitoring. Combined with earlier actions against four other insurers, AG James has now secured $20.79 million from 10 auto insurance companies for data security failures.

    New York. Attorney General Letitia James Secures

    – New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured $14.2 million from eight car insurance companies for failing to protect the private information of more than 825,000 New Yorkers. The data breaches were part of a hacking campaign that targeted car insurance companies’ quoting tools and stole people’s personal information, including driver’s license numbers and dates of birth. The hackers later used some of the stolen driver’s license information to file fraudulent unemployment claims at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) concluded that the car insurance companies did not implement reasonable data security controls to protect consumers’ private information. Today’s settlements require all eight companies to pay penalties and significantly improve their data security. Affected New Yorkers were offered free credit report monitoring for one year. Attorney General James previously secured $6.5 million from four other car insurance companies for also failing to protect New Yorkers’ data. To date, Attorney General James has secured a total of $20.79 million from 10 auto insurance companies. Attorney General James encourages companies to follow guidance provided by her office to protect consumers’ personal data.

    “New Yorkers pay hundreds of dollars in car insurance each month. When they go searching for a cheaper option, they should not have to worry that their private information could be stolen,” said Attorney General James. “These eight car insurance companies had poor cybersecurity that allowed hackers to easily steal New Yorkers’ personal information and use some of the information for fraud. I thank the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Labor for their partnership and continued work to hold companies accountable when they fail to protect consumers.” 

    The car insurance companies involved in today’s settlements are: American Family Mutual Insurance Company/Midvale Indemnity Company, Farmers Insurance, Hagerty Insurance Agency, The Hartford Insurance Group, Infinity Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Metromile, and State Auto Mutual Insurance Company.

    These companies allowed people to obtain a car insurance price quote using an online tool. Some of the companies also provided password protected tools to insurance agents to generate quotes for customers. 

    The OAG’s investigation found that data thieves were able to exploit a “pre-fill” function in the companies’ online quoting tools. After limited private information about an individual was entered through an online quoting tool, the company would “pre-fill” the form with private information purchased from data brokers. The purpose of “pre-fill” was to insert information the user might not have on hand and make filling out the form easier. For example, by entering limited information into the tool, such as a person’s full name and date of birth, the other fields on the tool were pre-populated, such as an individual’s driver’s license numbers and similar information about other drivers in their household. The OAG found that the car insurance companies did not take reasonable steps to protect pre-fill private information. The attacks on these eight companies exposed the private information of over 825,000 New Yorkers. Some of the exposed data was later used to file unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The OAG’s investigation revealed that several companies suffered more than one attack, did not have common security tools in place to prevent and detect attacks, and/or did not use multifactor authentication to protect agent account credentials. Key findings from the investigations include: 

    • Farmers Insurance experienced three different attacks, exposing the private information of approximately 45,000 New Yorkers. After the first attack, Farmers did not identify similar vulnerabilities in additional tools that were also exploited.
    • American Family Mutual Insurance Company / Midvale Indemnity Company each exposed the private information of approximately 100,000 New Yorkers.  The companies mistakenly exposed the majority of these records after a transition between two security systems. The companies did not create a comprehensive protected data inventory before that transition and did not reasonably test the attacked tools after that transition.
    • State Auto Mutual Insurance Company exposed the private information of over 100,000 New Yorkers. State Auto’s quote tools were not protected by common security tools that monitor and detect suspicious patterns, such as excessive requests from the same user or multiple requests by the same user from different IP addresses.
    • Metromile exposed the private information of approximately 90,000 New Yorkers in a single attack that was not detected for two months. Metromile did not use common security tools to prevent and detect attacks.
    • Liberty Mutual Insurance experienced attacks on three different consumer quote tools, exposing the data of approximately 50,000 New Yorkers. The attacked tools had not been subject to a privacy assessment and they were not protected by common security tools.
    • The Hartford Insurance Group experienced two attacks that impacted approximately 30,000 New York consumers. While The Hartford maintained information security policies to protect consumer data, these policies were not implemented effectively.
    • The Hagerty Insurance Agency experienced two attacks that exposed the private information of approximately 66,000 New Yorkers. While Hagerty detected unusual activity on its consumer quote tool website, Hagerty did not immediately identify it as an attack on exposed private information.
    • The Infinity Insurance Company experienced three attacks. Data thieves accessed approximately 65,000 New Yorkers’ private information through a consumer quote tool and the information of approximately 180,000 New Yorkers through two password protected agent quoting tools. Infinity did not use multifactor authentication to protect its agent tool credentials at the time of the attacks. 

