Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts Older Adult Town Hall

April 9, 2025

Mayor Eric Adams: Good to be out in Queens. You know, I grew up down the block. From here went to P.S. 140, I.S. 8, Bayside High School. Remember when this property was an attorney, he had this whole big stretch before the center was built here. 

It was an attorney that lived on the corner of [inaudible] and 167th and a lot of history here in this community. And it's good to be here. And I just want to hear from you. This is number what? Number 22, older adult town halls, 38 town halls. We had one last night in Brooklyn. And so, you know, let's go back and look at January 1st, 2021, when I became the mayor of the city. 

I'm sworn in in January 2022, I should say. Crime was through the roof. Unemployment was high, particularly the Black and brown community. Black unemployment was four times the rate of white unemployment. Foster care children were slipping through the cracks. Our babies were not learning in the school system. Local housing, particularly senior housing, was something that was fleeing. Living in shelters. 

We were not building housing for those who lived in shelters. Our streets were proliferated with guns of shootings after shootings. Jobs were not in the city. Tourism was not in the city. Those who lived in nightshade public housing did not have access to high speed broadband. People were overwhelmed with medical debt. This city was a different place. We had something called COVID. Many of us forgot about it, but it was everywhere. And then out of nowhere, we had 230,000 migrants and asylum seekers that were dropped into the city. And as the mayor, I couldn't stop the buses from coming in. People were stopping me on the street saying, Eric, what are you doing? 

No, I couldn't stop the buses from coming in. It was against federal law. I could not allow the migrants and asylum seekers to work. That was against federal law. A group of them came to me and said, we would like to volunteer and clean the streets and do remove graffiti for stipend. The federal government said, no, you cannot do that, Eric, as well. We had to feed, clothe, house based on city laws. And I had one north star to make sure that no child and family slept on the streets of the city. And we accomplished that. But where are we now? 

Three years, three months later, we have more jobs in the city, in the city's history. In year one and year two, we build more affordable housing in those individual years in the city history. Move more people out of homeless shelter into permanent housing in the city's history. More people participate in the FHEPS voucher program in the city history, 21,000 illegal guns removed off our streets. 

This quarter, we had the lowest number of shootings in the city, in the city's history. Second lowest homicide, and saw some of those text messages that had to be revealed of what was being said, be said about me. This was a weight on my shoulders. Now, did I trust people I should not trust? I'm 65 years old. Can anyone in this room say they trust everybody they had in their lives, didn't break their hearts? Some people broke my heart. Some people did things that they should not have done. But I did not break the law. And I would never break the law. 

That's the life that I live. And I thank God, I thank God, I thank God for looking at his little dyslexic person and allowed him to be elected to be the mayor of the city of New York. So I know you read a lot, but you're not going to hear all the things we have done. You're not going to hear the success of how we turned around the city, the fourth largest tourism in the history of the city. You're not going to hear what we've done, reducing the cost of childcare from $55 a week to less than $5 a week. 

You're not going to hear our investment in keeping home harmless, our adult daycare centers. You're not going to hear that. But go back over 30 years ago when we had another mayor of color named David Dinkins, and you picked up the papers. Every day they were attacking him with one mission, that he could not have two terms as mayor. They put the same rule book, and we heard folks that look like David leading the charge saying no, he's not competent enough to run the city. I'm more than competent, and my team has shown the largest city in America, we've turned around and put them on the right path, and don't let those haters try to stop us from having another term. All these folks are running, they are running from their record. I'm running on my record, and that's a big difference. It's a big difference. 

So I want to open up, and I'll have you answer some questions. I'm transparent. Whatever questions you have, we are more than willing to answer them, but again, I thank you for allowing me to come here today, and communicate with you, and hear from our team. This amazing team that I have behind me, part of our team to share with what we're doing in the city. 

So where am I starting? Oh, I'm sorry. Let me do it before you do it, I'm sorry. We handed out these magnets. Whenever there's an emergency, I learned in my law enforcement days, when you're going through some type of crisis, the basic information is difficult to find. Please grab one, fill it out, put it on your refrigerator, or anywhere. If someone has to respond, they can have that information readily available and handy. So grab one for yourself, for your spouse, for your boo, whoever you want to grab it for, just fill it out, okay? Okay. How are you?

Question: Hi, I'm good. Good afternoon, Mayor Adams. Thank you for having this forum. My name is [Melissa Marcus.] I'm the Executive Director, in case you didn't know, Alpha Phi Alpha Senior Center. So our question is, there is an abundance of trash in our community throughout. There's more people, there's more residents, more houses being built. We know there used to be a volunteer program that helped with the trash. We'd ask you to address that. And we're first, so you can't copy my answer. Thank you.

Mayor Adams: I'm going to run up by again, are there specific info for, I'm glad you did start up first. For all the tables that we speak with, the more you zero in on where you're seeing the problem, the team can respond. So if you see a corridor that's a problem, you see a problem, wherever it is, the more you zero in for us, then we can specifically go there and respond and get it done. I know it's probably overall there's an issue, but if there's some specific corridors, we have folks here who are from DSNY, okay?

