Mayor Adams Announces Community Improvement Coalition to Protect Public Safety, Enhance Quality of Life on 14th Street in Manhattan

August 8, 2024

Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiaflaIXtRI

Coalition Includes NYPD, Homeless Services, Health, Sanitation, and Local Partners to Create a Cleaner, Safer, and More Vibrant Neighborhood

$1 Million Mobile NYPD Command Center and Other Investments Secured as Part of Budget

New York – New York City Mayor Eric Adams was today joined by New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch, New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Administrator Joslyn Carter, and New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan to announce a targeted multi-agency enforcement strategy on 14th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A in Lower Manhattan to protect public safety and improve quality of life. Part of the Adams administration's "Community Link" initiative, the "14th Street Community Improvement Coalition" is a result of an ongoing partnership between the Adams administration and community partners to address recent deterioration in the neighborhood, and is anchored by a $1 million investment for a new Mobile Command Center to be placed on 14th Street, secured as part of the fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget passed in June.

The multi-agency coalition will work to address a range of public safety issues, including illegal vending, retail theft, substance use, the mental health crisis, beautification, cumbersome scaffolding that drives quality-of-life issues, unlicensed cannabis shops, and more. Over the past several weeks, multi-agency teams have been deployed on walkthroughs to observe issues in real time and speak with local community members and businesses on the ground. They have also identified specific individuals in the area who may need connections to services, such as housing or medical care, and make referrals to the appropriate city agency or service provider. Additionally, to facilitate direct lines of communication between the community and police, the 9th and 13th Police Precincts have established a WhatsApp chat with business owners on the East 14th Street corridor to identify and address issues in real time and offer a unique channel to respond to community concerns.

"When we came into office, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make our city more affordable and livable, and the '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' precisely addresses these concerns – enhancing quality of life and making the East Village safer," said Mayor Adams. "Our administration does not and will not tolerate an atmosphere where anything goes. That's why our multi-agency approach, working in partnership with local elected officials and community members, will keep our streets safe and our businesses thriving, and we are already seeing an impact – with crime dropping in both the 9th and 13th Police Precincts this year. Additionally, our efforts are being anchored by a $1 million investment in a new NYPD Mobile Command Center, which will maintain a visible presence and allow our law enforcement to be mobile to meet the communities' needs. I thank Councilmember Powers and Councilmember Rivera for their partnership on this important initiative."

"For years, I have called for solutions to address the persistent problems on 14th Street," said New York City Councilmember Keith Powers. "I live across the street in Stuyvesant Town and I walk this block every day. The '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' is the type of effort we need to maintain the progress made over the course of the last month in cleaning up our neighborhood. I am grateful to Mayor Adams and his team for recognizing the need for these resources and allocating them appropriately. My neighbors and I know how critical it will be to maintain this so that folks can continue to feel safe."

"Residents and business operators on 14th Street deserve to feel safe, and city agencies are working to protect this corridor from crime and chaos," said New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera. "This area welcomes local families, visitors, and commuters every day, and the various quality-of-life issues impacting the community deserve effective, sustainable services and better outcomes. Our coalition is redoubling its commitment to bring stability to these sidewalks, and I commend the Adams administration for their continued focus and investments that reflect public safety as a priority. Together, we must keep working to lift each other up and meet our challenges with meaningful and compassionate solutions."

The community is served by the 9th and 13th Police Precincts, where officers have worked diligently and collaboratively to reduce crime and address community concerns. Overall major crime in the 9th Precinct has decreased 29.1 percent year to date, from 1,058 reported crimes in 2023 to 750 reported this year. Overall major crime in the 13th Precinct has decreased 6.8 percent year to date, from 1,016 reported crimes in 2023 to 947 this year. While the community has seen these substantial drops in crime, recent incidents have still caused community concern. To address this, the Adams administration has taken decisive action and will continue to do so by:

• Conducting weekly NYPD operations to address homeless encampments, vendors, and persons in need of assistance.
• Assigning a dedicated NYPD foot post to address quality-of-life issues and maintain visible presence along the commercial corridor of 14th
• Affixing mobile light fixtures to sustain visibility.
• Servicing litter baskets on all three DSNY shifts daily and addressing homeless encampments.
• Deploying DSNY graffiti clean-up crews to remove graffiti on private property.
• Ensuring availability of mental health units and homeless services outreach teams to support people in-need of mental health support through DOHMH and DHS.