    Today’s settlements require these companies to significantly enhance their data security and pay penalties, in the following amounts:

    • American Family Mutual Insurance Company/Midvale Indemnity Company will pay $2.8 million;
    • Farmers Insurance will pay $1.3 million;
    • Hagerty Insurance Agency will pay $1.3 million;
    • Infinity Insurance Company will pay $2 million;
    • The Hartford Insurance Group will pay $815,000;
    • Liberty Mutual Insurance will pay $2 million;
    • Metromile will pay $2 million; and
    • State Auto Insurance will pay $2 million.

    In addition to the penalties, the companies are required to adopt a series of measures to strengthen their cybersecurity practices, including:

    • Maintaining a comprehensive information security program designed to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of private information;
    • Developing and maintaining a data inventory of private information and ensuring the information is protected;
    • Maintaining reasonable authentication procedures for access to private information;
    • Maintaining a logging and monitoring system as well as reasonable policies and procedures designed to properly configure systems to alert on suspicious activity; and
    • Enhancing their threat response procedures.  

    Today’s settlements are the latest effort by Attorney General James to hold companies accountable for having poor cybersecurity. In March 2025, Attorney General James sued Allstate Insurance for failing to protect New Yorkers’ information, causing more than 165,000 New Yorkers’ information to be exposed. In November 2024, Attorney General James and Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris secured $11.3 million from GEICO and Travelers for having poor data security. In October 2024, Attorney General James secured $2.25 million from a Capital Region health care provider for failing to protect the private information and medical data of New Yorkers. In July 2024, Attorney General James launched two privacy guides, a Business Guide to Website Privacy Controls and a Consumer Guide to Tracking on the Web to help businesses with and consumers protect their data online. 

    This matter was led by Assistant Attorneys General Gena Feist and Laura Mumm, and former Assistant Attorneys General Hanna Baek and Ezra Sternstein, Data Security Analyst Nishaant Goswamy, and former Internet and Technology Analyst Joe Graham, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell and Bureau Chief Kim Berger of the Bureau of Internet and Technology. Data analysis was provided by Data Analyst Casey Marescot and Data Scientist Blythe Davis, under the supervision of Deputy Director Gautam Sisodia, Director Victoria Khan, former Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt, and former Director Jonathan Werberg of the Research and Analytics Department. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is a part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. 

    Letitia James

    New York State Attorney General

    October 14, 2025

    NEW YORK

    Sources: AG.ny.gov/ , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57 creating the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain

    Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57 creating the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain

    Mayor Eric Adams on Oct. 14 signed Executive Order 57 creating the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain, the first municipal office of its kind in the U.S., and appointed policy veteran Moises Rendon as executive director. The office will promote responsible use of crypto and blockchain, coordinate with the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation and other agencies, and engage state and federal partners. Early priorities include assembling an industry advisory commission, attracting talent and investment, expanding access for unbanked residents, and bolstering public education on risks such as scams—all aimed at reinforcing New York’s position as a global finance-and-tech hub.

    NYC Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57 to launch the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain

    Mayor Adams Takes Action to Position New York City as Global Capital of Digital Assets

    – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today signed Executive Order 57 and established the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain. The first-ever mayoral office of its kind in the nation positions New York as the global capital of digital assets, including cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies. The office will promote the responsible use of digital assets and blockchain technologies, grow economic opportunities for New Yorkers, attract world-class talent, and reinforce the city’s standing as the world’s hub for financial and technological innovation. Mayor Adams also today appointed Moises Rendon to lead the office as executive director. As its first action, Executive Director Rendon will form a commission of leaders in the digital assets space to advise on the office’s work.

