New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) held a press briefing on new green spaces in New York City.
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00:00They don't know when we say we outside.
00:03It's good to see some of you.
00:09Another wonderful day out in New York.
00:13And if you have not acknowledged, we are outside.
00:17And we want to continue to have New York be the best place where we can raise children and families
00:25and delivering in so many ways from affordable housing to public safety.
00:31A nice landmark this week, you know, the no shootings on Sunday before Memorial Day.
00:39That is, I think, the first time in recorded history.
00:42First time in recorded history.
00:44Just goes to show you the job that we're continuing to do.
00:48Our we outside logo is something significant to give more reasons to be outside this summer.
00:56We are going to make it an attractive place over the coming weeks and months.
01:01We'll be rolling out new investments, announcements, and programming to ensure every New Yorker has a safe and enjoyable summer.
01:09We know what happens across the country during the summer months.
01:12You see an uptick in violence, and we are going to do all that is possible to make sure that's not going to happen.
01:20And today we're going to start off, today we're announcing a new effort to turn vacant, abandoned lots into parks,
01:29bringing more green spaces to neighborhoods across New York City that don't currently have access to them.
01:36And we're going to use the ULIP process to do it.
01:39ULIP applications is going to make possible for us to get stuff built in our Get Stuff Built initiative.
01:47And $30 million in funding, we've begun laying the groundwork to purchase and revitalize potential parks across New York City.
01:58And earlier this month, we submitted ULIP applications for the first two community districts included in this initiative,
02:07Brooklyn Community District 5, which includes East New York and Cypress Hill,
02:13and Queens Community District 3, which includes Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, and Corona.
02:21These two applications cover 44 total sites across both community districts,
02:28and that could be transformed into green space to serve thousands of additional New Yorkers.
02:35While not every site included in the application will be acquired,
02:40successful ULIP application will allow our Parks Department to acquire the sites as long as there is a willing private seller.
02:51So we're not taking sites from people.
02:53If there are willing private sellers, there's a potentiality to get a park built on them or a green space.
03:02Great example of government working hard to cut red tape, think creatively,
03:07and delivering more green spaces to areas most in need across the five boroughs.
03:13And also, it builds on the work our administration has done to expand access to parks.
03:18Since taking office, we've added over 86 acres of parkland across New York City,
03:25putting parks within 10-minute walk of an additional 37,000 New Yorkers.
03:31We are close to reaching our goal.
03:33I think we're at 85.
03:36We're at 84% of New Yorkers who are walking distance of a park.
03:42We want to get to 85 by 2030, and we're moving in the right direction.
03:46In addition to the $30 million committed to transform vacant lots,
03:50we previously spent $50 million to acquire new open parkland to the public since coming into office.
03:58Parks are important.
03:59They play a crucial role in the peacefulness of our communities where people can gather
04:07and really not only cross-pollinate in the flowers but cross-pollinate in communities.
04:12And so let me open up a few questions.
04:15We have the deputy commissioner that's here, but I'll open up a few questions if you want on this issue,
04:21and then we move on to our off-topics.
04:23Any questions?
04:26Would the Elizabeth Street Garden be potentially looked at for this effort?
04:32I'm sorry, say it again.
04:33Would the Elizabeth Street Garden be looked at to be turned into a public park with this effort?
04:39Nothing has changed on Elizabeth Street Garden.
04:41If something changed, you'll be the first.
04:43I will seek you out.
04:44I will come to Room 9 and find you and give you any changes that are made.
04:51If you let me inside, I will be there to give you that question before anyone else gets it.
05:01I should do a day in Room 9.
05:03You know that?
05:04Just sitting down, hanging out with you all.
05:06I know some of you guys do cannabis.
05:08I can smell it.
05:11So, no, I'm going to do a day in Room 9.
05:14You know that?
05:15Okay, FDM.
05:19Yes.
05:23I just want to thank our park crew that's here to keep our parks clean and safe.
