Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts Older Adult Town Hall

July 10, 2025

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yELRfSHRHA

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. It's good to be here in this beautiful older adult center. We've been doing this. This is number what? Number 25 and 30 or 40 town halls we've done. 25 we do specifically to our older adults inside the townhall so folks can come out and ask questions. I want to hear directly from you, unfiltered, just what's on your mind and what's your thoughts.

I just want us to just go back to January 1st, 2022 when I was first elected. We had COVID throughout the city. Gun violence was up. We had an overproliferation of guns. Unemployment was up. Black and brown unemployment was four times the rates of white. We were having mothers dying from pregnancy-related illnesses. Black women were four times the rates as white women to die from giving birth.

Our children were not learning at the capacity that they deserve. No one wanted to be on our subway system, had COVID, then 237,000 migrants and asylum seekers came into the city. People were stopping me on the street and saying, "Eric, what are you doing to us?" I could not stop the buses from coming in. It was against federal law. I could not allow them to work. A group of them came to me and said they want to remove graffiti, clean the streets. They just want to do something. The federal government said you can't do that either.

I had to feed, house, and clothe and educate 50,000 children. Not one child or family slept on the streets because we showed them with dignity. No matter how much we attempted to get assistance, we didn't get any assistance, but we did it anyway the hard way. More jobs in New York in the history of the city. More small businesses are operating in the history of the city. In the last six months, we had the lowest number of shootings and homicides in the recorded history of the city.

I'm going to be really honest with you folks. I have gone through some stuff in my days from growing up with learning disabilities, to living on the verge of homelessness, to having mommy work three jobs to make sure she could make ends meet, to being shot at when I was a sergeant in the Police Department. I've gone through some stuff, but the last 15 months have been the hardest 15 months of my entire life.

There were moments, during difficult times, I used to always go and sit, mommy used to have this little chair by the window and I would sit down and just talk to her. Mommy had six kids and she loved them all, but she loved and adored me. Mommy transitioned when I was on a campaign trail. When the federal government came after me, I didn't have mommy to talk to.

Let me tell you something, some of you who have children, there were days I didn't want to get out of bed, but I had a city to run and I was committed to running this city. I would hear her voice say, "Baby, you get up. You get up." I know some people would say, "Well, you know what, if you didn't do anything wrong, why did the federal government come after you?" Ask Malcolm that. Ask Dr. King that. Ask the NAACP that.

Go look and see what COINTELPRO was. Go look at the history of what happens when you have a Black man that decides he's going to fight for what is right. I was fighting for what was right in 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. I was fighting for what was right when I came in this office, and it was wrong what was happening to us.

By President Biden, I consider to be a friend. I coined myself the Biden of Brooklyn, but what his administration did to the City of New York was wrong. People say, "Well, you are now under the thumb of President Trump." Let's deal with the facts. We took this administration to court more than any mayor in the entire country. My job is to deliver for New York. When I disagree with the president, I'm going to point out that I disagree.

When I needed him to bring back that 1,400 union jobs in Sunset Park, and I went to D.C. and explained to him his is a multi-billion dollar project, he said, "Let me look into it, Eric." He uplifted the stop work order and those jobs are back in Sunset Park because of that. That's what mayors are supposed to do. We're supposed to go speak to the president. I'm the mayor of the biggest City in New York. That's what I'm going to do.

Let me tell you something else that a lot of people don't realize. Go back and look at election day. When I walked out of the polling place, they put the camera in my face and they said, "Who did you vote for?" I said “V.P. Harris.” Go find out who Mamdani voted for. It wasn't V.P. Harris. He's asking everyone to surround a Democratic nominee. Who was the Democratic nominee for president? V.P. Harris. Truth hurts, but it sets us free.

We want to hear this amazing team that I have here that really did their job and will continue to do their job. We want to hear from you, ask your questions. I'm going to answer it with the same level of candid conversation that I've always had. I'm in this race to the end. I told everyone, "I love East New York, but I’m from Brownsville, never run, and never will." Let's open the floor to some questions. 

Executive Deputy Commissioner Ryan Murray, Chief Program Officer, Department for the Aging: You're going to the left, Mr. Mayor.

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for coming.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

Question: My name is Audrey Green. Our question from this table is, how can we reopen the even education program, the training program at South Shore High School so that we can provide training for the youngest generation?

Mayor Adams: I love that. I love that a lot. Do we have DYCD?

Murray: DYCD is right here.

Mayor Adams: Talk about the CRED program that we're doing. I believe strongly in that. We have a couple of amazing programs that we're doing, not only for children who are doing well, but children who are formerly incarcerated as well. Can we talk about the CRED program, the program we're doing with– what was that, the commercial licenses class?

Yes, go ahead.

Question: Can I just add one more comment to the suggestion we are coming up from this table. The ladies here, we are willing to provide training from the skills that we have to these younger kids.

Mayor Adams: Love it.

Question: We're hoping it will be soon, you can call on us and we'll be there.

Mayor Adams: Love it. Let's make sure, we want to get your contact number. I love that. We need more of that. Because we may have retired doesn't mean we have to retire our skills. I love that.

Deputy Commissioner Mike Bobbitt, Department of Youth and Community Development: Just very briefly, and I will stop over there before this is over. Before the mayor came and I made the announcement of the different programs under our banner, I said there's a wide array of anti-gun violence programming at DYCD. I also mentioned we have literacy programs. 