    “From day one, our administration has kept New York City ahead of the curve because when we embrace technology, we deliver a safer, more affordable city,” said Mayor Adams. “In 2022, I became the first American mayor to convert my first three paychecks into crypto and this past May, our administration hosted the first-ever crypto summit at Gracie Mansion. Today, with the nation’s first mayoral agency focused solely on digital assets and blockchain technology, we continue to signal the opportunities this new form of technology can bring to New York City. Our city has always been the center of innovation, and we’re embracing the technologies of tomorrow today. The age of digital assets is here, and with it comes the chance to grow our economy, attract world-class talent, expand opportunities for underbanked communities, and make government more user-friendly. I’m looking forward to working closer with Moises Rendon as we help make New York City the tech capital of the world.”

    “New York City has remained the global center of innovation for decades due to our willingness to embrace new, emerging technologies,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro. “With the launch of the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain, New York City is reaffirming its role as a leader in the financial and technology sectors to ensure that working-class New Yorkers are first in line for game-changing economic opportunities of the future and efficient delivery of government services. And Moises Rendon is uniquely qualified to guide New York City through this new frontier of technology, which will, once again, result in New York City growing its economy, delivering real economic benefits to underserved communities, and attracting the world-class talent that makes us the envy of the world.”

    “New York City’s future as a global finance center and municipal governance leader depends on our ability to capitalize on the enormous opportunities presented by emerging technologies such as digital assets and blockchain,” said New York City Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser. “Today’s announcement affirms our place at the forefront of this technological revolution and showcases the mayor’s bold, forward-looking vision to make New York City the crypto capital of the globe. This office ensures that we’re partnering with the brightest minds across the fintech sphere and empowering city agencies to harness the transformative potential of digital assets and blockchain for the benefit of 8.5 million New Yorkers.”

    “Mayor Adams’ creation of this new office proves that the future is now for digital assets and blockchain in New York City,” said Mayor’s Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Executive Director Moises Rendon. “I am honored to lead the nation’s first municipal office dedicated to successfully and responsibly deploying these technologies. I look forward to collaborating with CTO Fraser, city agency partners, and private-industry leaders to develop policies and programs that make our government more accessible, transparent, and innovative for New Yorkers in the years ahead.”

    The Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain will promote long-term economic growth, ensuring that digital assets strengthen the city’s economy, including by:

    Fostering innovation and development while guiding the responsible development of cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystems in New York City.

    Coordinating efforts between the digital asset industry and government, serving as a bridge to encourage responsible innovation and alignment across stakeholders.

    Working in close collaboration with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) while also coordinating citywide efforts across agencies, ensuring alignment of policies, services, and digital asset initiatives.

    Engaging with state and federal partners to promote policies that make New York City more welcoming to blockchain and crypto initiatives that add value and comply with laws and regulations.

    Promoting inclusion and access, particularly for unbanked and underbanked communities, by supporting safer ways to save money, access resources, and build resilience against inflation.

    Educating and protecting the public through initiatives that help New Yorkers understand the risks of digital assets, including campaigns to raise awareness of scams, fraud, and consumer protections.

    Attracting world-class talent and investment, ensuring New York remains globally competitive in financial innovation and technological development.

    Supporting nonpartisan, policy-driven legislation, ensuring the office remains focused on sound policy and the delivery of tangible benefits to New Yorkers across all communities.

    Through these efforts, the Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain will help secure New York City’s leadership in the digital economy, expand opportunities for its residents, and build a foundation of responsible innovation, trust, inclusion, and growth. The office will allow New York City to demonstrate its leadership in embracing innovation while safeguarding the interests of its residents.

    About Moises Rendon

    Moises Rendon is a digital assets and blockchain policy expert with extensive experience advising federal, local, and international stakeholders. He currently serves as policy advisor for digital assets and blockchain at OTI, where he leads citywide research and strategic initiatives to explore blockchain’s potential for improving government operations.

