Transcript: Mayor Adams Kicks Off "We Outside Summer" By Announcing New Effort to Transform Vacant, Abandoned Lots Into Greenspace Across New York City and Holds Media Availability

May 27, 2025

Mayor Eric Adams: They don't know when we say we outside. It's good to see some of you. Another wonderful day out in New York. And if you have not acknowledged, we are outside. And we want to continue to have New York be the best place where we can raise children and families and deliver in so many ways from affordable housing to public safety. 

A nice landmark this week, you know, [there were] no shootings on Sunday before Memorial Day. That is, I think, the first time in recorded history. First time in recorded history. It just goes to show you the job that we are continuing to do. 

Our We Outside logo is something significant to give more reasons to be outside this summer. We are going to make it an attractive place over the coming weeks and months. We'll be rolling out new investments, announcements, and programming to ensure every New Yorker has a safe and enjoyable summer. 

We know what happens across the country during the summer months. You see an uptick in violence, and we are going to do all that is possible to make sure that's not going to happen. 

And today, we're going to start off, we're announcing a new effort to turn vacant, abandoned lots into parks, bringing more green spaces to neighborhoods across New York City that don't currently have access to them. And we're going to use the ULURP process to do it. 

ULURP applications are going to make [it] possible for us to get stuff built in our Get Stuff Built initiative. And $30 million in funding, we've begun laying the groundwork to purchase and revitalize potential parks across New York City. 

And earlier this month, we submitted ULURP applications for the first two community districts included in this initiative, Brooklyn Community District 5, which includes East New York and Cypress Hill, and Queens Community District 3, which includes Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and Corona. 

These two applications cover 44 total sites across both community districts, and that could be transformed into green space to serve thousands of additional New Yorkers. While not every site included in the application will be acquired, a successful ULURP application will allow our Parks Department to acquire the sites as long as there is a willing private seller. 

So we're not taking sites from people. If there are willing private sellers, there's a potentiality to get a park built on them or a green space. Great example of government working hard to cut red tape, think creatively in delivering more green spaces to areas most in need across the five boroughs. 

And also, it builds on the work our administration has done to expand access to parks. Since taking office, we've added over 86 acres of parkland across New York City, putting parks within 10-minute walk of an additional 37,000 New Yorkers. 

We are close to reaching our goal. I think we're at 84 percent of New Yorkers who are walking distance of a park. We want to get to 85 by 2030, and we're moving in the right direction. 

In addition to the $30 million committed to transform vacant lots, we previously spent $50 million to acquire new open parkland to the public since coming into office. Parks are important. 

They play a crucial role in the peacefulness of our communities where people can gather and really not only cross-pollinate in the flowers but cross-pollinate in communities. And so let me open up a few questions. 

We have the deputy commissioner that's here, but I'll open up a few questions if you want on this issue, and then we'll move on to our off-topics. Any questions?

Question: Would the Elizabeth Street Garden be potentially looked at for this effort? 

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry, say it again.

Question: Would the Elizabeth Street Garden be looked at to be turned into a public park with this effort?

Mayor Adams: Nothing has changed on Elizabeth Street Garden. If something changes, you'll be the first [to know]. I will seek you out. I will come to Room 9 and find you and give you any changes that are made. 

If you let me inside, I will be there to give you that question before anyone else gets here. I should do a day in Room 9. You know that? Just sitting down, hanging out with you all. I know some of you guys do cannabis. I can smell it. 

So I'm going to do a day in Room 9. You know that? Okay, FDM.

Mayor Adams: I just want to thank our parks crew that's here to keep our parks clean and safe. Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys.

We talked the other day [about] our Summer safety plan. We cleared not only on our beaches using our drones, using coordination, the entire team, parks, NYPD, FDNY, our lifeguards. 

The goal is really to have a safe Summer. And not only safety from violence, but safe from traffic crashes, safe from a mother or dad being notified that he lost a loved one from drowning. 

So it's a full frontal approach to making sure the city is going to be safe this Summer. And the NYPD's new quality of life division is going to have an additional 1,500 officers that are going to go after those petty quality of life issues that really irritate New Yorkers. 

So we're going to be extra vigilant in removing impaired drivers from our city streets. New York City Emergency Management is launching its signature Beat the Heat campaign. Zach Iscol, the commissioner over there, is going to ensure that people are aware of all of our cooling centers. 