Between our after-school adult literacy and the anti-gun violence program, the mayor mentions CRED, which is really focused on practical work opportunities for those that are at risk. We want to change trajectories and we want to reduce the violence over time. I'm happy to sit down with you. We'll look and see what's in this neighborhood.

The last thing I'll say is, as Ryan pointed out earlier, DYCD, we love the Department of Aging, and we're all about intergenerational communication and experience. The practical wisdom that you have, that you want to impart to young people, we're going to put young people in front of you and make sure that that is happening. Thank you.

Mayor Adams: We should look specifically to see those who have these technical skills, that we could do a partnership with this space. Now talking about South Shore, they closed this–

Question: I just retired from VESID, ACCES-VR. I worked there for 19 years. Presently, even before I retired, there was a problem in sending our consumers for training. What we have noticed is that most of the training schools have closed. With our concern at this table here, what do we do with the young kids? What do we do with the younger population? If the older population is unable to gain training, then how are we preparing our younger ones for the future?

Mayor Adams: 100 percent right. Let's specifically look into–where's Tommy? Tommy, so let's find out about South Shore. Was it closed? We were doing just the opposite. We were opening schools for just that, what you're saying. We were saying that if people are willing to bring their skills, we should be opening schools without charging you. We should not be charging you for security. We should not be charging you for maintenance. You should be able to use that space for free because that is your space.

Let's find out. Can you call Melissa and now the chancellor, find out what's happening with that so I can let her know before I bounce?

Murray: The other thing you said just now, you said training for older adults as well. Just so everyone knows, we've got a few different programs that operate by the Department for the Aging.

If you're a retired city worker, the mayor launched the program called Silver Stars, and that is supposed to retain good talent in our city. Retirement means many things these days. One of the things it means is sometimes you're not done yet. You just may not want to work 50, 60 hours a week, but you still have time to give. Our Silver Stars program is one. We have a Silver Corps program that we have going right now as well.

Then there's a Foster Grandparents Program. For those of you who are really interested in making sure you're coaching, mentoring, supporting the younger folks, that is another program that we have available. I love that you want to continue giving. We'll make sure that that information, via Paul and our website, gets to you, and that if you're interested, you could sign up.

Mayor Adams: Good stuff. Go to the next table. Did we skip this table here?

Question: This question is regarding safety. What measures will be taken to foster a safer environment for residents? One of those specific details was, there's no lighting in the corner of Vandalia. That was mentioned as well. Also, Bay View housing, people are feeling unsafe there. Do you want to ask a question? She wants people to be safe in the streets.

Mayor Adams: So true. Now, there's no lighting. The lighting is out or there was never a light that was there? Who has the question about Vandalia?

Question: It's out.

Mayor Adams: It's out? Okay, DOT. Who do I have?

Leroy Branch, Borough Planner, Department of Transportation: I got it. Vandalia right here at the corner?

Question: Yes.

Branch: We'll take care of it.

Mayor Adams: No, don't clap yet. When? That's what we want to know. We're going to clap after we get to when. How long is it going to take to fix it?

Branch: We'll find out what's wrong with it. Once we find out what's wrong with it [inaudible].

Mayor Adams: Where's our center director?

Question: Sorry, we have another question over here.

Mayor Adams: We're going to come over there. We got to pin down agency people. Where's the center director? Make sure you connect with DOT so we could–

Make sure she calls because we got to make sure we answer the question. All right? He's going to find out what's wrong with it. He's going to give you a when.

Question: The trees are overgrown, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: Huh?

Question: The trees are overgrown so the lights are hard to see. That's why [inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: We got to do a couple of things then. We have to trim the trees, all right, Tommy, Department of Parks? We don't have parks here.

Murray: We got parks here today as well.

Mayor Adams: Oh, we got parks. Okay.

Murray: Parks, DOT, trim the trees, make sure the light gets on, and they'll make sure they connect with Paul, as well as the center director.

Mayor Adams: Alright. They're going to call you and notify you when they're going to get the light fixed, and we're going to trim the trees over in the area. Thank you very much. What was that? You said there was another one?

Question: Safety.

Mayor Adams: Safety. Talk to me, PD. Who's going to do it? You, Inspector? Tell me the safety concern. We're seeing a substantial decrease in the major crimes in the city. Commissioner Tisch, Deputy Mayor Daughtry that's here. Tell me the safety concerns. Commissioner Stewart, you may want to talk about some of the stuff that you're doing.

Who has the safety concern?

Question: Oh, sorry. Another safety concern was the locks on the door.

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry, the what?

Question: The locks on the doors. Front and back of the building.

Mayor Adams: Of the buildings here?

Question: Bay View project.

Mayor Adams: Bay View houses. Come on, NYCHA. Talk to me, NYCHA. How are you doing? That is such an aggravating issue I know for NYCHA and for many of us. Folks don't have their keys, they break the doors, they keep pulling them, and you repair them over and over and over again. It's such a major issue. Can we talk about Bay View in particular?

Samantha McMillian, Brooklyn Operations Administrator, Office of the Vice President for Property Management Operations, NYCHA: Hello. I will definitely look into the Bay View issue. This is definitely one of the concerns that we take seriously. We actually, in operations, put together a team. We made a team of people to go around and just check all the lobby doors at our developments that have the most outages.

The team actually goes out and checks the doors. If they can fix it on the spot, they do it right away, but if not, we have to seek out a vendor to fix it. I will definitely look into Bay View because I don't see you guys on my radar.

Mayor Adams: We're going to get over to Bay View and find out. How are you, ma'am?

Question: Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: Good afternoon.

Question: Nice meeting you, sir.

Mayor Adams: Thank you.