    Previously, Rendon served as a director for the Washington, D.C. office of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas and was a policy consultant for the U.S. Department of State, United States Agency for International Development, and private-sector clients on fintech and economic trends. Rendon holds a Master of Laws degree in International Business and Economic Law from Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Andrés Bello Catholic University in Venezuela.

    Executive Director Rendon will report directly to Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser.

    October 14, 2025

    NEW YORK

    Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Governor Kathy Hochul Welcomes Israeli Hostages Home, Urges Ceasefire and Aid to Gaza

    Governor Kathy Hochul Welcomes Israeli Hostages Home, Urges Ceasefire and Aid to Gaza

    New York. Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul

    New York Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the return of Israeli hostages after two years of suffering, offering prayers for their healing and honoring victims including Omer Neutra and Itay Chen. Reflecting on her post–October 7 visit to Israel and meetings with grieving families—some from New York—Hochul thanked the U.S. administration for helping secure the releases. She called for a permanent ceasefire, swift delivery of humanitarian aid to families in Gaza, and a new chapter of lasting peace and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul

    “After two years of immense suffering and loss, the Israeli hostages have finally returned home. I join their families in celebrating this long-awaited homecoming and pray they find peace and comfort in the days ahead.

    “Since October 7, I’ve come to know several of the hostages’ families, including New Yorkers whose children were brutally murdered by Hamas. When I visited Israel in the immediate aftermath of the attack, I grieved alongside the families of Omer Neutra and Itay Chen. My heart is with them today, and with the many others who are still awaiting the closure they deserve. May the victims’ memories be a blessing, and may we never forget their loved ones’ pain.

    “I’m grateful to the administration for its role in securing the hostages’ release. With their return and a permanent ceasefire, I’m hopeful that vital aid will soon reach families suffering in Gaza and that today marks the beginning of a new chapter of lasting peace and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

    October 13, 2025

    Albany, NY

    KathyHochul #IsraeliHostages #CeasefireNow #AidToGaza

    Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York. Mayor Adams’ Statement on Return of Living Israeli Hostages and Gaza Ceasefire

    New York. Mayor Adams’ Statement on Return of Living Israeli Hostages and Gaza Ceasefire

    NY News New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after all remaining living hostages in Gaza were returned home to Israel:

    – 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.” 

    October 13, 2025

    NEW YORK 

    Sources:  NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York. Governor Hochul Declares State of Emergency During Ongoing Coastal Storm

    New York. Governor Hochul Declares State of Emergency During Ongoing Coastal Storm

    Governor Kathy Hochul today declared a State of Emergency for eight counties across southern New York after urging New Yorkers to continue to prepare as a strong coastal storm is set to impact much of New York beginning Sunday afternoon. The State of Emergency includes the Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester Counties as well as counties contiguous to those eight. New York State has been working in close coordination with all county and city partners on storm preparations including the City of New York. The storm has strengthened as it has moved up the mid-Atlantic coast toward southern New England and is expected to cause widespread moderate to major coastal flooding throughout Downstate New York, along with bringing strong winds and long duration rain to the region. In response, utilities have added more than 1,600 workers throughout the Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island Regions to support storm response operations.

    “As the Nor’easter continues making its way through New York, I’m declaring a State of Emergency across boroughs and counties most impacted by the storm,” Governor Hochul said. “The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I continue to urge extreme caution until the storm has passed through the state.”

    Governor Hochul began warning New Yorkers of this storm and its impacts earlier this week and is continuing to urge New Yorkers to closely monitor their local forecasts, prepare their households accordingly and avoid traveling in impacted areas this weekend.

    New York State Department of Public Service staff have been in communication with the electric utilities with service territories in the forecasted area anticipated to be affected by this weekend’s Nor’easter event. Con Edison, Orange and Rockland, PSEG Long Island, Central Hudson Gas and Electric, and NYSEG are all actively monitoring forecasts and preparing for potential impacts to their respective service territories.

    Utility preparations have included bringing in an additional 1,618 workers, activation of respective Incident Command, staging equipment, conducting outbound calls to Life Support Equipment (LSE) customers and critical facility customers in the areas anticipated to receive the most impacts, as well as conducting municipal officials calls. Utility crews are prepared to operate in the overnight hours to respond where safe to do so. All utilities continue to monitor the forecast and will make resource adjustments in alignment with existing emergency plans.