05:29Thank you so much.
05:30Appreciate you guys.
05:31Okay?
05:41We talked about the other day what we're doing at our summer safety plan.
05:47We're clear not only on our beaches, using our drones, using coordination, the entire team, parks, NYPD, FDNY, our lifeguards.
05:56The goal is really to have a safe summer.
06:01And not only safety from violence, but safety safe from traffic crashes, safe from a mother or dad being notified that they lost a loved one from drowning.
06:12So it's a full frontal approach to making sure the city is going to be safe this summer.
06:17And the NYPD's new quality of life division is going to have an additional 1,500 officers that are going to go after those petty quality of life issues that really irritate New Yorkers.
06:31So we're going to be extra vigilant in removing impaired drivers from our city streets.
06:38We're going to be extra vigilant in making sure that we have a safe summer.
06:43We're going to be extra vigilant in making sure that we have a safe summer.
06:48We're going to be extra vigilant in making sure that we have a safe summer.
06:53We're going to be extra vigilant in making sure that we have a safe summer.
06:58We're going to be extra vigilant in making sure that we have a safe summer.
07:03The NYPD, FDNY, and NYSEM will coordinate daily beach safety operations across the city.
07:1014 miles of beaches to ensure that we have proper safety.
07:15But we want to encourage people to not swim when lifeguards are off duty.
07:21That happens far too often.
07:23As well as we're going to enhance our harbor, New York Harbor, to conduct their patrols.
07:30Additionally, we are expanding youth programs during the summer evening.
07:34Especially through our Saturday night lights initiatives and more to keep our young people off the streets.
07:40Lastly, future of 5th Avenue.
07:43Really excited about this project.
07:44$400 million as part of our best budget ever plan.
07:48Many people don't really understand that 5th Avenue is more than a place where people spend money.
07:55They are the economic engine for the outer borough as well.
07:59Billions of dollars in taxes and revenues.
08:03It just really empowers our outer boroughs.
08:07So the redesign along the stretch of 5th Avenue will expand city sidewalks by 46%.
08:16Shorten pedestrian crosses by a third.
08:19Reduce the number of traffic lanes from five to three.
08:23And add plantings and lighting to make it a more walkable, greener, safer.
08:28People spend money when they're able to utilize the walkway as they desire.
08:34The project represents the first major design to the avenue's 200-year history.
08:42And our investment will cement this iconic corridor status.
08:47What is more, this redesign is projected to pay for itself in less than five years through increased property and sale tax initiatives.
08:56So let's move on.
08:58Let's grab a few questions.
09:04How are you, Marsha?
09:06That was a good interview you did with Randy.
09:10I should do a weekly show, Randy.
09:15Yes, Marsha.
09:19Mr. Mayor, last Wednesday, a 20-year-old asylum seeker who was in the country illegally,
09:27he was a student at a Bronx high school.
09:30He was arrested when he went for his regular court hearing on his asylum seeker application.
09:37They didn't have a criminal record of charging against him.
09:40He entered the country illegally.
09:42But ICE put him up in alleys and, you know, being shuffled from one ICE detention center to the other around the country.
09:49How is that acceptable for a student at a New York City high school with no criminal record to be picked up by ICE and deported in an expedited fashion?
10:01And what does that say to the immigrants here who are afraid to use city services?
10:05Well, first, I want to be extremely clear.
10:08That did not happen in the school.
10:11We don't coordinate with ICE on civil enforcement.
10:15So you know what we know.
10:17People should really understand that this was not in the school building.
10:23We don't know what was the outcome of the court case.
10:25You show up to hearings.
10:27You show up to hearings for a reason.
10:28Something happens during those hearings.
10:30We're not responsible for them.
10:32We're not in charge of them.
10:33And so I think that that's a question that should be referred to federal authorities,
10:37because you know more than we know, because we don't coordinate with that.