Question: When we were talking about Cambria Heights specifically, Jamaica, we have locations, but we can give you that after.

Mayor Adams: Okay. So where you find street garbage, not off the side of the street? 

Question: All over. Parks. 

Mayor Adams: In the parks? We increased the parks cleanup. We had some, there was, you ever hear that term, no man's land? That was what was happening in the city. We had places in the city that we weren't even, I wasn't realizing, I didn't realize until we came into office, we had places in the city where no one was assigned to clean. 

You ever see those areas where there's, they're always dirty? And so what we zeroed in on a previous park commissioner, Commissioner Tisch, we started covering those no man's lands. And we increased the number of people who clean in the parks because the Department of Sanitation could assist them better than the small parks crew. So we talking about St. Albans Park? We talking about which park?

Question: We saw Roy Wilkins Park.

Mayor Adams: Roy Wilkins? Okay. So can we partner with the first and find out the exact locations? You know? I knew, did you get a chance to speak, you want to, but she's not in deputy mayor of Operations, you know? So we come to her, you know, okay. 

So let us, we're going to, he's going to sit down with the table and we're going to pinpoint some locations. If there was something else you wanted to add, I see you whispering it to her. Are you sure? Okay. Okay. Mark, is your mother here? How are you doing? Mark, deputy commissioner of Community Affairs, he and I came out of the police academy together and his mother is here. Her husband was a detective. He was my mentor when he was in the department. It's good to see you.

Question: Hello everybody. My name is Beverly. We have a problem in 228th street. We need a speed bump.

Mayor Adams: On which street? 

Question: 228th in Laurelton.

Nicole Garcia, Queens Borough Commissioner, Department of Transportation My name is Nicole Garcia and I'm the Queens Borough commissioner for New York City DOT. We'd be happy to look into the feasibility of a speed bump. And if it doesn't meet the criteria, there's obviously other things in our toolkit that we can add to the street to further calm traffic.

Mayor Adams: What,  just so they all understand and I will also, what are the normal criteria for speed bumps? What do they look for? The number of traffic? What is it?

Garcia: So we definitely evaluate traffic speeds. But another thing is that if there are a lot of driveways on the street, we don't want to put a speed bump where the driveways are. So some streets in Queens, they actually have driveways that are kind of mismatched. So that can be a challenge. We also look at subsurface infrastructure. So if there's like a manhole in the way or some other utility, that will prevent us from installing a speed bump. But we're happy to come and look at 228th to see if it's feasible. And my staff is going to reach out because we need to know the cross streets.

Mayor Adams: Is it, what's the cross street that we need?

Question: The problem that we're having on 228th is that a speed bump was installed on 227th, 226th, and 225th. So we have all this traffic. In addition to, we have two mentally challenged children on the block and one ran into a car the other day. So we are in dire need of a speed bump.

Mayor Adams: Now, what's the cross street?

Question: 130th.

Mayor Adams: 130th? Between 130th and 131 or 130th?

Question: 130th and 131.

Mayor Adams: Okay. Okay. [Inaudible] okay. How long does the analysis take? 

Garcia: About a month and a half. And well, that's on an expedited track. So we'll definitely drive it tomorrow.

Mayor Adams: Okay. All right. Ms. Stewart, we're going to be out there. She knows you know folks in high places. Thank you. I feel your prayers. Prayers work, you know?

Question: Mayor, I would say that you do that at every town hall. You were put in that speed bump, but I'm glad you asked for it.

Mayor Adams: Yes. We're on it. There was another area we needed a speed bump and they were able to get it done. Where are we? Yes.

Question: Good evening, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

Question: I'm good. I live at 107 across Merrick Boulevard and the street there is really bad. Right at the bus stop. So I'm asking you, when will it be repaired? Because there are puddles of water and the buses, cars are coming. You have to run back because some of them drive very fast and splash you.

Mayor Adams: On 107th and what? 

Question: And Merrick. 

Mayor Adams: And Merrick. 107th and Merrick?

Question: Yes. Right at the bus stop.

Mayor Adams: Okay.

Question: There's a bus stop.

Mayor Adams: The roadway, is there potholes there? 

Question: Yes. 

Mayor Adams: Okay. Talk to me, DOT. It's going to be a DOT day.

Garcia: It's a great day. So we're more than happy to send out our crew. We can have somebody there to do the inspection and see if we can address the ponding and smooth the surface right at the bus stop. So we'll get out there tomorrow. And then we're also going to check to see when it's on the complete repaving schedule. So if it's not on for this year, when we're next in Community Board 12, we'll make sure that our roadways folks are looking to do the curb-to-curb resurfacing in our next season, the following year.

Mayor Adams: But we're going to look at that repair that you're talking about. We're going to look at that repair that you're talking about now. But she said there's a rotation of when we do the entire street pavement. But we're going to look at the exact repair you're talking about. We're not going to wait until next season to do that. So when I leave here, I'm going to go by there also. But we'll take a look at it. All right? Thank you. Where am I going? 

Question: Hi. Good afternoon. 

Mayor Adams: How are you doing?

Question: Okay. How are you doing?

Mayor Adams: Good, good.

