As homelessness in NYC continues to grow, de Blasio refuses to engage with activist on issue

October 16, 2018 By Stephanie Kotsikonas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. AP Photo/Eric Risberg

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When an activist recently confronted Mayor Bill de Blasio during his morning workout session at the Park Slope YMCA about affordable housing, the mayor refused to respond.

Nathylin Flowers Adesegun asked why only 15,000 of the prospective 300,000 affordable housing units are for those with no place to live, which brought to light the ways the city is mishandling homelessness, according to a New York Times piece by Ginia Bellafante.

Many are criticizing the mayor’s strategy for combating the problem, citing that only 16 of the proposed 40 new shelters that were slated to open this year are up and running.

Although the number of homeless people has grown by about 10,000 since de Blasio took office four years ago, employment rates and median household incomes have risen and poverty has fallen.

And while these are notable accomplishments, Bellafante writes, the problem will remain if more isn’t done to combat it.

“The tragedy” she writes, “is that they are always being replaced.”