10:40I'm just wondering, given your relationship with Tom Holman, if you might be able to talk to him to review this case,
10:46because on the surface of it, it seems like they jumped the gun.
10:51Well, we have to be extremely careful because the New York City council laws are limited on what coordination I can do.
10:59And so sometimes there's a blessing and there's a curse.
11:02We don't know what happened at that hearing.
11:05As I stated, you know more than we know.
11:08What we want to be clear, it did not happen in the school building, which I say to parents all the time, have your children go to school.
11:18Again, we don't know the outcome of the case.
11:20I don't know what the case was about.
11:21And I'm not allowed to coordinate with them.
11:23And I'm going to follow the law.
11:24You know me.
11:25I don't break laws.
11:26I follow the law.
11:29What's happening?
11:30I wonder, off-march this question, is there any message you'd want to share with the undocumented students and families in the city's public school system?
11:42Do you think this is a message of, like, I'm protecting you, you're safe to go to school, you're safe to utilize the city's resources,
11:51when you have a student who did use the resources in the city in some way and was detained?
11:58Well, how could I be any clearer?
12:00It didn't happen in school.
12:02I'm telling children to go to school.
12:05Be in school.
12:06We have not had ICE raids in our school.
12:08We have not had ICE raids in our churches.
12:10We have not had ICE raids in our hospitals.
12:12We have not had ICE raids at places of business.
12:15Everywhere I'm telling people to go, I'm living up to what I shared with them.
12:20And so if you or anyone is telling children not to go to school because of something that happened in court, that's the wrong thing to do.
12:29Every child needs to be in school.
12:31If they're not in school, they could be the victim of sex trafficking, harassment, of violence.
12:36Children should be in school.
12:38I told parents that, and I lived up to that.
12:40We have had no raids in our schools.
12:44My second question is, can you confirm you'll be attending this crypto conference in Las Vegas?
12:49Can I confirm?
12:51You'll be attending this crypto conference in Las Vegas.
12:54Well, you know I'm a crypto guy, and when we put out a public schedule, you get it.
12:58We always try to let you guys know everywhere that I am.
13:01And so once that's determined, they put out a public schedule.
13:05Hello, Mr. Mayor.
13:06Monica.
13:07Mr. Mayor, I have two questions.
13:08Yes.
13:09The first one, I would like to ask for your reaction.
13:13An NYPD officer of duty, Sergeant Sebastian Heider, intervened to protect a nine-year-old girl.
13:20His finger was bitten off by the suspect.
13:22And last week, the police announced charges for that suspect.
13:27Just your reaction on that intervention of that police officer, who happened to be a Polish descent.
13:34Well, first of all, it was a horrific incident, just as the incident that happened last week.
13:41I think it was Friday, where two individuals robbed an officer, then stomped on his head.
13:48And his injuries are serious.
13:50And so with some, you know, getting your fingers bit off, been shooting at our officers,
13:56there's just this increase of lack of respect for the uniform.
14:02And when you disrespect the uniform, you're disrespecting our symbol of public safety.
14:09And you're disrespecting that which we hold dear.
14:12And so I'm happy the DA took action.
14:15They should be held accountable.
14:17And we're going to find the two individuals who assaulted an officer who was in uniform, coming from a detail.
14:26And what they did was horrific and the same.
14:31When you, you know, carry that level of violence, you must be held accountable.
14:37The second question, Mr. Mayor.
14:39The New York City Tourist Agency predicts a $4 billion loss in tourist revenue for this year.
14:45Are you concerned with that at all?
14:47Why is that, you think?
14:49And do you think that this global campaign that New York City is invested in will offset that?
14:55What's your reaction? You're starting the summer season officially, basically.
14:58Yeah, we're going to bounce back.
15:00We had a huge increase after COVID.
15:03You get some of this turmoil and then all of a sudden things settle down.
15:07Our numbers are going to be impressive.
15:09We had the second largest number of tourists in the city's history last year.
15:14Our Broadway plays are opening.
15:16They're live and they're well.