Question: Long time, no see. Two weeks ago. Our question is regarding the repairing of the roads. What steps can be taken to repair the roads quicker and faster as well as make them more accessible for the wheelchair accessibility ramps? Because right along here we have people that live in a building. They stay in the street to go to CVS and Key Food. And as well as along Brookville.

Mayor Adams: So we're talking like curve cuts.

Question: Curve cuts and the repair of the streets faster than they're doing them. Like they've been working on Linden Boulevard for quite a while now. And it's still not really fixed yet. And on Brookville. Brookville. Brookville Boulevard. 

Mayor Adams: Got it. Got it.

Garcia: Sure. So one of the things that we're quite proud of at DOT is 311. We highly encourage folks to report things like potholes using the 311 app because those concerns get immediately dispatched to our yard. And we typically get to them in less than three days. So that's kind of like the patch job. You can always contact my office. We tend to do our resurfacing schedule, like the mayor said, several months in advance, planning for the next year. So if there are larger streets that we need to get to make the investment and repave curb-to-curb, we're more than happy to look at that. 

With regard to accessibility and also the pedestrian ramps at the corners. So one of the things that the city is doing now under DOT is that every spring we go into communities and we are repairing them to make sure that they're accessible for folks in wheelchairs or if they're pushing grocery carts or strollers, et cetera. Our aim is to get to all of them. So if there are particular ones, and I'm not sure if this is where Brookville comes up, but my staffer would like to get your information so we can find out where on our list these pedestrian ramps are in our system and if it doesn't have this sewer next to it or one of those big wooden utility poles, we might be able to get to it in-house very quickly this season.

Mayor Adams: Who's doing that walkthrough to look at the roadways? Is it DOT or is it Department of Aging?

Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, Department for the Aging: It's a partnership that comes out of the cabinet. It's DOT and Aging. 

Mayor Adams: Can we talk about it? Can we talk about explaining what we're doing? 

Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez: Sure. Do you want to do it or do you want me to do it? Okay, good. So one of the things that has come out of the cabinet is, and maybe we can do one here in Queens, is that we have an audit done of a particular community where older adults go with the DOT staff as well as some engineers and do a survey of the community as to streets, halls, lights, you know, are they delayed enough or are they not delayed enough? Where would we want some traffic, boulders and things to slow traffic down? But it is done with older adults so that they're doing the input, not just with the engineers. What we could do is work with DOT to make sure that we get one for the Jamaica area sooner than later. Alright? Great. 

Mayor Adams: So this is where you move around with the DOT folks and the Department of Aging, and they see what you see. So they come in, they walk through, and they look at what you're talking about with ramps, what you're looking at, what you're talking about on street and pavement improvements. So we walk through, they walk through, and do an analysis based on what you're seeing and navigating. Okay, so why don't we look to do one of those surveys here, okay? What's happening? 

Question: Mr. Mayor, how are you? 

Mayor Adams: Good to see you. 

Question: How you doing?

Mayor Adams: Good, good. 

Question: Mr. Mayor, my name is Ted Fraser. 

Mayor Adams: You don’t got to tell me that. 

Question: And I want to start with this. My mother wanted me to give you her complaints. I want to begin with this. How do we donate to your campaign? How do we get you back for a second term, if not a third one? Because you deserve it. You've been wrongfully vilified in the media, and it's disgusting and reprehensible. So I want to know, I'm sure everyone does, how do we get you to stay here? What do we do? How do we do it? Where do we start? 

Mayor Adams: Well, first start with prayer. Prayer works. 

Question: We've been doing that. 

Mayor Adams: That's the power of prayer. And since this is a government event, you know, if I were to go into campaigning, the next thing you know. 

Question: I don't want to get you in trouble. 

Mayor Adams: Right, right, right. The power of prayer. Let's stay conscious of the campaign. And everybody should come out and talk about their record. Right. Talk about their record. 

Question: Here's a complaint. 

Mayor Adams: What's your question from your table?

Question: There's necessary construction going along the Van Wyck Expressway. Toward Kennedy Airport. And due to that construction, the road and highway repair, there are big vibrations whenever they're working, because what they have to do is drill into the earth and then pound huge girders into the ground. While they're doing that, houses are vibrating. And particularly in my mother's house and in front of it, the sidewalk is cracked. The brick fence is cracked. And something's in the home, because it's an old home. She’s got a landmarked house. It's over 100 years old. So there are issues there. I don't know how many people are having the problem, but I hear it.

Mayor Adams: Who's doing those repairs, state? On the Van Wyck. Yeah, yeah. It's the state. So what we need to do is connect with the state DOT and find out when they're doing those repairs, if there are damages to the structure, there's a way to put in a complaint and file a complaint. Yes, yes.

Question: I hadn't been aware of that. When are they replacing the sewer pipes? It's been a disaster. 

Mayor Adams: We’re doing those sewers, those sewer pipes, right? 

[Crosstalk.]

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry, [inaudible]. Which street are we talking? Which street? 109th Avenue. And 135th. Okay. So can we do this, D.J.? Can we connect? And let's find out exactly. Let's see CAU over there. Find out exactly where it is. And if it's because of the sewer, there's ways to put in for the claims. If it's city, if it's the state, we'll put you in contact with the right state person. Yes. Good seeing you, brother. You know? You've been a good son. You know that?

