New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city has enough beds to accommodate “every single New Yorker in need” during Sunday’s snowstorm, and pointed in particular to the dangers of the frigid temperatures.
“This storm is not only bringing snow with it, it carries temperatures colder than any sustained period this city has experienced for eight years. For those without shelter, the intense cold can be fatal,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani says teams are providing outreach
Mamdani said five New Yorkers died Saturday and were found outside, but added “it seems at this moment that we do not think any of them were homeless.” The NYPD said there was an additional death on Sunday, for a total of six.
“While we do not yet know their causes of death, there is no more powerful reminder of the dangers of the extreme cold, and how vulnerable how many of our neighbors are, especially homeless New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani said the city has teams “scouring the streets providing outreach.” Mamdani said outreach is being conducted every two hours.
The city has opened 10 warming centers — two in each borough — throughout the city, in addition to the 126 shelters as well as hospitals and other safe havens, Mamdani said.
Bronx
- Gompers Campus, 455 Southern Blvd.
- DeWitt Clinton Campus, 100 West Mosholu Parkway
Manhattan
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School, 120 W. 46th St.
- Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics Campus, 260 Pleasant Ave.
Brooklyn
- Midwood High School, 2839 Bedford Ave.
- Urban Assembly for Law and Justice, 283 Adams St.
Queens
- Jamaica Campus, 167-01 Gothic Drive
- Long Island City High School, 14-30 Broadway
Staten Island
- Curtis High School, 105 Hamilton Ave.
- New Dorp High School, 465 New Dorp Lane
Mamdani said New Yorkers should call 311 if they see someone they think needs help. Under a Code Blue, the city bypasses typical intake forms and just places people in shelter beds, adding that those 311 calls for help for homeless New Yorkers get rerouted to 911 under a Code Blue.
“I want to be very clear: no one in this city will be denied shelter,” Mamdani said. “We want every single New Yorker to make it through this storm.”
Mamdani expressed his gratitude Sunday to the first responders and essential personnel who have been out helping keep the city running.
Struggling with homelessness during the snowstorm
CBS News New York cameras caught a homeless encampment on Broadway between 75th and 76th streets still being utilized as snow fell and temperatures dropped.
Unhoused New Yorkers were also seen sleeping on trains entering the Columbus Circle subway station.
“People were laying down on the trains and I don’t like that, but … people’s living conditions is messed up nowadays, so you can’t just tell people where they can and can’t sleep,” Brooklyn resident Mike Green said.
New York City Council Member Susan Zhuang said on Saturday that community leaders in Sunset Park persuaded an unhoused man to go with police to find shelter, but Sunday, amid the snowstorm, he was back out on the streets.
“I will do whatever I can after this and try to locate him. We cannot let this gentleman sleep on the street at this temperature,” Assembly District 47 Leader Dr. Larry He said.
“They need help, but they also refuse help,” she said. “We need to address mental illness issue first before we address homeless issue.”
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