Question: My question is, what is New York doing for the elderly housing system?

Mayor Adams: Do I have HPD in the house? Housing is the biggest issue. Not only housing, but we want it to be affordable. We use this term all the time, what we inherited. We inherited a 1.4 percent vacancy rate. Now what does that mean? Available housing units, we only have 1.4 percent of available units. When we came into office, we said we had to build more housing and renovate more housing.

When you do an analysis of individual years, in year one, year two, we're going to do it in year three, we built and renovated more housing in individual years in the history of the city. We have more housing that we built and developed more than the 12 years of Bloomberg, more than the 8 years of de Blasio combined.

Then we passed this housing reform, the most comprehensive ever in the city, that we said every neighborhood must build more housing. You can't just say just certain neighborhoods. We want to make sure that we continue to build and we want to drill into senior housing because it's important and it needs to be affordable in the manner that it is.

Let him have the microphone. I'm going to let HPD speak. You come on with your question again. HPD, let's talk about what we're doing on senior housing.

Kevin Parris, Queens Director of Planning, Office of Neighborhood Strategies, Department of Housing Preservation and Development: Yes, definitely. Piggybacking off what the mayor said, I just want to let folks know that all housing that's developed in the city, all affordable housing that's developed in the city, is for all income ranges and all age ranges as well. All of our units are adaptable and can be used by seniors as well.

I just want to highlight just a couple of things. We have a program at HPD called our SARA Program, and that's a program that's specifically for the development of new construction, senior-specific and senior-focused housing. Right here in Eastern New York, we have a SARA project called Gateway 26A. That's about 190 units of senior-specific housing, and that is going to be up on Housing Connect. Housing Connect is our gateway to allow folks in the community and in the city to connect to the affordable housing that we're producing.

If folks have specific Housing Connect questions, again, I'm up here and you can come and grab me, and we can talk through that. We have that project, and we also have another project called 581 Grant Avenue, which is for– now this is for new construction development, but as I said, new construction units are also available and open to our seniors as well.

We have one senior-specific project here in the community. We also have another affordable housing project coming on. Those two projects together, East New York is going to see relatively soon about 400 units of new affordable housing coming into the neighborhood. I'm also available here to speak on other initiatives that we have as well.

Mayor Adams: We have to build more. We have an inventory problem. We don't have enough units. We will put units online. Let's say we'll build housing, 3,400 units, we get 80,000 applications for it. That's how the lack of housing– we have to build more. Yes, ma'am.

Question: Mr. Mayor, I'm living in East New York, and every time I drive around– please send somebody out to do that inventory, sir, because you have a lot of buildings in East New York. Go pick them. A lot of buildings are boarded up. That can be used for people to get into.

Mayor Adams: Right.

Question: A lot. The business down, the bottom going but upstairs two, three, four flights.

Mayor Adams: That is boarded? When you say boarded up, they have the–

Question: Yes.

Mayor Adams: Let us look. I'm not aware–

Question: [Inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: Now, when someone develops housing and they want to build higher than they are allowed to do, that gives us leverage because then we compel them to attach affordable housing, either 20 percent or 30 percent. Now, if it's a privately-owned property, we can't mandate them to do anything with it. We're not in charge of that. We are in charge of city-owned property or people want to build higher than they are allowed to build

Question: Well send out the words that these people will use up these buildings because they are just boarded up and people need a place to live at an affordable price.

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry, what's your name, ma'am? Can you tell me your name?

Question: [Leela Hepburn.]

Mayor Adams: Hepburn?

Question: Yes.

Mayor Adams: When I see them, I'm going to tell you, "Ms. Hepburn said open those darn doors.” Take that board down. I'll make sure I tell them that. Commissioner, talk about some of the safety, going back to safety, what you have done around safety. 

Deputy Commissioner Mark Stewart, Community Affairs, Police Department: Hello. Let's go back a little bit. The mayor and I came out together in 1984. He's older than me. We've been doing this for 41 years, and the mission has never changed, public safety and community.

When we first started, you know, I didn't realize, we didn't have an older adult officer in each precinct. Within four months, Commissioner Vázquez and I and Ryan put together, you have a Community Affairs officer in every precinct and every PSA. The two here are Terran and Sexton. I hope you guys know them. You should know them. You know them? 

You got me nervous because I was going to get rid of them. No, I don't want to take her from you, believe me. No, they're going to stay. They're here for you if you're a victim of a crime, if you need a ride to the hospital, we are the liaison between older aging. I don't care if you want to play Bingo, go and see them, say hello to them, go to the precinct. They're here for you.

I understand that because I'll probably be there soon, too, so we have to make sure we get this right. We also, just in the 75, we did 16 crime prevention initiatives. Amongst our older adults, the scams are the biggest crimes we have going on. I don't know if we did one in this center, but if we didn't, we'll talk to them and get one done.

My mother was a victim of a scam twice, and I talk to her every day. It can happen. The problem when it happens, even my mother, she was embarrassed to come tell me. If you don't tell us, we can't help you, so do not feel embarrassed. Just like we have jobs, they have jobs to scam you and take your money.

Just in Brooklyn North alone, we did 132 initiatives, crime prevention, very important. We also know we do our self-defense classes. Now, a lot of you are still flexible because I saw some of the videos, and you do really well. We go out to our older adult homes and we bring our jazz band. Again, you guys don't like jazz, you like hip hop. You like disco. Jazz is not the answer.