    The utilities have approximately 7,118 workers available statewide to engage in damage assessment, response, repair, and restoration efforts across the state, as necessary. This includes the addition of more than 1,600 workers since Friday, with ConEd and Orange and Rockland adding 900 workers, PSEG LI adding 520, and NYSEG adding 198 workers, and Central Hudson adding 44 workers. Department staff will track utilities’ work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact.

    The threat for coastal flooding has increased as the storm has moved up the coast and the National Weather Service now has Coastal Flood Warnings in place for Long Island, New York City and Southern Westchester County beginning 12 p.m. Sunday through 8 p.m. Monday. Forecasts are calling for widespread moderate to major coastal flooding for the south shore bays of Nassau and southwestern Suffolk counties during times of high tide until Monday. Widespread minor to moderate coastal flooding remains a threat for the remainder of the coastline, with the widespread possibility of dune erosion and localized overwashes along the Atlantic Ocean beaches.

    Strong winds are also expected to be a major hazard throughout the duration of the storm. The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for much of Suffolk County beginning at 12 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday, with a Wind Advisory in place for the rest of Long Island, New York City and Southern Westchester County. During this period, wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour are possible and could result in downed trees and possible power outages. Due to the forecasted high wind conditions, MTA Bridges and Tunnels will implement a ban on empty tractor-trailers and tandem (piggyback, dual, triple, etc.) trucks on its seven bridges beginning 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Based on the current forecast and the overall timing of this weather event, it is anticipated this ban will be in place until 6:00 p.m. Monday.

    Forecasters are also calling for long duration rainfall as part of this storm, the most intense of which will be focused downstate where between 1.5 and 3 inches of rainfall is expected in the lower Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island Regions and minor flooding resulting from poor drainage is possible. The northern Mid-Hudson and southern Capital Regions are forecast to receive between an inch and 1.5 inches of rain, while the rest of the state should see an inch or less. The rainfall has the potential to cause flooding in urban areas with poor drainage throughout Sunday and into Monday.

    New Yorkers are encouraged to monitor their local forecasts, weather watches and warnings. It is critical to ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on their mobile phones. New Yorkers can also sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting their county or borough name to 333111. For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website at alerts.weather.gov.

    Safety Tips

    Power Outages:

    • Check with your utility to determine area repair schedules.
    • If you lose power, turn off or unplug lights and appliances to prevent a circuit overload when service is restored; leave one light on to indicate when power has been restored.
    • If heat goes out during a winter storm, keep warm by closing off rooms you do not need.

    To Report an Electric Outage, call:

    • Central Hudson: 800-527-2714
    • Con Edison: 800-752-6633
    • National Grid: 800-867-5222
    • NYSEG: 800-572-1131
    • O&R: 877-434-4100
    • PSEG-LI: 800-490-0075
    • RG&E: 800-743-1701

    Flood Safety:

    • Learn the safest route from your home or business to high, safe ground should you have to leave in a hurry.
    • Develop and practice a ‘family escape’ plan and identify a meeting place if family members become separated.
    • Make an itemized list of all valuables including furnishings, clothing and other personal property. Keep the list in a safe place and consider maintaining photo and video documentation.
    • Stockpile emergency supplies of canned food, medicine and first aid supplies and drinking water. Store drinking water in clean, closed containers.
    • Plan what to do with your pets.
    • Have a portable radio, flashlights, extra batteries and emergency cooking equipment available.
    • Keep your automobile fueled. If electric power is cut off, gasoline stations may not be able to pump fuel for several days. Have a small disaster supply kit in the trunk of your car.
    • Find out how many feet your property is above and below possible flood levels. When predicted flood levels are broadcast, you can determine if you may be flooded.
    • Keep materials like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting and lumber handy for emergency waterproofing.
    • Check on your insurance coverage. Homeowners’ insurance policies generally do not cover flood damages. Only flood insurance can protect your home against flood damages. You can purchase flood insurance whether or not you live in a mapped flood zone.