Question: Good afternoon. This question is coming from Virginia, but it affects all of us that come to the center. It needs a stop sign or a traffic light at the corner. This one not on... 166-01 Linden Boulevard.

Mayor Adams: 166 and what? Dash 01. Right where we came out. Talk to me, DOT. Told you this is DOT day.

Garcia: Sure. So there's a possibility that we might have studied it in the past. I know we have gotten a lot of fielded requests from, like, schools and senior centers, but I do want to check on the case history. We're going to initiate a study right away and expedite it and see if we can get an all-way or a traffic signal.

Mayor Adams: So tell me something. Are traffic signals based on federal law or traffic signs? Are they based on federal law? Are they based on what? We do an analysis policy? What are they based on?

Garcia: Sure. So when we do the study, we follow guidelines from the federal government. So we count things like traffic, so that's cars, also pedestrians, volumes, you know, if there are points of conflict. And there are actually seven, we call them warrant systems, and those are handed down to us by the federal government. Happy to share, you know, that criteria with anyone who's interested. It's actually posted on our website. But we match up the mathematics with these warrants. And if it meets, then we get a signal. 

But over the past three years, we've been meeting more closely with local communities because you experience your streets a lot different than when our engineers are out a couple of days a week counting traffic. So getting that hyper-local intelligence is really important, and that's how we can, like, maximize the counts.

Mayor Adams: I never understood this, so I'm sort of curious also. Traffic lights is, I know that's a whole lot of stuff, but is traffic signs, is there a, does the federal government say, no, you can't put a sign there? Or does the federal government say, this is a good idea to put a sign there? Like, how do we make that determination if a sign is going up? Do they make a recommendation, or do they give us a requirement?

Garcia: I know we follow it.

Mayor Adams: I don't want to speak out of my lane, so I will double-check. So here's what I'm going to do. I follow law, but I make policy. If the policy gives me the discretion to put a sign up, we're putting a sign up. So now if the law says I can't put it up, which I can't see why, if it's about just making that determination of, you know, which if you feel, you telling me you need a sign and you're feeling safe, that's a good enough study for me. 

So let's find, I'm going to find out, all right? DJ, make sure we drill down on it. I want to find out, is it the law that says you can only put stop signs in certain places, or do they give us a recommendation? And then we set the policy. If it's the policy, we're putting a sign up. Thank you. Okay. Alright.

Question: Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor. Right over here.

Mayor Adams: Yes. How are you, sir?

Question: Well, thank you so much for coming to visit us. It's really a pleasure. We always see you on TV, you know, and battling all those questions. And you answer them so perfectly, you know. And I'm so happy that you look like me and I look like you. 

Mayor Adams: That's why you're around all these ladies. I'm not going to ask you which one's your boo.

Question: I feel so proud that you can be shoulder-to-shoulder with all those other people and answer them, you know, with style, correctness. You look good. You're in perfect shape, you know. You got to take him on the campaign trail. New York City is a partner with our brother, Adams. So I think you're doing a great job.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. 

Question: But this city has numerous problems and you're attacking all of them. And I thank God for that.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Thank you. 

Question: So I just had a conversation with my insurance, car insurance company, and they raised my insurance $600 for the next six months. And I asked them why. He said, well, they felt that the city is, they rated the city. 30-mile radius from where I live, they felt it wasn't safe enough or it needed improvements. That's 60 miles from one point to the other. That's the whole Queens and the Bronx and Manhattan. They felt it's not safe enough. 

So they have to increase my insurance. So I don't know what the answer is. It could be political or whatever. But it's hitting me in my pocket. I'm on Social Security, which is stable. And here it is. The increase in the insurance, I'd say over 20 percent. So I'd like to know what are you doing a great job, but I think what are we doing to lower the insurance rates given to this area?

Mayor Adams: Now, this is car insurance? Car insurance. Okay. The goal is we have to speak with the chair of the state insurance. The chair of the state insurance. Let's find that out. DJ is busy today, man. Okay. We need to get the chair of the state insurance, whoever is the assembly person and the state senator, because they can bring these guys in. Because you know insurance companies. Fast to invoice, slow to pay. And so we want you to communicate with the state insurance, and we really should get everyone involved that's been impacted in this area. But that is regulated through our state insurance. That's the state lawmakers. 

We're going to give you the name of the individuals who are responsible, with state senator and state assembly person, so you can communicate and get everyone else to communicate with these increases. 20 percent is a lot. And I don't know how they're doing our analysis based on safety. They must be doing it based on traffic accidents, not based on public safety, based on traffic accidents. But we'll find out. We'll find out exactly who's the assembly person and the senator that is in charge of this insurance committee. And that's how we can drill down on it. Okay? DJ is going to come over to you. 

Question: Mr. Mayor, the table wanted to know what is the plan for making our subway safe? 