We have a Cool It NYC map. It's another tool that residents can use to access cooling features available during the difficult and hot summer. And teams at the NYPD, FDNY, and NYSEM will coordinate daily beach safety operations across the city. 

14 miles of beaches to ensure that we have proper safety. But we want to encourage people to not swim when lifeguards are off duty. That happens far too often. As well as we're going to enhance our harbor, New York Harbor, to conduct their patrols. 

Additionally, we are expanding youth program during the Summer evening, especially through our Saturday Night Lights initiatives and more to keep our young people off the streets. 

Lastly, future of 5th Avenue. Really excited about this project. $400 million as part of our Best Budget Ever plan. 5th Avenue, many people don't really understand that 5th Avenue is more than a place where people spend money. They are the economic engine for the outer borough as well. 

Billions of dollars in taxes and revenues. It just really empowers our outer boroughs. And so the redesign along the stretch of 5th Avenue will expand city sidewalks by 46 percent. Shorten pedestrian crosses by a third. Reduce the number of traffic lanes from five to three. 

And add plantings and lighting to make it a more walkable, greener, and safer. People spend money when they're able to utilize the walkway as they desire. The project represents the first major design to the avenue's 200-year history. 

And our investment will cement this iconic corridor status. What is more, this redesign is projected to pay for itself in less than five years through increased property and sale tax initiatives. So let's move on. Let's grab a few questions. 

Mayor Adams: How are you, Marcia? That was a good interview you did with Randy. I should do a weekly show, Randy. 

Question: Maybe you and Randy could do a show together.

Mayor Adams: Yes.

Question: So, Mr. Mayor, last Wednesday, a 20-year-old asylum seeker who was in the country illegally, he was a student at a Bronx high school, was arrested when he went for his regular court hearing on his asylum seeker application. 

He didn't have a criminal record or charges against him. He entered the country illegally, but ICE put him up in [inaudible]. And, you know, being shuffled from one ICE detention center to the other in the country. 

How is it acceptable for a student at a New York City high school with no criminal record to be picked up by ICE and deported in an expedited fashion? And what does that say to the immigrants here who are afraid to use city services?

Mayor Adams: Well, first, I want to be extremely clear. That did not happen in the school. We don't coordinate with ICE on civil enforcement, so you know what we know. 

People should really understand that this was not in the school building. We don't know what was the outcome of the court case. You show up to hearings. You show up to hearings for a reason. 

Something happens during those hearings. We're not responsible for them. We're not in charge of them. And so I think that that's a question that should be referred to federal authorities. Because you know more than we know, because we don't coordinate with them.

Question: I wonder if, given your relationship with Tom Homan, if you might be able to talk to him to review this case, because on the surface of it, it seems like they jumped the gun.

Mayor Adams: Well, we have to be extremely careful because the New York City Council laws are limited on what coordination I can do. And so sometimes there's a blessing and there's a curse. 

We don't know what happened at that hearing. As I stated, you know more than we know. What we want to be clear, it did not happen in the school building, which I say to parents all the time, have your children go to school. 

Question: [Inaudible.] 

Mayor Adams: Again, we don't know the outcome of the case. I don't know what the case was about, and I'm not allowed to coordinate with them, and I'm going to follow the law. You know me. I don't break laws. I follow the law. 

Question: I wonder, off Marcia’s question, is there any message you'd want to share with the undocumented students and families in the city's public school system? 

Do you think this is a message of, like, I'm protecting you, you're safe to go to school, you're safe to utilize the city's resources, when you have a student who did use the resources in the city in some way and was detained?

Mayor Adams: How could I be any clearer? It didn't happen in school. I'm telling children to go to school. Be in school. We have not had ICE raids in our school. We have not had ICE raids in our churches. We have not had ICE raids in our hospitals. We have not had ICE raids at places of business. 

Everywhere I'm telling people to go, I'm living up to what I shared with them. And so if you or anyone is telling children not to go to school because of something that happened in court, that's the wrong thing to do. 

Every child needs to be in school. If they're not in school, they could be the victim of sex trafficking, harassment, of violence. Children should be in school. I told parents that, and I lived up to that. We have had no raids in our schools.

Question: My second question is, can you confirm you'll be attending this crypto conference in Las Vegas?

Mayor Adams: You said, can I confirm?

Question: You'll be attending this crypto conference in Las Vegas.

Mayor Adams: Well, you know I'm a crypto guy, and when we put out a public schedule, you get it. We always try to let you guys know everywhere that I am. And so once that's determined, they put out a public schedule.