    For a complete list of weather terms and preparation ideas before, during and after a flood, visit the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services website at https://www.dhses.ny.gov/flood.

    October 12, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • NEW YORK. ADAMS TOUTS PATH SUBWAY CRACKDOWN: 20K CONTACTS, 6K GET HELP, CRIME DOWN

    NEW YORK. ADAMS TOUTS PATH SUBWAY CRACKDOWN: 20K CONTACTS, 6K GET HELP, CRIME DOWN

    — 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.

    In the fall of 2022, Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul deployed an additional 1,200 police officers to subway platforms and trains each day. Following the end of that deployment, in 2023, Mayor Adams again directed the NYPD to surge an additional 1,000 police officers into the subway system each day to help keep New Yorkers safe and bring overall crime in the transit system down. In January 2025, in partnership with the Adams administration and Governor Hochul, the NYPD began deployment of two police officers on every train during overnight hours, seven days per week.

    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.

    Additionally, earlier this year, in his State of the City address, Mayor Adams announced a historic $650 million plan to tackle homelessness and support people with severe mental illness by dramatically expanding the city’s capacity to serve people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, as well as offering supportive, home-like environments to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not yet have a place to go through “Bridge to Home,” a new innovative transitional housing model.

    Finally, the Adams administration also successfully advocated for changes to state law, passed in 2025, that remove barriers to psychiatric care for those unable to recognize their own need for it, alongside increased transparency through public reporting of involuntary hospital transport data.

    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.

    October 10, 2025 NEW YORK

    Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune News

    NYC Mayor’s Office

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Adams Marks One Year of PATH Subway Outreach, Citing 20,100 Contacts and Gains in Safety

    Adams Marks One Year of PATH Subway Outreach, Citing 20,100 Contacts and Gains in Safety

    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.

    In the fall of 2022, Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul deployed an additional 1,200 police officers to subway platforms and trains each day. Following the end of that deployment, in 2023, Mayor Adams again directed the NYPD to surge an additional 1,000 police officers into the subway system each day to help keep New Yorkers safe and bring overall crime in the transit system down. In January 2025, in partnership with the Adams administration and Governor Hochul, the NYPD began deployment of two police officers on every train during overnight hours, seven days per week.

    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.

    Additionally, earlier this year, in his State of the City address, Mayor Adams announced a historic $650 million plan to tackle homelessness and support people with severe mental illness by dramatically expanding the city’s capacity to serve people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, as well as offering supportive, home-like environments to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not yet have a place to go through “Bridge to Home,” a new innovative transitional housing model.

    Finally, the Adams administration also successfully advocated for changes to state law, passed in 2025, that remove barriers to psychiatric care for those unable to recognize their own need for it, alongside increased transparency through public reporting of involuntary hospital transport data.

    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.

    October 10, 2025 NEW YORK

    Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Hochul Criticizes Federal Denial of $34 Million in MTA Security Grants

    Hochul Criticizes Federal Denial of $34 Million in MTA Security Grants

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul condemned a federal move that left the Metropolitan Transportation Authority without $34 million from FEMA’s Transit Security Grant Program—the only one of 21 applicants to receive no award—saying the state will pursue legal remedies to restore the funds.
    The MTA had earmarked the money for cyber defenses, hundreds of additional cameras and access controls, expansion of chemical-detection systems, TSA-required training for 16,000 employees, and MTAPD counterterror deployments and vehicles. Following a lawsuit by the state attorney general, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking FEMA from executing the reduction; FEMA hasn’t formally reinstated the grant. City and MTA security officials warned of operational impacts, while the governor pointed to state and city investments she says have pushed transit crime to multiyear lows and noted separate restorations of $187 million in homeland-security funding.

    Governor Hochul Slams Federal Cuts to Counterterrorism Funding for New York’s Mass Transit Safety

    Governor Kathy Hochul today called out Washington Republicans for cutting critical safety and security funding for New York’s mass transit system. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had been slated to receive $34 million in federal Transit Security Grant Program funds, which support essential counter-terror and transit security functions. Last week, lawmakers were notified that the MTA was to be the only agency of 21 applicants nationwide to not receive federal security dollars via this program.

