(The Center Square) — New York City Mayor Adams has unveiled a $650 million plan aimed at addressing the issue of mentally ill homeless people that seeks to get them off the city’s streets and subway systems.
Adams said the new program’s goal, which he previewed during his State of the City address last week, is to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, the use of shelters and interactions with the criminal justice system.
“We are excited to announce the Bridge to Home model that will meet New Yorkers where they are and provide a supportive facility that gives them the treatment and temporary housing they need while keeping them out of the hospitals and off our subways,” Adams said in remarks at NYC’s Bellevue Hospital on Wednesday.
Under the plan, patients with serious mental health illnesses with no place to go will be given temporary housing for six to 12 months, according to the Adams administration. Each patient will get their own room, food, recreation and on-site behavioral health care, officials said. Treatment can include medication management, therapy and substance use treatment. After that, they would be transitioned to permanent housing.
If the plan is approved, the Adams administration said about 900 “safe haven” beds will be available by this summer. Another 100 beds will be available for homeless teens. Officials said the site would be fully operational by 2027.
“The new facility will provide a safe space for New Yorkers with mental illness to live, to heal and be cared for so they get the life-changing help they need,” Adams said.
New York City has been roiled by a series of horrific incidents involving mentally ill individuals, including a deadly stabbing spree in Manhattan by a homeless man with a criminal history and severe mental health issues. Polls have shown New Yorkers are increasingly concerned about crime, especially on the subway system, despite recent data showing that violent crime is down in the city.
Gov. Kathy Hochul plans to push for strengthening the state’s involuntary commitment law and providing more money for mental health in her upcoming budget. During her State of the State address on Tuesday, Hochul said the state can’t allow the New York City subway system “to be a rolling homeless shelter.”
“Mental illness, particularly among our unhoused population, has contributed to a troubling rise in random acts of violence and a heightened sense of unease in our city,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “Addressing this crisis requires thoughtful, compassionate action, and I commend the mayor for his proposals aimed at providing treatment, housing, and support, rather than relying on arrest and incarceration.”
“While no single initiative can solve these complex challenges, investments in compassionate, evidence-based approaches will improve public safety and help restore a sense of security for all New Yorkers,” he said.
City Comptroller Brad Lander, a Democrat who is running for mayor, has rolled out his own plan to tackle homelessness and mental health issues. He criticized Adams for failing to address the crisis during his tenure.
“Mayor Adams had 3 years to ‘do the work’ of keeping people with serious mental illness from cycling from street to subway to hospital to jail,” Lander posted on social media. “New Yorkers are fed up with a government that isn’t working. As Mayor, I will deliver a safer, more affordable, and better-run city.”