Question: I have two questions. First one, I would like to ask for your reaction. An NYPD officer of duty, Sergeant Sebastian Hajder, intervened to protect a 9-year-old girl. His finger was bitten off by the suspect. 

And last week, the PBA announced charges for that suspect. Just your reaction on that intervention of that police officer, who happened to be a Polish citizen?

Mayor Adams: Well, first of all, it was a horrific incident, just as the incident that happened last week. I think it was Friday, where two individuals robbed an officer, then stomped on his head. And his injuries are serious. 

And so when someone, you know, getting your fingers bit off, been shooting at our officers, there's just this increase of lack of respect for the uniform. 

And when you disrespect the uniform, you're disrespecting our symbol of public safety. And you're disrespecting that which we hold dear. And so I'm happy the DA took action. 

They should be held accountable. And we're going to find the two individuals who assaulted an officer who was in uniform, coming from a detail. And what they did was horrific and the same. When you carry that level of violence, you must be held accountable.

Question: Mr. Mayor, the New York City Tourist Agency predicts a $4 billion loss in tourist revenue for this year. Are you concerned with that at all? Why is that, you think? 

And do you think that this global campaign that New York City is invested in will offset that? What's your reaction? You're starting the summer season officially, basically.

Mayor Adams: Yeah, we're going to bounce back. We had a huge increase after COVID. You get some of this turmoil and then all of a sudden things settle down. Our numbers are going to be impressive. 

We had the second largest number of tourists in the city's history last year. Our Broadway plays are opening. They're live and they're well. You move throughout the city, you see that people still want to come to New York. This is the hottest ticket on the globe. And we're bouncing back. We're going to get to the numbers that we projected. 

I was just notified that we made an arrest in the incident where the officer was assaulted on the weekend. We're going to find both people involved. There were two individuals that were involved. 

Question: I just wanted to circle back on Marcia and Josie's question. You've said you've supported the sanctuary city laws because it will allow people, undocumented or what have you, to come forward to deal with police and go to court and do those things. 

Do you fear this kind of deportation or detaining of a school kid who was doing the proper thing, going through the court system, do you think this will motivate them or push them to not go through the proper channels?

Mayor Adams First, the sanctuary city is not a law. It's a concept. You're in the city. You have the right to get the things that your tax dollars pay for. When someone buys a loaf of bread, they pay taxes. So with those tax dollars, they should have a right to have their child educated. 

They should have a right to go to the hospital if they're sick and all the other things that I've stated over and over again. So your question is, do you think I think it would discourage? No, I don't. We don't know what happened in court, what caused this action. And you have to speak to the federal authorities. 

I don't know how I could be any clearer. Federal authorities handle ICE. I don't control the borders. I make sure people who are in the city receive the services that their tax dollars pay for. And that's what we do every day.

Question: Mr. Mayor, I wanted to ask about a 19-year-old, Merwil Gutierrez, that the city undocumented reported. He was arrested for gun possession. He was not charged. And within a matter of 24 hours, he ended up in federal custody. 

He was in an NYPD precinct. Then he was handed off to the FBI and ICE. And he's currently at CCOP. And this is an example where the NYPD was involved. Can you give us a little bit more information about what happened in this case? 

And are you concerned that cooperation with federal authorities, like in a case like this, might inadvertently result in immigration enforcement like we saw here? Again, he's in CCOP right now. 

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry. In the case you said he was not charged with a gun?

Question: He was not. He was arrested. Police charged him with a gun. And within 24 hours, he was in ICE custody. 

Mayor Adams: I'm going to follow this to the back because you're moving too fast for me. Was he arrested with a gun?

Question: He was never charged or prosecuted.

Mayor Adams: Was he charged by the police for carrying a gun?

Question: He was charged with—there were three charges.

Mayor Adams: Was he charged with carrying a gun? That's just—

Question: Not carrying, no. It's a third-degree possession.

Mayor Adams: Okay, possession. So carrying means possession. You have to possess it to carry it. Okay, so let me share this with you. The lesson is don't carry a gun. That's what the lesson is. 

So if you want to go into the other part of the lesson, you can do that. That's the federal job. My lesson is don't carry a gun.

Question: Are you saying that without a conviction, you are certain that he had a gun on him?

Mayor Adams: No. This is what I'm sharing with—

Question: The process, right? Like I feel like you had some legal troubles recently.

Mayor Adams: This is what I'm sharing with you. I trust my police officers. They arrested you for carrying a gun. They did their job. If the federal authorities want to do something else, that's up to them. 

