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Mayor-Elect Mamdani Will Stop NYC Homeless Encampment Sweeps, Prioritize Long-Term Housing

05:13 PM, 12/05/2025
Mayor-Elect Mamdani Will Stop NYC Homeless Encampment Sweeps, Prioritize Long-Term Housing

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor-elect, said he will end the city’s practice of sweeping homeless encampments when he takes office in January. He argued sweeps are ineffective unless they reliably connect people to long-term housing and pledged to prioritize supportive and rental housing options. A 2023 comptroller audit found the 2022 sweeps largely unsuccessful—only 119 of 2,308 people accepted temporary shelter and nearly a third of cleared sites saw returns. The announcement marks a clear policy break with outgoing Mayor Eric Adams.

Mamdani Announces End To Encampment Sweeps

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said Thursday that when he takes office in January his administration will stop conducting sweeps of homeless encampments across the city. The move represents a clear break from Mayor Eric Adams’ policy that began in 2022.

Focus On Housing, Not Clearouts

Speaking at the "Hot Chocolate, Frozen Rent" event in Manhattan, Mamdani framed the policy change as a shift in priorities toward long-term solutions. He argued that clearing encampments without reliably connecting people to permanent or supportive housing cannot be called a success.

"If you are not connecting homeless New Yorkers to the housing that they so desperately need, then you cannot deem anything you're doing to be a success," Mamdani said.

He said his administration will concentrate on securing supportive housing, rental housing, and other long-term placements rather than repeated cleanups that he says fail to address the root causes of homelessness.

Audit Findings And City Responses

The announcement echoes findings from a 2023 audit by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, which reviewed the Department of Homeless Services’ role in encampment sweeps conducted between March and November 2022. The audit concluded the initiative "completely failed" to link many unsheltered New Yorkers with services or shelter.

"The evidence is clear: by every measure, the homeless sweeps failed," Comptroller Brad Lander wrote in the audit report.

The audit reported that 2,308 individuals were present during those cleanups and only 119 accepted temporary shelter. A follow-up review found that nearly one-third of cleared sites later saw homeless activity return. The Adams administration has disputed that assessment in part, noting it reported placing more than 3,500 formerly unsheltered New Yorkers into permanent housing as of August.

Local media cited by the New York Post also reported that city agencies received more than 45,000 complaints about encampments in 2025, highlighting the scale of public concern and political pressure around the issue.

A Wider Break With The Outgoing Mayor

Mamdani’s announcement is one of several policy departures from the outgoing mayor. Last week, Adams signed two executive orders aimed at countering antisemitism and blocking city funds from supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement — a position Mamdani has publicly opposed. City officials were contacted for comment on Mamdani’s plans.

What Comes Next: Mamdani will inherit a complex homelessness crisis with competing demands for public safety, public space management, and long-term housing solutions. Implementation details and funding plans will be key to whether this policy shift reduces unsheltered homelessness or simply changes where and how it is managed.

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