We are definitely working with you. Just for some of the references that the mayor and I– when he took over, we sat down with a plan. He wanted me to change Community Affairs, our youth. When I came in, we were doing a lot of basketball. I have nothing against basketball, but I think our kids deserve a little more. We started an aviation program with the Police Department. We did six classes already, and we go into neighborhoods that will never have the opportunity, these kids, to have aviation courses.

We started a real estate program for our kids, too. We had our first kid who just got his real estate. He's certified. He's 18. We started a harbor unit for our kids. They work with the Police Department. Harbor is it, but you know what? We have to gain that relationship back in our community, in our Police Department, that they can trust us. We lost that somewhere along the line, but we have to keep coming back, and build a relationship.

A relationship is just like a marriage. I've been married for 39 years. Oh no, don't clap for that. No, don't clap for that. It's been some ups and downs. That's the way it's always going to be in a relationship with our communities. There's going to be ups and there's going to be downs. Guess what? There's no divorce. You're going to be here and we're going to be here. We have to have a conversation, not a confrontation. We're here to help you, our Community Affairs officers. Thank you.

Mayor Adams: You inspired me with those 39 years, man. It's time for me to get married.  Where are we going? Trust me, I see my girl. We'll do this side and we'll bring up our amazing assemblywomen. Yes, ma'am.

Question: Hi, my name is Carmen. I know there's a problem with affordable housing. My problem is how can we address the problems of homelessness and mental health issues?

Mayor Adams: How do we do– I'm sorry?

Question: How can we address the problem of homelessness and mental health issues with affordable housing? It seems to me or appears to me, this is my opinion, there is an oversaturation of homelessness and mental health issues in certain areas of the city.

Mayor Adams: Without a doubt.

Question: How can we redirect this problem to other issues, other areas of the city?

Mayor Adams: What we found, when I got elected, we did an analysis of where homeless shelters were located, and they were disproportionately located in certain communities. We shared with the City Council people that you need to speak to your colleagues because you can't have a one-sided homeless problem in the city.

We attempted to spread it out so that everyone can share the burden, but at the same time, we don't want to be permanently housing people in homeless shelters, particularly dormitory-type settings. What we have done, we have transitioned more people out of homelessness into permanent housing and supportive housing more than any other administration in the history.

It took 40 years for us to build the homeless shelter initiative in the city. Within one year, we had to build an entirely new initiative with the 237,000 migrants and asylum seekers. Folks, we were getting 4,000 people a week. 8,000 every two weeks. You do the math. It was unbelievable what this administration and team was able to do with a crisis of that magnitude.

Now, when you deal with mental health, you're right. We have too many people with severe mental health illness that are on our streets. January and February of 2022, when I got elected, I went out and visited people in tents and encampments and cardboard. I saw people living in human waste, stale food, drug paraphernalia, schizophrenic behavior, bipolar behavior. I told the team, we can't live this way.

You may not have noticed it, but we cleaned up all the encampments that you saw in this city, on the side of highways, in the subway stations, living in various park areas. We cleaned them up. We said that there's no dignity in walking by someone that you know is dealing with a severe mental health illness.

Now what do we need? We need the power of doing what's called involuntary removal. If you can't take care of yourself and you are in danger to yourself and you're in danger to others, then we have to be able to take you in for care. We're fighting to get that. We passed a bill in Albany, thanks to our assemblywoman. I just saw my senator sitting here.

We need to go further and ensure, if you can't take care of yourself and you're in danger to yourself, you're in danger to others, you walk in the street with no shoes on at 20 degrees, soiled clothing, yelling and screaming to yourself in our subway system or on your blocks, we need to take you in for care. That's the humane way to do it.

There's no dignity in walking by and saying, this person should have the option should they go in for care or not. They don't know they need care. We should do that, and that's what we're doing in this administration, but it's a real battle. You want to say something else, ma'am?

Question: No.

Mayor Adams: Thank you.

Question: The mental health issue affects our seniors. We cannot go out there in the community with this situation around us because we don't know what they're going to do to us.

Mayor Adams: Well said.

Question: We can't really defend ourselves sometimes.

Mayor Adams: I don't want you to live that way. I want to take a pause because I see my two amazing state electeds, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas and Senator Roxanne Persaud. You guys want to say hello to your constituencies? Look at this, see how kind they are? They both point to each other.

Murray: Senator, I'm coming back with a mic. Hold on.

State Senator Roxanne Persaud: Well, hi again, everyone. I'm back on the mic. Mr. Mayor, thank you for being here. Thank you for having this conversation with our older adults. It's a conversation that needed to be had, and it needed to see the faces of the administration who will have an impact on the issues that affect them directly. Based on the questions that they've put together, I know that they are appreciative of you being here so that they can ask these questions.

I want to make sure that they understand that this is not a one-off. If you have your questions and your questions are being answered, you have to hold us all, every level of government, accountable. Make sure you get the answers and you get the results that are promised. We're not God, at least I am not God, so I never promise or over-promise. We all tell you we will do the best to ensure that we address the issues that are affecting you.

Hence, this is why the entire team is here today. Please utilize this opportunity to have your issues addressed and make sure that there's follow-up. To all of you, ask your questions. Do not be afraid to speak up. If you're not speaking up, they do not know what the issue is that is affecting you. Hence, they're here today to answer your question. Again, thank you all for being here today.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Well said. Go Nikki, go Nikki. 