15:18You move throughout the city, you see that people still want to come to New York.
15:22This is the hottest ticket on the globe.
15:24And we're bouncing back.
15:25We're going to get to the numbers that we projected.
15:28I was just notified that we made an arrest in the incident where the officer was assaulted on the weekend.
15:36And we're going to find both people involved.
15:38There were two individuals that were involved.
15:43What's going on?
15:44I just wanted to circle back on Marcia and Josie's question.
15:47So you've said you've supported the sanctuary city laws because it will allow people,
15:52undocumented or what have you, to come forward to deal with police and go to court and do those things.
15:57Do you fear this kind of deportation or detaining of a school kid who was doing the proper thing, going through the court system?
16:04Do you think this will motivate them or push them to not go through the proper channels?
16:08First, the sanctuary city is not a law.
16:14It's a concept.
16:15You're in the city.
16:16You have the right to get the things that your tax dollars pay for.
16:21If someone buys a loaf of bread, they pay taxes.
16:23So with those tax dollars, they should have a right to have their child educated.
16:27They should have a right to go to the hospital if they're sick and all the other things that I've stated over and over again.
16:33So your question is do you think I think it would discourage?
16:35No, I don't.
16:36We don't know what happened in court, what caused this action.
16:40And you have to speak to the federal authorities.
16:42I don't know how I could be any clearer.
16:44Federal authorities handle ICE.
16:46I don't control the borders.
16:48I must make sure people who are in the city receive the services that their tax dollars pay for.
16:53And that's what we do every day.
16:55Mr. Mayor, I wanted to ask about a 19-year-old, Merwell Gutierrez, that The City Undocumented reported.
17:01He was arrested for gun possession.
17:04He was not charged.
17:05And within a matter of 24 hours, he ended up in federal custody.
17:09He was in an NYPD precinct.
17:11Then he was handed off to the FBI and ICE.
17:14And he's currently at CCOP.
17:16And this is an example where the NYPD was involved.
17:19Can you give us a little bit more information about what happened in this case?
17:23And are you concerned that cooperation with federal authorities, like in a case like this,
17:27might inadvertently result in immigration enforcement like we saw here?
17:31Again, he's in CCOP right now.
17:32I'm sorry.
17:33So in the case you said he was not charged with a gun?
17:35He was not.
17:36He was arrested.
17:37Police charged him with a gun.
17:39And within 24 hours, he was in ICE custody.
17:41I want to follow this back because you're moving too fast for me.
17:44OK.
17:45Was he arrested with a gun?
17:48He was never charged or prosecuted.
17:50Was he charged by the police for carrying a gun?
17:53He was charged with—there were three charges.
17:56Was he charged with carrying a gun?
17:58That's just—
17:59Not carrying.
18:00No, it's a third-degree possession.
18:01OK, possession.
18:02So carrying means possession.
18:04You have to possess it to carry.
18:06OK, so let me share this with you.
18:08The lesson is don't carry a gun.
18:11That's what the lesson is.
18:12So if you want to go into the other part of the lesson, you can do that.
18:15That's the federal job.
18:16My lesson is don't carry a gun.
18:18Are you saying that without a conviction, you are certain that he had a gun on him?
18:23No.
18:24This is what I'm sharing with—
18:25It's a process, right?
18:26Like, I feel like you had some legal troubles recently.
18:29This is what I'm sharing with you.
18:32I trust my police officers.
18:34They arrested you for carrying a gun.
18:36They did their job.
18:37If the federal authorities want to do something else, that's up to them.
18:40But the real lesson here, and which I'm surprised at,
18:43you're not outraged that the guy was carrying a gun?
18:45I'm not outraged that he—
18:47So I'm on the side of New Yorkers that get upset with people that carry guns.
18:52You on the side of New Yorkers that feel that for whatever reason he didn't get everything he wanted?
18:56OK, that's fine.
18:57I'm not on that side.