Mayor Adams: Great question. You know, we hit, we hit at often because, you know, you know how many riders we have on a subway system every day. We have 4.6 million riders on our subway system every day. 4.6 million every day. If I were to say, do you think you think we have what? 200 crimes a day. How many people think we have 200 crimes a day on our subway system?

You know how many crimes we have on our subway system a day? Six. Out of 4.6 million riders, we have six felonies a day on average. Matter of fact, no, we're down to five point something now. Now, why do you feel like it's unsafe? Because every day you wake up and you read and hear about the worst thing that can happen on the subway system. And you begin to believe that, okay, every day this is happening on the subway system. 

Everyone that rides on the subway system. It's just not true. So that's why I put a thousand more cops in the subway system. That's why the commissioner put cops on the train. From 9 p.m. Until the morning hours, because I know part of being safe is not only hearing the numbers, you got to feel safe. And so we wanted to have that omnipresence of a police officer that you can see them and feel safe. Now, what else do we have to do? 

We have to deal with people who are dealing with severe mental health illness that are in our subway system. That's why we're fighting right now in Albany to do the involuntary removal bill so that we can give people the help they need. There's no, there's no dignity in allowing someone to live on a subway system, no shoes on, they're clothed in the soil, they're yelling and screaming. 

Look at those cases of people being pushed to the subway track, severe mental health illness, overwhelmingly. And so to add to what we're doing with numbers, we want the visible presence of the police officer. We want the presence of the police officer. We want the visible presence of the police officer, but we also want to give people the care so that they don't live on our subway system. That's how we make you feel what we have been able to achieve. 

We have had historical decreases. You take out that one year from COVID we've, we've had straight decreases. I'm safest in years outside that one year where people were not on our subway system, but we got to do more. We want to get rid of those six felonies, but let's be clear. We have continuously maintained the safety of our subway system and we put, put the resources down there every day. I was a former transit cop, so I know what it is to be down in the system and don't feel safe in the system because that is an important part of transportation for us. Good to see former State Senator Malcolm Smith. That's here in the room as well. You know,

Question: I know you go back a couple of years, like me, when they used to advertise cross at the green, not in between. Now we have to deal with these scooters. We don't mind the scooters, but what happens is they drive as though they own the streets and the area that they're supposed to be staying in. And when they finish using them, they just drop them anywhere. Now we need to have them put them at least on the corners where they're not bothering anyone, but not dropping them in front of people's homes. 

Mayor Adams: 100 percent. And I don't think every, every town hall, talk to me, DOT, you know, you hear it, you know, we all hear it, you know, especially out here. Tell me about those darn green looking scooters, you know, line, line, right. Talk to me.

Garcia: So, so last summer we introduced e-scooters to Queens going from Flushing to Southeast Queens. And to date, we've seen more than 900,000 people taking 900,000 trips being taken on these scooters. And one really fun fact is that in community board 12, it represents 22 percent of the geography of the Queens scooter service, but 66 percent of the ridership. 

So what we're finding is folks are finding these convenient, but we hear you loud and clear. The organization was off enforcement. Enforcement was off. So what we did was we worked with these three companies to install more corrals. So those are designated spots where the scooter riders are expected to drop them off. So they're not being dropped off in people's driveways or against people's front gates, et cetera. 

We're finding a lot of positive feedback about that. Another thing is that we worked with the companies and they have jointly, there are three companies that provide the service. They have jointly hired 12 people from Queens to canvas the streets. So if they see them knocked down, they pick them up. And if you call 311 or you call my office, if there's an issue, we can dispatch someone from, you know, this team to go tidy them up, et cetera. 

Also with regard to just rules of the road, every time the person goes to use one of these scooters, like they have to sign, you know, virtually through their phones, you know, go over the rules, et cetera. And when people are first doing their ride, say their first like ride or second ride, there's actually a mechanism that these companies implement so that they cannot go fast until they get comfortable being on these scooters.

Mayor Adams: So, cause I heard you loud and clear. You stated that, listen, we're not against the scooters, but we want them to follow the rules of the road. And so we, when we first heard about these complaints, we spoke with the companies and said, you got to clean up your act. 

Cause if you want to be in New York, got to get it right. And so if one of these companies, if they are habitual abusers, we're going to reexamine, can they actually operate in here? Cause they can't, the scooters can't. It's a little better when I saw the first time, I think Malcolm, you brought this to my attention at the first time I, when I came out here, the scooters were everywhere, you know? 

And so if you see someone that's, you know, that's been, that's a nuisance, just take a quick picture and send it over to us, but we're going to hold these, these companies accountable. And I like corral, should be on the corner. It should be organized. It can't be in, in, in just disarray. People don't need to just pull up to the house. They need to get their steps in anyway, park on the corner and walk a few steps, you know, but we heard it before and we're on it. How are you, ma'am? 

Question: I'm fine this morning. Blessed by the best. My name is [Evangelist Monroe.] And I grew up in Queens about my sister. She still lives here. [Barbara Alexander] on the corner. They were just talking about 161st street, but she does 114 or 166. The whole sidewalk is coming up like this. People are claiming that they have accidents there. They tell her they can't move that. It belongs to the city. 