State Assemblymember Nikki Lucas: I'm coming up front. I'm a little shorter than the senator. First of all, good afternoon to everyone. I'm Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, for those who I have not gotten the opportunity to meet. I do cover this district, which is the 60th Assembly District. It includes East New York, Canarsie, Brownsville. First, I want to start out by thanking Mayor Adams. This is not a one-off because he's been here numerous times, and numerous times to provide resources, not just lip service. I can attest to that. You all know I am with folks.

I support those who support the community, and if they don't, I don't mess with them. I mess with Mayor Adams. Not in the way that some of you all might be thinking. Watch your minds.  I do want to say thank you so much, and I have to say this in every space that we're in. You endured a lot. You endured a lot unjustly. It's important for us to recognize those who have been consistent with this community and investing in this community the way that we need it.

Through all of what you endured, you managed to manage this entire city while dealing with whatever your turbulence was as well. For that, I thank God for covering you, for being in your life, and for putting you in position to help faces of East New York that were typically voiceless in the past. One of the things I wanted to make sure I bugged you several nights, "Mayor, tune it out. Just focus on what you've done for this city. All of the things that you have done for different communities, and including a diverse community of people."

When it came to contracts for MWBEs, so many more Black people got contracts as a result of your administration. The educational plan that you put in for our kids so that they can have options and pipeline to higher education, as well as careers. Those are the things that keep our seniors safe because it makes sure that they are in a position to do other things other than crime.

Thank you so much for all of the programming. When I first got in office, for your willingness just to work with me as a state elected. The first thing, you were the first person that put something in this community when I came into office, which was to rebuild that Thomas Jefferson field. That thing had been dilapidated for over 15 years. You did that.

I can go on and on about the number of accomplishments that you've done in a short period of time, as well as the things that you have done while going through what you've gone through. You are top notch. You never quit, and you deserve to be in the space that you're in. I could care less what anybody else is saying about that.

Just, again, thanking you all for being here, always supporting this community, being true partners, calling me real time. Half of you all, most of you all got my cell phone number in here. Why? Because I tell you to call me. Sometimes things happen in the middle of the night, like the elevator going out at 1170 the other night. I got the phone calls. Thank you all for being real-time ambassadors with our offices.

Continue to call. That's the only way we are able to know what's going on in real time. I don't want you all suffering in silence. I tell you that all the time. I don't care if it's my office that directly handles it. The beauty about this district is that all of us, the senator, the congressman, I see the congressman's office here, Frieda Menos.

We work collectively with the mayor of New York so that we can finally get things done in an efficient, real-time fashion, but that is because of your partnership and your real-time response with us. I applaud you, and I ask you to please keep doing what you're doing. Thank you, mayor, once again for coming out and investing in these communities.

Let me tell you all something else. Stop allowing people to feed us a narrative when we know better. Stop allowing other people to feed us a narrative when we know better, all right? At the end of the day, we are usually the ones pushed back on the totem pole. He's giving us an opportunity so that we are not. We got to invest in people that invest in us. Thank you, mayor, once again. 

Mayor Adams: Love it. Thank you.

State Assemblymember Lucas: Love you all.

Mayor Adams: Where's our next table? Speaking of 24/7, the assemblywoman called me on New Year's Eve, I think an hour before the ball dropped. She was on the ground because there was a fire in the community and the people were displaced, and she was just navigating. While other people were waiting to celebrate the New Year. She was lifting up the folks who were displaced.

We got food over there to them. I think we opened a center that had to be open, and the people were able to go inside and make sure that they were stabilized. That is an around-the-clock representative, and I'm sure the people appreciated what you did that day. 

Mayor Adams: Yes, sir. How are you?

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: Being an OG, got your cane going, you know what I'm saying? 

Question: My name is Larry Barton, and I'm the resident association president of Vandalia. I'm listening to all the questions, but I want to deal with us. We have a situation on the corner here, Vandalia and Louisiana. This complex has a back door that you can go out of, and it goes straight across the street to the supermarket. There's no lights or stop sign or nothing, and the cars come down Louisiana, and they come out of the parking lot. We can't get across the street, we have to wave at them to get through.

Now, the light is on Louisiana Avenue. We would have to come out of the building and walk all the way down to the corner and cross over to get there.

Mayor Adams: Is there a crosswalk there at the other location?

Question: No. The other problem is that when it rains, that whole corner floods, and we can't even get up the block. The only time we can get is to go straight out the back door, and we can't get across the street.

Mayor Adams: Got it.

Question: That's our major problem.

Mayor Adams: Got it. DOT, talk to me.

Branch: Now, I will send somebody out here Monday to check that out, but we have to wait till it rains again before I can get somebody to actually see it, to see why the water's not moving. As soon as it rains, the very next day, someone will be here.

Question: We got people here that got pictures.

Mayor Adams: Hold on, let's hear him.

Branch: No. I know it ponds because you wouldn't have told me if it didn't. What I'm saying is our engineers have to actually see the water and see why it's not moving. Once we see why it's not moving, then we can get an opportunity of how to fix it.

Question: Who do we talk about getting a stop sign or something?

Branch: That's me, too.

Question: That's you, too?

Branch: That's me, too.

Question: We can't get across the street to the supermarket. Thank you.

Branch: All you have to do is give me a call and we'll take care of that. All right? 

Question: That's how they work. Thank you.

Mayor Adams: What he's saying is that, for the rain part, we're going to look at why it ponds. We have to look at it. We don't know if the sewer is not flowing. We don't know the pitch, so we're going to analyze it.For the stop signs part, they normally do these long studies for stop signs, but can we look at it and see? 

They do studies based on all this sophisticated highway stuff. I said, the only study we need to do, does the community feel they need it? If they feel they need it, that's enough study for me. Let them look at it, and we will circle back. You got his card, and he got your card.