The 14th Street Community Improvement Coalition will also feature a $1 million investment for a state-of-the-art Mobile Command Center, secured in the FY25 Adopted Budget. The vehicle will initially be stationed in the vicinity of 14th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A and the NYPD will maintain the flexibility to relocate the unit as circumstances dictate. The Mobile Command Center will be staffed by NYPD uniformed officers and will serve as a central hub for law enforcement operations in the area. It will have the capacity to facilitate communication and coordination among officers – ensuring efficient and effective responses to all manner of quality-of-life conditions, incidents of crime, and major events.

"Our neighborhood safety and livability are top priorities for the city," said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. "Through our 'Community Link' initiative, the Adams administration continues to deliver our goals of revitalizing neighborhood businesses, improving public safety, and addressing quality-of-life issues. We will continue to work with our community partners to meet the needs of residents and business owners on 14th Street, as well as other neighborhoods, so that New Yorkers experience the responsiveness, safety, and cleanliness that can make every New York City community thrive."

"We work best when we work together," said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. "'Community Link' is a strong example of interagency collaboration, resulting in better services for New Yorkers and the communities in which they live. As our teams continue to engage those in need throughout the city, we look forward to bringing these resources to the 14th Street corridor with a more targeted approach. Thank you to our community partners and the teams doing this work."

"14th Street is a vibrant community hub and anchor of New York's economy; maintaining the corridor with dignity and care is a pre-requisite to its success, and by extension, the city's," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "We extend our deep thanks to the hard-working men and women who will keep this corridor clean and reach out with mental health services for those in need."

"The community concerns we are confronting along the 14th Street corridor show that quality-of-life issues are just as important for the police and our partners to address as serious crime, which is down this year both locally and citywide," said NYPD Commissioner Caban. "Public safety is a shared responsibility, and our coordinated, multi-agency strategy to improve conditions and reinvigorate this neighborhood will assure New Yorkers that every person and every business in every community matter."

"Improving safety, quality of life, and livability starts with health and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live healthier, longer lives," said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Vasan. "By listening to the Lower Manhattan community and connecting those who need it with accessible, high-quality care and services for mental and physical well-being, we're doing just that."

"Properly addressing public safety and quality of life concerns requires a comprehensive, interagency approach that seeks to remedy conditions that negatively impact the experiences of residents and businesses," said New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. "We will continue to coordinate closely with our agency partners and the community as we engage New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness, work to build trust, and connect them to services and supports, like our low-barrier facilities designed specifically to serve our unsheltered neighbors that will help them stabilize their lives and get back on their feet."

"In order to create a city that is safer, more livable, and more prosperous for all, we must work across agencies to effectively address community concerns by not only attending the immediate conditions, but by tackling their underlying causes and connecting New Yorkers in need to the city's robust array of services and supports," said DHS Administrator Carter. "Lasting change requires ongoing communication and collaboration, and we are proud to work with our partners in government and the 14th Street community to find ways to enhance outreach services in the area to help more New Yorkers in need come inside, get connected to services, and ultimately move into permanent housing."

"Public safety is a shared responsibility, and the '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' is a smart multi-agency initiative that will ensure the whole of government is working together with business owners and residents to deliver a clean, safe city for all New Yorkers," said DSNY Commissioner Tisch. "From graffiti clean-up to frequent litter basket collection to enforcement, 'New York's Strongest' will work with our partners at the NYPD and other city agencies around the clock here, and across the five boroughs, to address the quality-of-life concerns that matter to local residents."