Well, I was invited here today to say, I'm enjoying myself here. Seeing you, I only see you on television. I live in Raleigh, North Carolina. Now I'll be 80 years old in six months. And this place here was beautiful at one time. If they could only have more of these community meetings that they have now, not only for seniors, but young adults because that's their future and their children are the future. And if they see what's going on now about those scooters or whatever it is, riding up and down the street, all over the place. Nope. People are afraid to stop them. 

What they should do– when I was growing up, you had an officer on that corner. One five down there that was in Brooklyn at that time. They don't do that anymore. Nobody cares. Nobody's going to call 911 and tell them that. Oh, they're over there with two scooters and turn upside down. No, but you keep up your good work and God will bless you for what you're doing.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And, you know, first of all, we want you back. Leave North Carolina. Come on back up here. You know, but no. And you're and you're right. We're doing so much with the New York City public schools of the chancellor because you're right. Is we were at one town hall. I think it was two weeks ago, commissioner, where some of our older adults were talking about just the disrespect that they get as they move throughout the city. 

Everyone talks about how respect for all. But I think some sometimes we ignore some of the disrespect that we're showing to our older adults. And we want to incorporate that into our school system. Our young people have to re-engage and respect their older adults. You know, some of the terminology that's used, some of the things that they do. We need to re-engage that and be intentional about that. And so you're right. And our young people, they are the focus of many of the things that we are doing on how we improve them for the future. 

We don't just want them to be academically smart. We want them to be emotionally intelligent, to be kind, to be thoughtful, to be caring. Like you sitting here with your mom, you know, doing just doing what's right. You know, because I am a self-proclaimed mama's boy. You know, 100 percent. You know, so I didn't see Liddy. Yeah. What's up, brother? Liddy and I went to Bayside High School together. You know, I'm going to say a special prayer for you. Where are we? Oh, man. This is like it's like a reunion.

Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez: May I want to remind you that through your cabinet, you are doing that already in high schools and now in middle schools. So with what may have started this cabinet where we had 24 agencies together with the Department of Education. We are doing a curriculum just to teach young people like what is ages? What's all those little nasty things that people say like move on? I can't hear you. You're walking too slow. And really teaching them a lot of the stuff that we used to do. And we also had that in the neighborhoods. Now we're doing it in schools, too. It's a program. It's gotten recognition. We just are going to do more of it. So you're doing it already.

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Question: So my question that was brought up to the table. What is the mayor doing to keep all of New Yorkers safe throughout the City of New York? And then I got a bonus regarding the sidewalk. But you don't want to say it. Okay. But the major question is what is the mayor doing to keep all New Yorkers safe throughout the city?

Mayor Adams: Yes, safety. I said this over and over again. Safety is a prerequisite to our prosperity. If we're not safe, you know, you can't prosper in the city. From the days of policing to what I did as a state senator, borough president, now the mayor. We zeroed in on quality of life issues. We removed, as I stated, everything from traffic enforcement, 80,000 illegal vehicles off our streets to 21,000. I think we have to 22,000 now illegal guns off our streets. Many of them were ghost guns. Some of them were, I should say, ghost guns that you could manufacture right in your own home. 

We zeroed in on everything from the burglaries to grand larcenies. Really putting a focus on what the commissioner introduced was called zone policing to look at those trouble spots and trouble areas. We all know the trouble spots and trouble areas were just historically we were having a public safety issue. So our crime numbers are extremely down. But we want to do more than just talk about how successful we are with stats. 

You have to feel safe. And going back to having our police officers parking out, walking down the block, engaging with folks. My kid brother was a community affairs sergeant. And he often talked about just getting out and engaging in the conversation. That is how people start feeling safe to match our success in bringing down crime. We have to make you feel safe at the same time. And that's our goal. And we're going to continue to do that. We're going to amplify our success. 

We're going to give that visible presence. We're getting ready to roll out a new initiative for just quality of life issues. Those abandoned vehicles on your block. Those places where houses are abandoned, houses are dirty. We're going to bring that down to the precinct level and have the officers report to the proper agencies to correct those problems that you're seeing in your community on the block. But it's a combination. Our success in numbers must match what people are feeling. That's so important.

Question: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is [Rhonda Perkins.] And I live on Troutville Road. And across the street is Merrick Boulevard and Sunbury Road. My question is when they start the new rules about garbage collection and composting, on my side of St. Albans, we never got the compost can. And now I see we're required to get the new cans with the lids that doesn't come off. Does the senior have to bear the cost of buying all those cans? 

Mayor Adams: That was the question? 

Question: Yeah, because now you need a black can with a lid that doesn't come off, a compost can, a green can, and a blue can. Do I have to buy all those cans in order to do my garbage correct? Because they come twice a week, Tuesday and Friday. So those cans are going to cost me between $200 and $300.

Mayor Adams: I'm sure that many of you feel the way I feel about rats. And the only way we're going to get rid of the rat population is to take the food off the street. Garbage bags are all-you-can-eat buffets for rats. And the rat population was getting out of control in the city. That's why we instituted the trash bins. The brown bins, which is for recyclable food waste, those we were giving out for free. And historically, when we do those types of programs, we ignore places like South Jamaica, Queens, St. Albans, Cambridge Heights, Laurelton. 