Question: Thank you.

Mayor Adams: How are you, ma'am?

Question: Okay so far.

Mayor Adams: You want to talk into the mic so they can hear you?

Question: I'm sorry. Good afternoon. My name is Izora Raman. I'm also in the same group that Larry's in. I'm the secretary. What I'm questioning is, in the front of the building when you come in, we have benches out there. Now, benches were supposedly being repaired by housing, but they're in a form that is so low. When you sit on it, it is very hard for a senior to rise up off of it.

For the last year, we've been going to them to try to repair this, as well as the border wood that's around us, having all kinds of ants and bugs coming out of that would endanger people's health and everything. I'm just trying to find out whether or not we could get any assistance.

Mayor Adams: That is such an interesting point you raised because DOT is doing these walk-throughs in the community with older adults to see what roadways we need to repair. You have to view the city through the eyes of those who use the city. Someone that probably installed the bench didn't even realize that, "Hey, when you make it low like that, that's a lot that it goes through to get up." Talk to me, NYCHA, are you aware of it?

McMillian: Actually no, I'm not, but I will definitely do my research to try to get you an answer on how we are going to repair it. We'll get back to you.

Mayor Adams: Listen–

Question: Housing is aware of it.

Mayor Adams: No, she was saying, she specifically.

Question: I know, but they don't get to you.

Mayor Adams: We're going to look at that. Go ahead.

Question: The site manager has good news. They're replacing all the benches.

Ms. Barrett: A vendor came out and saw the benches. Sorry. Hi. I'm the manager. I'm Ms. Barrett. Most have met me from Vandalia. A vendor came out. They already scoped the benches and they are willing to do it. We're trying to get it before Family Day, so before August 16th.

Mayor Adams: All right. The manager heard you last night in your sleep, and you're going to come here. We're going to replace those benches. That's what we want. I see you, ma'am. I'm not going to forget you, okay? How are you?

Question: I'm fine, and you?

Mayor Adams: Good.

Question: Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor. Glad you're here.

Mayor Adams: How are you? Good to see you. Talk into the mic.

Question: I'm glad you're here so we can ask the questions that's important for you to know from us. What are your intentions of bringing more hospitals to the area? Every time we turn around in this area, the hospitals are closing. I was in Brookdale last week and this week, the ophthalmologist went from eye doctor to medical doctor. The people were laying all in the corridors and everything.

Linden Boulevard, the service lane, you couldn't get through because the ambulance was backed up. I said to the head of the hospital, the hospital man there, he said, "There's nothing I could do about it because when they call now, they have to come to the local hospital, and this is the local hospital." Kingsbrook closed down, as well as downstate, and we have one hospital.

I'm looking at myself, 75 years old. When I call the ambulance should I consider staying home or going to the hospital because that's where they're going to take me. That's my main concern.

Mayor Adams: We understand we have 11 city hospitals, Health and Hospitals. We have 11. We have not closed any of them. All 11 are still operating. When you look at downstate, when you look at the others, those are state hospitals. They're state hospitals. Some of our state hospitals have been closing. Downstate has not closed yet. There's a real battle that the senator and the assemblywoman and others are fighting to keep downstate open, because you're right, you need the care.

We have Kings County, which is across the street, which is city. It's still operating. If you close downstate, you're going to overburden Kings County, and you're going to overburden some of the other hospitals in the area. It's a real, real concern, and we've been fighting like heck to keep our hospitals open. 

Not only is it important for medical care, but it's one of the number one employees in an area. The economic impact is crucial as well. We're going to fight like heck to keep downstate open. How are you, ma'am?

Question: Hello, Eric. 

Mayor Adams: Boy, oh, boy.

Question: Yes, old time. I worked with Eric in 1981.

Mayor Adams: Wow.

Question: Room 100, criminal court.

Mayor Adams: Love it. I was in the District Attorney's Office as a clerk.

Question: District Attorney's Office, right, with Kim, me, Kutcher. 

Mayor Adams: You a cutie back then, you still a cutie. 

Question: Hey, hey, hey. I didn't think I was going to ever get this old where I have to come and you know. I don't like old people because I'm old. My question is this, what are the changes that will affect us, older adults, regarding Medicare, Medicaid, and co-payments. Now, I know a lot of people, when you work for the city, we are not like the other people because of our union.

What about those that have to really suffer where you're living on a fixed income and you have to go to the doctor and you don't have the money to pay for it? That's my question. What are you going to do with that?

Mayor Adams: Do we have the impact? We still do the analysis of the impact of the federal cuts, but this city, and we want to be clear, this city would never be a promised city where you can't have healthcare. That's why we have 11 city hospitals because there's never going to be a city where you're not going to be able to have healthcare in the City of New York. As long as we have city hospitals, your tax dollars paid for those city hospitals, you would have healthcare. Can we talk about the impact?

Dr. Bindu Babu, Scientific Advisor, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: There's no doubt there's going to be changes, but within the city, we are, as an agency, working with different other agencies, as well as the Health and Hospital systems. There is a program called New York City Cares, NYC Care, which will give free insurance to all who do not have insurance. Now it's not an insurance program, but you do get a card, you do get free medications, and you do get consultation from the physicians. There will always be support in New York City.

Mayor Adams: That's not to say these cuts are not going to hurt because they are, but we're going to make sure New York City residents always have some form of healthcare coverage. Yes, ma'am. You were raising your hand for some time. I told you I'm not going to forget you.