18:58He should not have been carrying a gun.
19:00Are you thinking he should be in CCOT, even though—
19:02I don't handle the federal authorities.
19:03I can't make that clear.
19:04I don't know why people can't fully grasp that immigration enforcement
19:11is the job of federal authorities, not the mayor.
19:15My job is to take dangerous people off the street.
19:19That's what my police officers did.
19:21They took a person off the street that they charged with carrying a gun.
19:30Mr. Mayor, I want to follow up on some of the questions.
19:32You know, in general, you said that if you follow the law, you should be here in the city,
19:37that the whole point is to get this criminal element out of the city.
19:41But as we saw with the student who was following the law,
19:44what's your message to those immigrants that are here,
19:47that we tell them if they follow the law, they get to stay here,
19:49but then they follow the law, and then they get detained?
19:53My message to all immigrants, and documented and undocumented—
20:00I don't send out a different message.
20:02My message is the same. Follow the law.
20:04If the law was that you had to show up to court, follow the law.
20:07If the law is that you can't carry a gun, follow the law.
20:11We can't be clearer, and I'm interested that y'all are using all this time
20:17to talk about something without my span of control.
20:19I don't handle federal enforcement policies.
20:23Let's be clear on that.
20:24So it's not my opinion. It doesn't matter.
20:26I handle what happens in the city.
20:29You carry a gun, we're going to lock you up.
20:31You go to school, no one is going to throw you out of your classroom.
20:35You go to the hospital, no one is going to call ICE on you.
20:39You call the police because you need help,
20:40cops are not going to call federal authorities on you.
20:44That's my job.
20:45My job, once you leave outside the scope of my job,
20:48you need to go to those agencies that handle those.
20:51Tell me something, did anyone you call ICE?
20:53Duh.
20:56How about calling ICE?
20:58Why not call HSI, ICE, call all the federal authorities?
21:02Don't wait until Tuesday to ask me about questions that deal with other federal.
21:07I'm a city guy.
21:08I know it's hard for y'all to believe.
21:10I'm a city mayor.
21:12I'm not the federal mayor.
21:14I'm the city mayor.
21:15So if there's a question about processes that the federal authorities are doing
21:20or why this person was kept, shouldn't we call the federal authorities?
21:23Doesn't that make sense?
21:24Is it me?
21:25Is it too common sense for that?
21:27You know?
21:28Yes.
21:31A separate topic.
21:32Yes.
21:33I know last week you were asked about this and you didn't want to weigh in,
21:35but do you see any similarities between the DOJ investigation into Cuomo right now
21:40as he's running for mayor and your investigation from the DOJ?
21:44Do you see any similarities?
21:45Okay.
21:47First, do you guys realize that I'm hearing a lot of terms that people are saying
21:52about election interference?
21:55Do you realize that they were trying to have a trial with me during my election?
22:00I mean, do we realize that?
22:03Yes.
22:04Okay.
22:05And so y'all keep saying the unfairness of what's happening here.
22:10Not one of you said it was unfair what happened to me.
22:12Not one of you.
22:14No one stood up and said what they're doing to Eric Adams is wrong.
22:18So I'm not going to do to him what was done to me.
22:23Let him handle it.
22:24Let him speak to his lawyers.
22:26Let him, the DOJ, do what they have to do.
22:29I'm not going to do what everyone did to me and how my name was destroyed for 15 months.
22:36Destroyed.
22:37And everyone was popping up.
22:40All of a sudden they forgot due process.
22:42So I'm not going to do that.
22:44There's a process.
22:45Let the process go forward.
22:47And for those who say election interference, I believe Trump was on trial while he was
22:53running for president, unless I misread that.
22:57Biden said his Justice Department was politicized.
23:00I said it.
23:01Trump said it.
23:02Children, parents who were put on FBI wait lists because they were fighting for their
23:08children, they said it.
23:10Come on.
23:11Who are we kidding?