But the real lesson here, and which I'm surprised at, you're not outraged that the guy was carrying a gun. I'm outraged that he— So I'm on the side of New Yorkers that get upset with people that carry guns. 

You’re on the side of New Yorkers that feel that for whatever reason he didn't get everything he wanted? Okay, that's fine. I'm not on that side. He should not have been carrying a gun.

Question: [Inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: I don't handle the federal authorities. I can't make that clearer. I don't know why people can't fully grasp that immigration enforcement is the job of federal authorities, not the mayor. 

My job is to take dangerous people off the street. That's what my police officers did. They took a person off the street that they charged with carrying a gun.

Question: Mr. Mayor, I want to follow up on some of the questions. You know, in general, you said that if you follow the law, you should be here in the city, that the whole point is to get this criminal element out of the city. But as we saw with the student who was following the law, what's your message to those immigrants that are here that we tell them they follow the law, they get to stay here, but then they follow the law, and then they get detained?

Mayor Adams: My message to all immigrants, documented and undocumented, because I don't send out a different message. My message is the same: Follow the law. If the law was that you had to show up to court, follow the law. If the law is that you can't carry a gun, follow the law. 

We can't be clearer, and I'm interested that y'all are using all this time to talk about something without my span of control. I don't handle federal enforcement policies. Let's be clear on that. So it's not my opinion. It doesn't matter. I handle what happens in this city. 

You carry a gun, we're going to lock you up. You go to school, no one is going to throw you out of your classroom. You go to the hospital, no one is going to call ICE on you. You call the police because you need help, cops are not going to call federal authorities on you. That's my job. My job– once you leave outside the scope of my job, you need to go to those agencies that handle those. 

Tell me something. Did anyone you call ICE? Duh. How about calling ICE? Why not call HSI, ICE, call all the federal authorities? Don't wait till Tuesday to ask me about questions that dealt with other federal– I'm a city guy. I know it's hard for you all to believe. I'm a city mayor. I'm not the federal mayor. 

I'm the city mayor. So if there's a question about processes that the federal authorities are doing or why this person was kept, shouldn't we call the federal authorities? Is it me? Is it too common sense for that? 

Question: Separate comment. I know last week you were asked about this, but you didn’t want to weigh in. But, do you see any similarities between the DOJ investigation into Cuomo now, as he’s running for mayor, and your investigation from the DOJ? Do you see any similarities?

Mayor Adams: First, do you guys realize that I'm hearing a lot of terms that people are saying about election interference? Do you realize that they were trying to have a trial with me during my election? I mean, do we realize that? Yes, okay. 

And so y'all keep saying the unfairness of what's happening here. Not one of you said it was unfair what happened to me. Not one of you. No one stood up and said what they’re doing to Eric Adams is wrong. So I'm not going to do to him what was done to me. Let him handle it. Let him speak to his lawyers. Let him, the DOJ, do what they have to do. I'm not going to do what everyone did to me and how my name was destroyed for 15 months. Destroyed. And everyone was popping up. All of a sudden they forgot due process. So I'm not going to do that. 

There's a process. Let the process go forward. And for those who say election interference, I believe Trump was on trial while he was running for president. Unless I misread that. Biden said his Justice Department was politicized. I said it. Trump said it. Children, parents who were put on FBI wait lists because they were fighting for their children. They said it. Come on. Who are we kidding? 

Question: [Inaudible] election interference?

Mayor Adams: No, I'm saying I'm not going to do to them what they did to me. In my book I'll talk about this time. But you've got to wait to read my book. What's happening? How are you?

Question: Good to see you. So I want to get your reaction to a very city topic. This morning, and it's also current, this morning your former chief of staff, Frank Carone, posted on social media the following, quote, “It has been clear for some time to most reasonable New Yorkers that bike lanes' first priority has gone too far. It's time to reset the entire bike infrastructure, which removes the presumption that they should be omnipresent.” What do you think about that? Do you share that opinion?

Mayor Adams: I love the fact that Frank shares his opinions. I encourage him all the time. I say you should tweet more and do more interviews because, you know, you have a good voice. 

Let's be clear on something. I ride a bike and I enjoy bike lanes. You think every New Yorker would love them? Come on, come on. You've covered this for a long time. You've covered this for a long time. Remember when I did the bike lane on Clarkson Avenue and when we had the young lady who died and I was borough president and I did that bike lane there? I got a lot of hate mail. People were angry because I did it. 