    “Keeping New Yorkers safe, from our streets to our subways, is my highest priority,” Governor Hochul said. “Since 9/11, New York has relied on federal support to ensure that our transit system has the counterterrorism resources it needs to keep millions of riders safe every single day. The shocking actions of Washington Republicans to slash these funds and defund the police put New York City at risk. We will not tolerate these cuts; New York will take every action available to us — including the courts — to ensure the MTA gets this critical funding to keep millions of riders safe.”

    The Transit Security Grant Program was started after 9/11. Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), these grants support critical functions to keep mass transit systems safe from security threats. The MTA carries a significant portion of the United States’ mass transit riders, with over 6 million daily trips taken on Metro-North, the Long Island Rail Road, and New York City Transit. In addition to approximately $12 million which would go to the NYPD, the MTA had planned to utilize this year’s grant funding to support the following public safety and counter-terror investments:

    • Two cybersecurity projects, extending cyber visibility into MTA’s key systems, and a cyber lab to develop protections and vet operational technology systems.
    • The procurement and deployment of approximately 330 tactical cellular cameras to replace & expand upon current unsecure offline devices in a cost-effective manner.
    • The expansion of MTA weapons of mass destruction chemical detection system across 9 subway lines and a commuter rail terminal.
    • The TSA mandated frontline security awareness training of 16,000 MTA employees.
    • 374 deployments of MTAPD counterterrorism teams.
    • The procurement of 3 MTAPD counterterrorism coordination and response vehicles.
    • The installation of several hundred cameras, access control points, and laser intrusion detection systems at a major subway complex.

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, MTA has made huge progress on every front – safety, reliability and ridership. It’s truly strange that Washington keeps spinning stories about subway crime, but then defunds the NYPD and MTA cops who patrol the system.”

    MTA Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper said, “I can’t overstate the importance of this grant funding in reinforcing and advancing our counterterrorism initiatives. It significantly enhances our operational capabilities, all with the goal of providing a safe and secure transit environment for our riders and workforce — a responsibility we take seriously every single day.”

    “Keeping New Yorkers safe, from our streets to our subways, is my highest priority”

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, “The NYPD’s counterterrorism operations are essential to keeping people safe both above ground and below ground on our subways. Withholding these critical funds from the busiest transit system in the country is a profound mistake, and one that will make New York City’s subways meaningfully less safe. Counterterrorism operations – and public safety in general – cannot be politicized, and I thank Governor Hochul for her efforts to ensure the NYPD has the resources it needs to protect New Yorkers.”

    Following initial reporting that the MTA would not receive Transit Security Grant Program funding, the Office of the New York Attorney General filed suit in the Southern District of New York, which issued a Temporary Restraining Order barring FEMA from executing the cuts. To date, FEMA has not formally notified the MTA that their funding has been restored.

    New York State and the NYPD continue to make significant investments in subway safety. These investments, which support an ongoing surge of NYPD officers in the subway system — including overnight train patrols announced by Governor Hochul in her 2025 State of the State address — have succeeded in reducing transit crime to historic lows in 2025. In 2022, Governor Hochul directed the MTA to install cameras in all 6,000 of its subway cars, which it completed last year. To further enhance safety, this year, the MTA began installing brighter, safer LED lights in all 472 subway stations as well as platform edge barriers to improve customer safety at 100 stations throughout the system.

    Subway crime in September was down 31 percent from September 2024, and year-to-date, crime is down 4.3 percent compared to 2024. This summer was the safest summer in the subway since 2009, with major crimes down nearly 10 percent from 2024. Felony assaults in the transit system were down in September, and were down every month this summer when compared with the same month last year.

    Last week, Governor Hochul successfully fought to restore $187 million in critical counterterrorism and homeland security funding cuts which had been planned by the Department of Homeland Security. These unprecedented cuts would have had a direct impact on public safety agencies throughout the state.

    October 9, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Sources: Governor.ny.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
    Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York