23:12No, I'm saying I'm not going to do to them what they did to me.
23:17In my book, I'll talk about this time.
23:20But you got to wait to read my book.
23:21What's happening?
23:22How are you?
23:23Good to see you.
23:24So I want to get your reaction to a very city topic.
23:25And it's also current.
23:26This morning, your former chief of staff, Frank Carone, posted on social media the following.
23:27It has been clear for some time to most reasonable New Yorkers that bike lanes first priority
23:43has gone too far.
23:44It's time to reset the entire bike infrastructure, which removes the presumption that they should
23:50be omnipresent.
23:51What do you think about that?
23:52Do you share that opinion?
23:54I love the fact that Frank is shares his opinions.
23:58I encourage him all the time.
23:59I said, you should tweet more and do more interviews because, you know, you have a good
24:04voice.
24:05Let's be clear on something.
24:06I ride a bike and I enjoy bike lanes.
24:09You think every New Yorker love him?
24:11You come on.
24:12Come on.
24:13You covered this for a long time.
24:14You covered this for a long time.
24:16Remember, remember when we remember when I did the bike lane on Classen Avenue and when
24:21we had the young lady who died and I was borough president and I did that bike lane
24:24there?
24:25I got a lot of hate mail.
24:26People were angry because I did it.
24:29There is no universal position on bike lanes.
24:32This is New York.
24:34I keep saying it, 8.5 million, 35 million opinion, five fingers, they love the middle
24:40one the most.
24:41That's just New York.
24:43And so Frank is one of those gritty, grown, young men, played little league baseball,
24:50went to the Marines, went on to law school.
24:53No one thought he could make it.
24:55He can make it.
24:56He's a gritty, opinionated New Yorker.
24:58And I encourage every New Yorker to share their opinion.
25:01Not everyone like bike lanes.
25:06Inside the house.
25:07He's not in the house anymore.
25:10It's not my opinion that matters.
25:11He shared his opinion.
25:13I like bike lanes.
25:14I like bike lanes.
25:16But have we put bike lanes in places where communities say we don't want them in?
25:22Have we done that?
25:23Yes.
25:24Have we superseded?
25:26And when I came into office, I told the DOT that you have to listen to communities and
25:33not just do what you want to do because if you put a bike lane somewhere where communities
25:39overwhelmingly don't want them, that's a problem.
25:42Like Williamsburg, you know, a little boy was almost hit, a child was almost hit in
25:47Williamsburg on a bike lane.
25:49We need to look at that and see do they have a legitimate complaint.
25:51I had a town hall in Williamsburg where people showed up and shared their opinion.
25:55So I think what many people don't understand is just because I like something doesn't mean
26:01everyone likes it.
26:03That's the difference between me and others.
26:06I listen to people.
26:09Mr. Mayor?
26:10How are you?
26:11Good.
26:12So last month, Andrew Cuomo at a private fundraiser told a group of Italian-American New Yorkers
26:20that when he becomes mayor, he's going to re-institute Columbus Day as a DOE holiday
26:28and he's going to move Indigenous Peoples Day to a different day.
26:32And I wanted to get your reaction on that, that DOE should bring Columbus Day back.
26:37He said it wasn't fair.
26:38Well, you know, Andrew would say anything.
26:48I'm going to take away tier six that he started.
26:52I'm going to reverse bail reform that he started.
26:57I mean, he would say anything, anything to get elected, to get back in office.
27:05That's just how he is.
27:08And so the rule, the procedure was passed under the previous administration.
27:14I march every year in the Columbus Day parade.
27:17Every year.
27:18And so when he walks in a room, he looks at the room, he says, what can I say to you that's
27:22going to get you to vote for me?
27:24That's just who he is.
27:27And so if he wants to change dates and move dates around, you know, that's just who he is.
27:37What's going on?
27:39This morning, the Rent Guidelines Board had a revote on their preliminary ranges.
27:44They ended up lowering the lower end for one year leases.
