Brooklyn President Eric Adams: '40% of New Yorkers lack funds for basic necessities'

Brooklyn head, Eric Adams, in an interview Rtvi discussed the introduction of a new fee for entering Manhattan by car, the efficiency of housing distribution for the poor and other pressing issues.

Photo: Flirc / Eric L. Adams

“Almost every day I hear stories from people who won the lottery. The problem is that the demand for it is much higher than the supply. Imagine hundreds of thousands of people who are now looking for affordable housing! And these could be young people leaving their parents’ home, or newlyweds, or retirees with limited income,” says Adams.

According to him, the problem is that the request for affordable housing is incredibly high, as are the prices of real estate in New York.

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Sometimes, developers are building new buildings in a private area, and then local authorities have no leverage to influence pricing in such houses.

“We cannot dictate to owners the cost of rented apartments. Prices are set under market pressure,” says Eric.

However, in accordance with local laws, some high-rise developers are required to leave a certain percentage of low-income apartments in their buildings. And the administration, of course, it strongly encourages.

For example, contractors intend to build a 16-story building and receive a license from the city for this. The city planner is proposing to give them permission to build two more additional floors - provided that the new building will include several units of affordable housing. And in this way the city is trying to solve this problem. Housing costs are very high across the country, but it's particularly high in Brooklyn, which is why there's such a big demand for affordable low-income housing here.

Many win the lottery, but the flow of willing take part in it does not stop.

“For 500 apartments, we may have five to six thousand lottery participants. However, I always tell people, “Try again, fill out and submit the forms. After all, the process is called a lottery for a reason. And maybe you’ll be lucky,” the Brooklyn president is confident.

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There are two options for solving the housing problem: apartments for the poor in new homes and whole buildings for the poor, the so-called “projects”. But in solving the housing problem, both are taken into account.

“You can’t put everyone in low-income housing. Recent studies by sociologists have shown that 40% of New Yorkers do not have enough money for basic needs: food, housing, clothing, transportation,” says Eric Adams.

It is not only about those whose income falls under the definition of "low" or "very low." This may be people with average incomes. For example, a married couple: a teacher and an accountant. It would seem that representatives of the middle class, but they do not have enough money, but because they are forced to apply for free dinners.

In short, the administration can not all cut with one comb. Can not say that these programs only for the poorest segments of the population. And there is a middle class, which is not easy now. For example, take an employee of a fast-food restaurant who receives $ 15 per hour and works five to six days a week. On paper, he earns "too much" and is not entitled to receive an apartment for the poor. But everyone understands that he barely has enough money to live.

What decisions does the President of Brooklyn

The budget or draft of the budget of New York is the mayor, and then it is discussed in detail with members of the city council. Brooklyn, like other areas of New York, receives funding in accordance with the plan, which was drawn up by the mayor and approved by the city council. The received funds of the President of Brooklyn can direct to various programs and projects, including the construction of specialized schools, graduates of which receive not only knowledge, but also a profession, and then work.

Photo: Flirc / Eric L. Adams

He is engaged in initiatives in the field of health, helps to reduce the cost of medical insurance. In a word, he directs the money he receives from the city authorities to raising the standard of living in Brooklyn. But the funds for the construction of affordable housing are at the disposal of the mayor. He has more financial leverage and opportunities to deal with these issues than President Brooklyn, for example.

The fee for the entry of cars in the center of Manhattan

The president supports any decision that will lead to a decrease in the number of cars on city roads. At rush hour, an incredible number of private cars, trucks and taxis arrive in the center of Manhattan. Adams is convinced that this needs changing.

“I don’t mind driving drivers charged extra. Especially if there is only one person in the car. We are for more people to travel together in one car. But I don’t think the subway problem can be solved by just injecting more funds,” Adams said.

You should make sure that all interferences in the operation and management of the subway, lack of transparency in the distribution of funds and reporting to ordinary metro passengers will be eliminated. Passengers with whom Adams communicated, first of all, would like to see on the subway a scoreboard with a clock, where there would be accurate information about the arrival time of the next train. But these are the duties of the state governor.

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But not everything is so sad. It is hoped that the Democrats change the situation. For many years, the Senate of New York was under the control of Republicans, who represented mainly the northern districts of the state. And with them, fixed assets from the budget went to finance their home regions and Long Island. Now, when the Democrats form the majority in both chambers and the Democrat heads the state, the city administration has the opportunity to direct financial flows in the other direction. True, for the visible result will take time.

ТEma cities of refuge

The President of Brooklyn believes that local illegals, if I may say so, are lucky that they are in a city that is considered to be a refuge city. According to him, illegal immigrants who have become victims of a crime can calmly ask for help from the police. The policeman, first of all, will help and will not clarify their legal status or ask a question about citizenship. If an illegal person goes to the hospital, he will be provided with medical assistance. Undocumented children of immigrants can attend school.

New York is considered a refuge city, and all its residents should feel comfortable, Adams adds.

However, the US is also governed at the federal level, and one should not forget about the existence of the Federal Immigration Service (ICE). If an illegal person violated the law, then, according to federal laws, the immigration service may come after him.

As for law-abiding illegals, the distribution of driver's licenses will protect them.

“Firstly, it will help with the problem of car insurance in case of an accident. Because illegal immigrants without licenses, fearing arrest, left the scene of the accident, which subsequently caused insurance prices to rise. Secondly, this is a completely effective method of identification: the card contains not only the first and last name. And thirdly, issuing driver's licenses would be a great economic boost. You can’t imagine what opportunities can open up for a person who has the opportunity to legally drive and then find a job. Many studies have shown that such a step is economically beneficial for the city,” commented the President of Brooklyn.

But this path will not lead to a green card or citizenship.

Measles outbreak

Adams said that he has a son and he, as a parent, supports vaccination, as well as the new initiative of the mayor to compulsory vaccination of children, all schoolchildren.

"You shouldn't send your children to, say, a school where their presence could negatively impact the health of others just because of your own theory about something," he argues.

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Information guided by vaccine opponents is fundamentally incorrect, including information about the risks of immunization, the chemical composition of vaccines and their intended use.

The President adds that a lot of misinformation has come into free access. The administration decided to refute all this, to carry out explanatory work with community leaders, including rabbis from different districts of Brooklyn. As a result, they played an important role in the information campaign of the population.

Only a small number of parents who have launched a campaign against vaccines remain with him.

Фото: Depositphotos

Also, the leader did not bypass the growth of anti-Semitism in the city.

“We are seeing a wind of hatred that we are forced to fight. What we can do is to never accept such sentiments as the new norm. Secondly, every person who commits a crime motivated by religious, racial or any other hatred must be held accountable for their actions,” he argues.

According to him, the city adequately copes with this task, not only in terms of the police response to such incidents, but also how representatives of different communities react to them, how they unite in the face of hatred.

This is especially true of Brooklyn, where the largest Jewish community outside Israel lives. At the moment, security personnel are serving in schools. As for the possible presence of armed guards in schools, this step, according to Adams, causes many concerns, as well as talks about the arming of teachers.

“I don't support this idea. Only law enforcement officers who have undergone special training and know how to react in case of stress or some unusual situations should have weapons,” he added.

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