And I said, no, we're not doing that. You normally do these programs in other communities. No, we're going to bring it to our community as well. That's why we rolled it out here. And it was extremely successful when we rolled out these food waste bins in this community. The food waste and composting went through the roof. People loved it. They lobbied for it. They got it. And we did it. 

Now, the cost of that bin, that brown bin, is free. It was given out. The cost of the garbage bin is a cost below retail value. I believe we're going to be trying to roll out an incentive for seniors. I don't know where they are on that now, but we'll find out. But our goal is to get the garbage off the streets. Those garbage plastic bags, they had those peppermint bags that said the rat was afraid of. The rat laughed at those. You know? You got to get garbage off the street. That is the key to cleanliness, getting the garbage off the street. What are we doing with that program?

Gbubemi Okotieuro, Assistant Commissioner, Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Sanitation: We are actually working through the process right now. As you know, City Council did pass that law. So we're kind of waiting. 

Mayor Adams: This is for seniors?

Okotieuro: Yes, sir. 

Mayor Adams: For the cost? Yes.

Okotieuro: For the cost of the garbage can, yes. Okay.

Mayor Adams: All right. So we just shared that we're looking to do some type of program for our seniors on the garbage can. It's a great investment for us. We spent a little, but we're going to get a lot. And we're bringing down some of the costs. Because our whole goal is to put money back in your pocket, not take money out of your pocket. 

We put $30 billion back in the pockets of New Yorkers. $30 billion back in the pockets of New Yorkers. And so if we can find a way, those on fixed income, seniors, those on Social Security, if we can find a way to pay a little more to get you to pay, we're going to try to figure that out.

Okotieuro: Yes. I'm going to actually have my chief over there maybe speak to that as well to kind of get exactly where she lives. And we'll take a look at that issue. Okay.

Mayor Adams: Alright. So things are going to go over to the table.

Question: Thank you for taking my question. All right. I'm glad that you lived in this neighborhood at one time. Yes. If you remember, between this building and Guy R Brewer Boulevard, it used to be a garbage dump. 

Mayor Adams: That's right. 

Question: The Allen Church with Reverend Floyd Flake built 50 beautiful homes right across over there. Those homes were worth about $250,000. Today they're worth about $1 billion each because the people that lived there have taken care of those homes. The problem that I have or that we have been having is that across from those homes, there was a multi-service center built. That multi-service center at one time was being administered by Queens General Hospital. 

Never had a problem with the center. Since COVID, another unit came in. All the agencies in that center are city-funded. They have begun to have concerts in the parking lot, making so much noise and bringing so many people from outside of the neighborhood that we can't stand it. 

We are seniors. We have made complaints, complaints to the police, complaints to our council person, complaints to your office. Nobody has responded. We need to stop those concerts. They can take those concerts over to Roy Wilkins. I have no problems with them getting money from those concerts, but they do not belong in this community. I will appreciate it if something is done about it. Thank you, sir. 

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Thank you. That is all for Guy R Brewer? 

Question: Guy R Brewer. It is 114-2–

Mayor Adams: Got it. Guy R Brewer and Linden. Okay. Yep. I remember. I know exactly which one. Talk to me about that, inspector.

Question: Excuse me. The police is giving them permits and sending people over there to take care of them.

Deputy Inspector Sean Claxton, Commanding Officer, Queens South, Police Department: Sir, my name is Deputy Inspector Sean Claxton. I'm the commanding officer of 113 Precinct. Newly commanding officer. I've actually only been there about two months now. Thank you. 

Well, actually, let me publicly thank our mayor and our police commissioner for affording me this tremendous opportunity to be the commanding officer of this precinct. Most people don't know I was actually born and raised here, right here in South Jamaica, Queens. Farmers and Merrick. So this community is near and dear to my heart. Once I took the mantle from Inspector Jenkins, first thing I did was ask my community affairs. I want to know all the quality of life issues because I still live in this community. Not in 113 precinct anymore. I live in 116. But I'm well aware of the quality of life issues and struggles. 

We spoke about the bikes, the scooters. We all hate stepping out of our house, myself included. And there's a scooter right in front. But that issue is something I'm well aware of. The summer hasn't happened yet, but I do know in the summertime right there on Linden and Guy Brewer, theres parties are in the parking lot. And it is our plan, and I've already started speaking with the individuals, the organizers of these events. Because you deserve to have a certain level of quality of life. 

Listen, my family members and my friends live in this community as well. You have to have an above average quality of life to me because only then will my friends and my family enjoy that same quality of life. So that is a condition that we are aware of. The summer hasn't kicked off yet, but we will work to ensure that it won't be a nuisance to this area. 

I've actually spoke to one of the organizers that usually organizes those parties yesterday in my office. Me and him personally spoke. We didn't speak about that, but I know that he is one of the organizers. But you have to formulate and cultivate a relationship with individuals before you start making demands because it's better for everybody. We all have to live in this community.