27:48Just wanted to get your reaction to that.
27:54Well, clearly, we said the ranges that they put out, this independent board put out was
28:01outside of the scope that we believe New Yorkers are hurting.
28:05I've been clear on this.
28:06And every time we do this dance each year, I've been extremely clear.
28:10We have to find a balance.
28:12Matter of fact, I'm getting ready to do a town hall with small property owners.
28:18You know, there needs to be a balance.
28:20It can't be too high.
28:21The range they had, I think they're going to 7.75%.
28:25That is just far too unreasonable.
28:27We need to find a sweet spot, especially for small property owners, that they don't lose
28:33their properties.
28:35And that's the role of the Rent Guidelines Board, hear both sides and come out with the
28:41right numbers.
28:42That's crucial.
28:44But then, this is an independent board.
28:46This board operates on its own.
28:49And we, as everyone else, we're advocates to make sure that we don't go too high on
28:54these increases.
28:55But we can't forget small property owners.
28:59So, I just had a follow-up.
29:01Yes.
29:02I mean, all of the Democratic candidates are saying rent freeze, rent freeze.
29:06And, I don't know, I mean, it seems very attractive to 2 million renters that, you
29:13know, are in these rent-stabilized apartments.
29:16And you're 100% right.
29:19It is an attractive thing to join the chorus.
29:24It's extremely attractive.
29:26But you know what?
29:27They're not talking to that 14-unit building owner who is crying because they're about
29:37to lose their building because everything went up.
29:42Heating went up.
29:43Electricity went up.
29:44Water rates went up.
29:46The cost of doing business.
29:49And then, because of the whole no-rent movement that happened over COVID, if you see the number
29:56of small property owners who have a 10-unit building and four of the tenants are not paying
30:03rent, we are hurting small property owners.
30:06And so, when you run around, you know, what do you say to Ms. Jones and Ms. Harris who
30:11came from the Caribbean and have this 10-unit building and three of their tenants are not
30:16paying rent?
30:17And they're told, you cannot have an increase.
30:20And that's the difference.
30:21When you are the mayor, you have to make tough choices.
30:25When you're running for mayor, you can just say whatever you want.
30:29This is a follow-up.
30:30We spoke to one of the small property owners that you mentioned.
30:33He owns like four stabilized units in Manhattan.
30:37And he said what is really killing them is sort of these unfunded mandates that the city
30:42has imposed on the carbon monoxide meters, on certain new building requirements, the
30:51trash cans, etc.
30:53He said that, you know, after he pays his property's mortgage, he's in the red, and
30:58then the city imposes all these extra things that they need to do that cost a lot of money.
31:03Without a doubt.
31:05Without a doubt.
31:06And you just reinforced what I said.
31:09You said, Eric, we have all of these things that they have to pay for and it costs a lot
31:13of money.
31:14Now, imagine having them, they have that cost and they cannot share the cost through their
31:19tenants.
31:20I'm saying no.
31:21We know you have new responsibilities that the city council is passing a lot of those
31:26responsibilities as well.
31:28And now you can't raise your rent by a modest rate to assist you.
31:32That's exactly what I'm talking about.
31:35We tend to forget them.
31:36They're not part of the equation.
31:38Broken class, middle class people.
31:40And you know what happens?
31:41They lose their property, large landlords come in and purchase those properties.
31:45And now you have a real problem.
31:47The heart and soul of this city, I think our number is about 700,000 small property owners,
31:54and their wealth is tied up into their home.
31:59My wealth is my home.
32:01That's how I was able to get Jordan's college tuition paid.
32:04That is how, that's what gives me a stable lifestyle.
32:07They lose that wealth, you're going to gut middle class New Yorkers.
32:11And they're not taken into account at all.
32:13So all those electives who are saying rent freeze, ask them, what do you say to the small property owner?
32:21Ten units.
32:22What do you say to them?
32:23They should not have to have that slight modification?