Question: I'm from 17 [inaudible]. We have a serious problem here with the elevators, our elevators in 17 and 77. It's never working properly. Every other week, one of them is out or either both is out. On election [day], both building elevators were out.

At eleven o'clock at night, I worked the board, and I had to walk up– my son came down, that's why I'm not standing up because I'm handicapped, but came up and had to come here and walk me up to the eighth floor. I'm on a scooter, and I had to leave my scooter down in the lobby. We have a serious problem here with the elevators in both buildings. We need new elevators.

Mayor Adams: These are the NYCHA [buildings]? Tell me the story. Do we have a history of problems with the elevators here?

McMillian: I know that as of lately, we've been having issues due to the weather. As far as outages are concerned, in most of our NYCHA locations, we've been having low voltage. We still have several developments that have low voltage and we still have stair climbing service. 

During those issues, we do put together a stay climbing watch to assist the residents up and down the elevator. Now, as far as Vandalia itself, I can't say that I've seen that on my ESD alert, but I will look into it with the elevator division and find out exactly what is the issue here at Vandalia.

Mayor Adams: I assume we keep a list of reported outages or repairs.

McMillian: Yes.

Mayor Adams: Are we seeing a pattern with these two elevators?

McMillian: I haven't seen a pattern, no. I normally get it through the ESD alerts, and I haven't seen Vandalia on that alert system that frequently. We recently have been experiencing low voltage in most of our developments during the heating outage emergency recently, and we had to prepare a stair climbing service throughout several of our developments. We still have two locations that's under that, but I haven't seen Vandalia's one.

Mayor Adams: Hold on one moment. I'm going to come back to you, ma'am. The assemblywoman, she was going to speak. I'm going to come back to you. Give her back the mic.

State Assemblymember Lucas: I think that we need to take a look at the development that's happening at CCC as well because the transformer went out the other day. I'm not sure in their original assessment of the energy that's being pushed on that grid if it can actually hold, it has capacity because that's what happened the other day. I didn't realize that it was affecting the entire lot, but it is affecting 17, 77. I know it affected 1170. I haven't heard anything about 99 and 1180.

I think it may have also, in addition to the weather, have something to do with the capacity over there as well. I'd like to add that in addition to the elevators going down, if the tenants could just receive better notice about what's happening, that would be greatly appreciated. Then also, if they were clear about an emergency plan that's put in place when these things happen. I don't think that that exists at this particular time, so I would like to see more of that.

Mayor Adams: What was that? There was a terminology you used when the elevators go out. You said–

McMillian: Elevator outages and stair climbers assistance?

Mayor Adams: Yes. What's that?

Question: The stair climber assistance, we have some staff that's trained on using the stair climbers in certain developments. Well, every development pretty much has them, but there's two different types where they help residents up the stairs during an outage, and the maximum capacity of that is 350 pounds. The staff that's trained, once called upon in the lobby, we find out if they needed assistance in the lobby. The staff then help the residents up the stairs.

Mayor Adams: Give her back the mic. Go ahead, ma'am.

Question: I want to say, it's not only during the time when the transformer during the election. It's all the time. It's not only during the heat wave, in the winter, too. The elevators are always out, the senior buildings.

Mayor Adams: Let us look at it, ma'am. Let's look because all these elevators, when they go out, they have to have a repair log. They have to see how long they've been down, when they've gone down. Let us look at it and see what that pattern is over there. I can tell, you are fired up over there.

Question: One time, I had to go to the emergency room.

Mayor Adams: I got you.

Question: And sleep overnight because I couldn't get up to the eighth floor.

Mayor Adams: I got you. Let us look and see what the pattern is, okay?

McMillian: I just want to mention also that we do have an outage page open to the public where you can see which elevators or whatever outages, gas outages, elevator outages, on the NYCHA website as well.

Mayor Adams: Well, that's very important because that goes back to what the assemblywoman stated. There's a page that you can see–

McMillian: The NYCHA website, service outage page.

Mayor Adams: We need to navigate the people through how to go on that page, look at that page. This way they can know ahead of time because folks just want to plan.

McMillian: Yes, I will definitely look into that.

Mayor Adams: If we could speak to the director, Karen, to just do a workshop with navigating folks how to look at that page. 

Mayor Adams: How are you, ma'am?

Question: Hello, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: How are you doing?

Question: I'm good. I'm Dr. Sybil DeVoe, and I have two questions from this. I'm Jamaican.

Mayor Adams: Saddest day of my life is I realized I wasn't Jamaican because I grew up in Jamaica, Queens. 

Question: We'll give you a visa. I can straighten that for you. She'll marry you. Anyhow, I have two questions. The first one, Ms. Marion submitted, says Cypress Hills, to be precise numbers 2535 and 2525, they're in deplorable conditions. Can we rely on you to address the situation? Cypress Hills Housing, NYCHA.

Mayor Adams: You've been busy today. What were the numbers again? I think I'm going to play those numbers.

Question: 2535 and 2525.

Mayor Adams: Got it. Now, when you say deplorable conditions, what is it?

Question: [Inaudible]. 

Mayor Adams: Interesting. Tommy, just take the address. I'm going to take a trip over there, and let me see exactly what's going on over there.

Question: In my opinion, it's more of a supervision type of thing. If the supervisor would come and check, because I worked for housing myself for 24 years, and it's more of a supervisor type of situation. If the supervisor would come and check, it wouldn't happen.

Mayor Adams: If I can get your number, I'm going to do an unadvertised, not letting anyone know, and I'm going to call you up and I'm going to come and just walk through with me. Let me see exactly what's going on over there. Alright? Tommy's going to get your information and we'll coordinate it over the weekend.