There is no universal position on bike lanes. This is New York. I keep saying it. 8.5 million, 35 million opinions, five fingers, they love the middle one the most. That's just New York. And so Frank is one of those gritty, Canarsie-grown young men, played little league baseball, went to the Marines, went on to law school. No one thought he could make it. He can make it. He's a gritty, opinionated New Yorker. And I encourage every New Yorker to share their opinion. Not everyone liked bike lanes.

Question: [Inaudible] inside the house?

Mayor Adams: Inside the house? He's not in the house anymore. 

Question: Do you share that opinion?

Mayor Adams: It's not my opinion that matters. He shared his opinion. I just shared with you. I like bike lanes. I like bike lanes. But have we put bike lanes in places where communities say we don't want them in? Have we done that? Yes. Have we superseded? And when I came into office, I told the DOT that you have to listen to communities and not just do what you want to do? Because if you put a bike lane somewhere where communities overwhelmingly don't want them, that's a problem. 

Like Williamsburg, you know, a little boy was almost hit, a child was almost hit in Williamsburg on a bike lane. We need to look at that and see do they have a legitimate complaint. I had a town hall in Williamsburg where people showed up and shared their opinion. So I think what many people don't understand is just because I like something doesn't mean everyone likes it. That's the difference between me and others. I listen to people. 

Question: So last month, Andrew Cuomo, at a private fundraiser, told a group of Italian-American New Yorkers that when he becomes mayor, he's going to reinstitute Columbus Day as a DOE holiday and he's going to move Indigenous Peoples Day to a different day. And I wanted to get your reaction on that. Do you think DOE should bring Columbus Day back? He said it wasn't fair.

Mayor Adams: Well, you know, Andrew would say anything. I'm going to take away Tier 6 that he started. I'm going to reverse the bail reform that he started. I mean, he would say anything, anything to get elected, to get back in office. That's just how he is. 

And so the rule, the procedure was passed under the previous administration. I march every year in the Columbus Day parade, every year. And so when he walks in the room, he looks at the room, he says, “What can I say to you that's going to get you to vote for me?” That's just who he is. And so if he wants to change dates and move dates around, you know, that's just who he is. 

Question: This morning, the Rent Guidelines Board had a re-vote on their preliminary ranges. They ended up lowering the lower end for one-year leases. Just wanted to get your reaction to that and, yeah, that's it.

Mayor Adams: Clearly, we said the ranges that they put out, this independent board put out was outside of the scope that we believe. New Yorkers are hurting. I've been clear on this, and every time we do this dance each year, I've been extremely clear. We have to find a balance. Matter of fact, I'm getting ready to do a town hall with small property owners. You know, there needs to be a balance. It can't be too high. The range they had, I think they're going to 7.75 percent. That is just far too unreasonable. 

We need to find a sweet spot, especially for small property owners, so that they don't lose their properties. And that's the role of the Rent Guidelines Board, hear both sides and come out with the right numbers. That's crucial, you know? And so, but then, this is an independent board. This board operates on its own, and we, as everyone else, we're advocates to make sure that we don't go too high on these increases. But we can't forget small property owners.

Question: So, I just had a follow-up. All of the Democratic candidates are saying rent freeze, rent freeze, and I don't know. I mean, it seems very attractive to 2 million renters that, you know, are in these rent-stabilized apartments.

Mayor Adams And you're 100 percent right. It is an attractive thing to join the chorus. It's extremely attractive. But you know what? They're not talking to that 14-unit building owner who is crying because they're about to lose their building because everything went up. Heating went up. Electricity went up. Water rates went up. The cost of doing business. 

And then, because of the whole no-rent movement that happened over COVID, if you see the number of small property owners who have a 10-unit building and four of the tenants are not paying rent, we are hurting small property owners. 

And so, when you run around, you know, what do you say to Ms. Jones and Ms. Harris who came from the Caribbean and have this 10-unit building and three of their tenants are not paying rent? And they're told you cannot have it increase. And that's the difference. When you are the mayor, you have to make tough choices. When you're running for mayor, you can just say whatever you want.

Question: We spoke to one of the small property owners that you mentioned. He owns like four stabilized units in Manhattan. And he said what is really killing them is sort of these unfunded mandates that the city has imposed on the carbon monoxide meter, on certain new building requirements, the trash cans, et cetera. He said that, you know, after he pays his property mortgage in the red, and then the city imposes all these extra things that they need to do, that costs a lot of money.