Question: [Inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: Listen, first of all, thank you for bringing this to our attention. And I agree with you. If we're going to hold concerts, those concerts should be in a park. It should be in a park. It should not be in the midst of a working class community. So let us find out. I don't even know why they're using the parking lot as a concert venue. That breeds trouble. So let us look into it, okay? Alright. Thank you very much.

Question: Good afternoon.

Mayor Adams: You had a question too, ma'am? Yes, you do? Okay, I'm going to give you my mic. Yes.

Question: Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

Question: Good. My name is Jennifer Taylor. And my daughter Dawn was gunned down and murdered on December the 17th, 2021. And I have been advocating for gun violence since that day. I want to know what is the plan to support survivors that are impacted by gun violence?

Mayor Adams: Do you know, by the way, do you know Jackie Rowe Adams? Okay, all right. That's my sister. When she first started her organization, I was a sergeant in the Police Department. Her organization is called Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. I think it was back in, God knows, it must have been about 20 years ago. You know when she started, DJ? 20 plus years ago. 

So this is something that I've been part of almost my entire adult life. There's several things that we need to do. Number one, we need to stop the recidivism. There are too many shooters who are caught with guns, go to court, and they back out on the street. And we've been going back and forth to Albany and say you need to strengthen these, not only the bail laws, the discovery laws, all of these laws that had unintended consequences. And we're seeing it over and over and over again on all of these different crimes that some people just have made up their mind, they're going to be disrupted, they're going to be violent. And if we don't close those gaps, then we're going to have mothers like you have to deal with this trauma. And I deal with this all the time. 

My first week in office, I had an 11-month-old baby that was shot in the head. Thank God she lived, but I had to sit in that hospital with her. You know, Mora and Rivera, two officers that were gunned down during my first two weeks in office, it was baptized by fire, and gun violence is the problem. And that's why I stated removing those 21,000, 22,000 guns, 22,000 guns off the streets of the city. 

I was just with the DA yesterday with a group of 16 people that committed 50 percent of the shootings in one precinct location. There's these repeated offenders over and over and over again. I'm not sure who was the shooter in your daughter's case, but I would bet you they had some priors, you know, in their action. And so here's what we're doing. 

We put in place our crisis management team that's zeroing in on gun violence and trigger pullers and shooters. We're collaborating with our federal and state agencies to look at those who are bringing guns in our community. We're going after those ghost guns where people are manufacturing guns in their home. A lot of the guns, a number of the guns that we took, we took out of people who made the guns in their homes. 

It's important that we ensure that all of our precincts zero in on these areas of gun violence, but we want to be proactive also. Deputy Commissioner Stewart has a number of programs that he's grabbing these young people early before they get engaged in this violence, because the goal is not only to lock them up. The goal is to lift them up and give them the support that they need so they don't become part of some of the criminality that we're seeing. But we're focused on this. 

This has been a major, major issue for me. Like I said, we have the least amount of shooters and recorded history in this city during this quarter. And we're going to continue to drive down violence so mothers like you don't have to experience this pain. But I thank you for turning your pain into purpose. You have been an advocate. You have been standing strong. You didn't say, woe is me. You said, why not me? And you're saving children based on the work that you're doing. I cannot thank you enough because it's hard to be in a painful moment and still move forward. You wanted to add something?

Deputy Commissioner Mike Bobbitt, Community Development, Department of Youth and Community Development: Thank you so much. Mike Bobbitt, I'm with the Department of Youth and Community Development. I just want to build on what the mayor was saying. He mentioned the crisis management system. 

So as part of the mayor's vision, all of the anti-gun violence programs have been relocated and are part of the Department of Youth and Community Development. And one of the reasons we've done that is as these interventions take place with shooters, with prospective shooters, with family members who've been impacted by violence, that we can direct them to other resources to support and uplift those families. 

So I want to make sure that I get your information because last year we piloted something where we're actually having grief and counseling and retreats for families that have been impacted by violence and who are survivors. And I can think of one case where my team helped a mom because she wanted to create a foundation. She was, as the mayor pointed out, taking the pain and transforming it to purpose. So if that's something you're interested in, I would love to get your information and I will have my team be in touch with you. Thank you.

Question: Good afternoon. I'm a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Senior Center. And my question is, my church on Tabernacle CME is located at 116-62 Farmers Boulevard. I want to know, can a change of address be made in how you go about it? Because the seniors are being let off by public transportation, whatever vehicle, on Farmers Boulevard. Why do they have to be put off on Farmers Boulevard when their interest is on Tioga?

Mayor Adams: I love New York. I love New York. So the borough president does the addresses. So I don't know if there's a reason that that address is there, but it's the borough president. You have a great borough president here, Donovan Richards. And we should connect to let them explain and if not, change the address so that when you tell that accessorize that Uber or your son or whomever, here's the address. You better get me there. They're going to get you there. But it's borough president Donovan Richards. You know Donovan? Okay. Okay. 

When I was the borough president, we did all the addresses. So that's what's happening. Listen, people may not know everybody, but they know their mayor, man. They don't care. You would be amazed at what people come to me with from time to time. They know, go get that mayor. We saw your butt on TV. So you better have the answer to the question. That's just the reality. Listen, thank you for allowing me to come in. We're going to get your address changed. Good to see you all.