Question: [Inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Hold on one moment. Is it connected to this? I want her to finish her question, then we'll come to you. Let's finish your question, okay? Yes, ma'am. You’re number two.

Question: I voted for you in the last election.

Mayor Adams: You're a smart woman.

Question: I'm buttering you up for this one. Can you promise that New York–

Mayor Adams: Talking to the mic so the people across can hear you.

Question: Can you promise that New York City will continue to maintain its status as a sanctuary city when you return as mayor? This is yes or no.

Mayor Adams: Yes, 100 percent. Folks, let's understand what sanctuary city is because people have been throwing that terminology around. I want you to really understand what it is. It's not a law. It's a concept that states, if you are in New York, you have a right to receive the services of New York.

If you walk in a store and you buy a bottle of water, you pay taxes for that. Those taxes go to the delivery of your services. It goes to the Department of Education, the Fire Department, the police. All the things that go with those taxes, you have a right to. A person who's paying taxes, then we're not doing them a favor by saying you have a right to the services. They're doing us a favor by paying their taxes.

In New York City, it doesn't matter if you're documented or undocumented. If you need the police, you call the police. They're not going to ask you for your documentation status. If you need to go to the hospital, you go to the hospital. If you have a child, that child gets educated in school. That's what sanctuary city means, that you are entitled to all the services of this city while you're in this city, regardless of your documentation.

When you walk into a store to buy a loaf of bread, no one is saying, let me see your papers. They’re taking the dollars that's attached to it. We will always be a city where you can get your services without having to worry about your status.

Now, with that said, if you are coming here like this Venezuelan gang and you are robbing, shooting, forcing women into prostitution, carrying guns, shooting at police officers, you need to get the [] out of here. I want to be clear on that. This is not a safe haven for criminal behavior. It's a safe haven for all that would like to experience the American dream because our immigrant community has played a vital role in this city throughout generations.

Those who want to come here and say we want to provide and work for the city and move up through the city and be part of the dream, you're more than welcome. We're not going to stop you from doing so. Those who want to harm New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers, that Venezuelan gang we took down, 27 gang members, they were taking the documents of women and forcing them into prostitution. We can't cuddle them, and we can't say they can stay here because they can't. I don't want them here. 

Question: I got one last question. Hi, good afternoon, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: Yes, ma'am.

Question: Good afternoon. I am coming to you in desperation. I live in Canarsie, and there are two trees in front of my house. One is leaning over into the street and one is leaning over into the two houses behind it. I am desperate. I called up 311, and 311 sent me back to the Police Department. The Police Department said, "No, we have nothing to do with that." Where do I go?

It attacks the plumbing, so it backs up in the basement. It cost, between me and my insurance company, over $16,000 years ago. The fact is, I still have to go down every night to check to see if there's a backup. Please, I need help. I need help.

Mayor Adams: Tell me about that. What happens when a tree–

Question: Please.

Jim Morris, Brooklyn Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Parks and Recreation: I can speak a little bit about that. I can speak with you a little bit, miss. I can get your address and look into the condition of the tree. You're a homeowner, I'm guessing.

Question: I'm a homeowner.

Morris: The tree is right in front of your house?

Question: Right in front.There are two, one on this side. In addition to that, the only good thing about it is that every morning, I have to get up and clean up the leaves. I'm bending over cleaning leaves, and I usually rationalize and say at least I'm getting some exercise. That's the only good thing, but I am scared.

Mayor Adams: Now what happens when it's a private-owned location? Is the owner responsible for the trees?

Morris: The city owns the tree. There's some collaboration with the Parks Department that we can look into. I can certainly speak with her afterwards about 311 requests. Certainly, I'd like to get a little bit more information so that I can speak with her afterwards.

Mayor Adams: They definitely should not have sent you back to the Police Department. That would be unacceptable.

Morris: Certainly not.

Mayor Adams: Unacceptable. The Parks, he's going to connect with you.

Morris: Absolutely.

Mayor Adams: He's going to connect with you before we leave and find out where the trees are located. We're going to do one more. I'm going to do that.

Question: How are you, Mr. Mayor?

Mayor Adams: I'm good.

Question: I'm blessed and highly favored. Thank you. My name is Barbara Armore. I have a question. It's a little selfish. I live on Vermont Street, and we are needing a speed bump that we've been advocating for, for a while, years, I believe. Can we get a speed bump on Vermont? Someone got killed on the corner of New Lots and Vermont, so we really need to take that into consideration.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Did you hear? 

Branch: I'm just writing it down. What I will do first thing in the morning is find out over–  you said Vermont and New Lots?

Question: [Inaudible] 700 Block.

Branch: 700 Block. I will find out if we've done an inspection of that particular location, and if we haven’t, then I will put one in tomorrow. We have to do a study to see if it can be–

Question: Can I give you my number?

Branch: Yes, you can, and I'll give you my number, I will. 

Mayor Adams: Listen, I got to bounce. We handed out these magnetic emergency notification cards. It was something that mother used. You can put it on your refrigerator wherever you want. Normally, if you're going through a medical emergency, it takes a long time for the responding police or EMS to get the basic information.

Please, fill it out, put it in your refrigerator. This way, we can easily notify your family members, your loved one, your emergency contact, and ask if you have any medication that you're using, if you're allergic to anything. It's very useful and helpful information. Listen, appreciate you all, all over the place today. Thank you so much. Thanks to the team for coming in.

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