Mayor Adams: Without a doubt. Without a doubt. And you just reinforced what I said. You said, “Eric, we have all of these things that they have to pay for, and it costs a lot of money.” Now, imagine having them, they have that cost, and they cannot share the cost through their tenants. We're saying “No. We know you have new responsibilities, that the City Council is passing a lot of those responsibilities as well. And now you can't raise your rent by a modest rate to assist you.” That's exactly what I'm talking about. 

We tend to forget them. They're not part of the equation. Working class, middle class people. And you know what happens? They lose their property, large landlords come in and purchase those properties, and now you have a real problem. 

The heart and soul of this city, I think our number is about 700,000 small property owners, and their wealth is tied up into their home. My wealth is my home. That's how I was able to get Jordan's college tuition paid. That's what gives me a stable lifestyle. They lose that wealth, you're going to gut middle class New Yorkers. And they're not taken into account at all. So all those electives who are saying rent freeze, ask them, what do you say to the small property owner? Ten units. What do you say to them? They should not have to have that slight modification. 

Or better yet, if they're saying rent freeze, rent freeze, how about telling all of them, why don't we do a salary freeze? They shouldn't get another income from year to year to year. People walk into their boss's office every year and say, I need an increase to ensure that I can stay in the city. What about these small property owners? And that's what's important to me. 

Question: One of the reasons I think people are asking about this public school kid who was arrested by ICE is because he wasn't accused of any crimes. And I think he's the first known public school student or high school student in New York to be detained by ICE without having been accused of any crimes. 

So I'm just curious, is there any scenario in which you would try to use the relationship you've developed with HSI, with Tom Homan, with Kristi Noem, to help a New York kid who is being detained by ICE without having been accused of any crimes? 

[Crosstalk.]

Question: Well, I'm asking again, and I'm asking in a slightly different way.

Mayor Adams: And I'm going to answer it again when you look at Marcia’s story. You'll get my answer again. 

Question: Two questions.

Mayor Adams: How you been? It's always so good when I see you, man. I just feel like a kinship to you being in the audience.

Questions: That’s good. Two questions. You mentioned the Summer programs. Do we have enough lifeguards to keep all the ocean beaches open and bring back the swimming programs for the youth? I think we only had one in all of Manhattan, one pool, the last couple of years.

Mayor Adams: The numbers are– June 4th. We're putting out the numbers on what we have. I know we had a substantial increase last year in our lifeguards. I think it was like over 40 percent increase in the new recruitment of lifeguards. And we're looking to do that again. 

Our goal is really to make sure we have all our beaches covered. Iris and her team, they're doing a great job. But they'll do an official announcement of where we are with our lifeguards. But it's not too late. 

We want strong young men like yourself to volunteer and be on the beach and grab a ray and a tan. We were at 930 lifeguards last year. And we're looking to reach those numbers. So we're going to do an official announcement.

Question: Another question on bicycle criminalization. Do you feel that's working? There's some Reddits, even bikers are saying they're not sure. Some of them are still breaking the laws. Now the worries kind of start clogging up criminal court because, again, all these people have to go to court to actually plead guilty or not guilty and take a day off from work. So do you think bicycle criminalization is working? Or will there be some changes down the road?

Mayor Adams It's early. I have not attended one town hall, one older adult town hall, where this topic has not come up. People feel our streets have reached a level of reckless driving. You know, we look at what happened to Michael Miller, one of our Jewish leaders. He was struck and had serious damage to his legs. So we have to get everything from the mopeds to the bikes, everyone who is not following the law. Everyone must follow the law. 

People don't realize that the rules for bikes and mopeds are the same. A lot of our focus on Vision Zero, a lot of our focus on uptick in enforcement has solely focused on cars. That's been our primary focus going after the four wheels. For cities and streets to be safe, all wheels must follow the law. 

And our pedestrians, you know, crossing and, you know, there was a saying back when I was growing up, cross at the green and not in between. You know, true safe streets involve all those who use the streets. Our focus for far too long, it has solely been on cars. We need to look at the bikes. We need to look at the mopeds. We need to look at the three wheelers, which should not be on our streets. And we took over 80,000 illegal vehicles, many of them cars and scooters. And so now we're saying everyone must be part of the street safety game. 

That is how you get street safety. Because if you are struck by a car or bike or moped, there's no consolation if you lose a loved one or are seriously injured. And we're going to do just that. Everyone must be part of the street safety game.