"Our clean-up efforts on 14th Street reaffirm the NYPD's commitment to improving quality of life in this city and our duty to keep the community safe," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell. "We appreciate and welcome the opportunity to once again work with our partner agencies to address complaints we have received about public safety and quality-of-life issues as we work to create a long-term solution that will benefit the neighborhood."

In 2023, Mayor Adams launched the Community Link initiative, spearheaded by First Deputy Mayor Wright and Deputy Mayor Banks. Community Link brings together different city departments and agencies with the community and business leaders to address complex and often chronic community complaints, including public safety and persistent quality-of-life issues, that require a multi-agency response. Participating city agencies include:

• DHS (under DSS)
• DOHMH
• DSNY
• Fire Department of the City of New York
• Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health
• New York City Department of Buildings
• New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
• New York City Department of Environmental Protection
• New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
• New York City Department of Small Business Services
• New York City Department of Transportation
• NYPD
• Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York

Since its inception, Community Link has already convened five community improvement coalitions throughout the five boroughs. Over the last 18 months, Community Link has responded to over 800 complaints and conducted over 600 operations to address quality-of-life concerns raised by the communities they serve.

"Recent crimes and quality of life issues have made this stretch of 14th Street a significant area of concern for the residents of my district as well as for me and other elected officials who represent the area. My colleagues and I have been working with city agencies and community leaders to address these concerns and I believe that the launch of the 14th Street Community Improvement Coalition will facilitate continued strong collaboration, aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of the community," said New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh. "With a dedicated focus on addressing issues as they arise and the establishment of direct communication channels with local businesses, we are taking proactive steps to enhance the quality of life on 14th Street and foster a thriving environment for all. I thank the mayor, all the city agencies we've been working with, and Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who has shown great leadership in convening stakeholders and bringing forth this initiative."

"This is a welcome approach to addressing the overlapping issues of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health challenges," said New York State Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. Since the pandemic, most communities face this constellation of problems that seem intractable and give the general public a sense of disorder. It is crucial to address these multiple issues with a coordinated response, and I am pleased to see this multi-agency effort to connect those in need to critical services while securing the safety and comfort of residents and small business owners in our neighborhoods. I thank Mayor Adams and his administration for this focus on 14th Street."

"Over the past several years, I have worked with local elected officials to encourage the mayor's office to take action to address the challenges in this portion of the neighborhood," said New York State Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. "We all deserve to feel safe in our neighborhood and we must develop long-term solutions to address the series of issues we have confronted on 14th Street. I look forward to continuing to partner with Mayor Adams to make our community safer and address the root causes of violence."

"Today we launch a historic '14th Street Community Improvement Coalition' to address quality of life on East 14th Street, a bustling corridor that has faced tremendous challenges since the pandemic," said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. "In June, two people were hospitalized and one died from stabbings in broad daylight, showing the human toll of the crisis. We will not accept this for even one more day and are springing into action with our multi-agency coalition. We are unleashing a comprehensive approach to beautify the neighborhood, crack down on crimes like illegal vending and retail theft, close unlicensed cannabis shops, and get people facing homelessness and substance abuse off the streets and into supportive housing. I am proud of my contributions, passing the SMOKEOUT Act to give cannabis enforcement power to the city, which has already padlocked multiple smoke shops on 14th Street. We are also siting a new $1 million Mobile Command Center on 14th Street, one of many responsible investments in our Adopted Budget. Together, we are going to bring unprecedented safety, vitality, and prosperity to one of New York City's most popular corridors."

"We've seen this type of multiagency coordination effort work well across the city, and it's clear we need it here. From public safety to quality-of-life, to public health issues, East 14th Street is increasingly facing challenges that require innovative and holistic solutions," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. "I'm grateful to Mayor Adams and Councilmembers Rivera and Powers for their leadership to curb this crisis."