32:26Or better yet, if they're saying rent freeze, rent freeze, how about telling all of them,
32:31why don't we do a salary freeze?
32:33They shouldn't get another income from year to year to year.
32:36People walk into their boss's office every year and say, I need an increase to ensure that I can stay in the city.
32:42What about these small property owners?
32:44And that's what's important to me.
32:48What's going on, Dana?
32:52One of the reasons I think people are asking about this public school kid who was arrested by ICE
32:58is because he wasn't accused of any crimes.
33:00And I think he's the first known public school student or high school student in New York
33:05to be detained by ICE without having been accused of any crimes.
33:09So I'm just curious.
33:10Is there any scenario in which you would try to use the relationship you've developed with HSI,
33:17with Tom Homan, with Kristi Noem, to help a New York kid who is being detained by ICE
33:25without having been accused of any crimes?
33:30Well, I'm asking again.
33:32And I'm asking in a slightly different way.
33:35And I'm going to answer it again when you look at Marsha's story.
33:39You'll get my answer again.
33:41Go ahead.
33:43Two questions.
33:45How you been?
33:46It's always so good when I see you, man.
33:48I just feel like a kinship to you being in the audience.
33:53Two questions.
33:54You mentioned the summer programs.
33:56Do we have enough lifeguards to keep all the ocean beaches open and bring back the swimming programs for the youths?
34:04I think we only had one in all of Manhattan, one pool, the last couple of years.
34:09The numbers are June 4th.
34:12We're putting out the numbers on what we have.
34:14I know we had a substantial increase last year in our lifeguards.
34:19I think it was like an over 40 percent increase in the new recruitment of lifeguards.
34:25And we're looking to do that again.
34:27Our goal is really to make sure we have all our beaches covered.
34:32Iris and her team, they're doing a great job.
34:34But they'll do an official announcement of where we are with our lifeguards.
34:38But it's not too late.
34:39We want strong young men like yourself to volunteer and be on the beach and grab a ray and a tan.
34:48We were at 930 lifeguards last year.
34:52And we're looking to reach those numbers.
34:54So we're going to do an official announcement.
34:56One other question on the bicycle criminalization.
35:00Do you feel that's working?
35:01There's some Reddits.
35:03Even bikers are saying they're not sure.
35:05Someone was still breaking the laws.
35:08Now the worry is it's going to start clogging up criminal court because all these people have to go to court
35:15to actually plead guilty or not guilty, take a day off from work.
35:19So do you think the bicycle criminalization is working?
35:22Or will there be some changes down the road?
35:25It's early.
35:26I have not attended one town hall, one older adult town hall where this topic has not come up.
35:35People feel our streets have reached a level of reckless driving.
35:39You know, we look at what happened to Michael Miller, one of our Jewish leaders.
35:44He was struck and had serious damage to his legs.
35:50So we have to get everything from the mopeds to the bikes, everyone who is not following the law.
35:59Everyone must follow the law.
36:01People don't realize that the rules for bikes and mopeds are the same.
36:09A lot of our focus on Vision Zero, a lot of our focus on uptick in enforcement has solely focused on cars.
36:17That's been our primary focus going after the four wheels.
36:22For cities and streets to be safe, all wheels must follow the law.
36:28And our pedestrians, you know, crossing.
36:31You know, there was a saying back when I was growing up, cross at the green and not in between.
36:36You know, true safe streets involve all those who use the streets.
36:42Our focus for far too long, it has solely been on cars.
36:48We need to look at the bikes.
36:50We need to look at the mopeds.
36:51We need to look at the three wheelers which should not be on our streets.
36:54And we took over 80,000 illegal vehicles, many of them cars and scooters.
37:00And so now we're saying everyone must be part of the street safety game.
37:06That is how you get street safety.
37:08If you are struck by a car or bike or moped, there's no consolation if you lose a loved one or seriously injured.
37:18And we're going to do just that.
37:19Everyone must be part of the street safety game.