From the Queens Theatre, Mayor Eric Adams detailed his agenda and the speech reassured some of the attendees.
“It was a strong speech, I think that highlighted his mission for New Yorkers,” said Ruben Diaz Jr., a former Bronx borough president.
Among his plans is to connect 30,000 New Yorkers with apprenticeship programs.
And he wants to return to Albany to support a proposal to get nearly 1,700 repeat offenders off the streets.
“Next year is about expanding the vision of what we can do and what we will do.
“There is no way to stop the greatest city in the world,” the mayor wrote in a message on social networks, quoting phrases from his speech.
This coming year is about expanding that vision of what we can get done, and what we will get done.
There's no stopping the world's greatest city. #SOTC2023 pic.twitter.com/y2ge0XcxgL
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 27, 2023
The mayor also committed to a greener city, launching the largest composting program in the country and working to make Uber and Lyft’s fleet electric by 2030.
Adams talked about creating more rent-stable housing in Midtown Manhattan, where current zoning only allows office space.
“Manhattan has a tremendous shortage of affordable housing more than anywhere else. But there is one resource available, which is buildings that are already vacant. To free them up we’re going to turn them into affordable housing, tremendous opportunity,” Mark said Levin, Manhattan Borough President.
He also announced a pilot plan for free Internet to about 650 Section 8 homes in the Bronx and northern Manhattan, in neighborhoods including Washington Heights and Harlem.
And of course, he talked about the immigration crisis and the lack of federal aid. The mayor pushed for a new initiative so that homeless people living in the city’s shelter system can get health insurance.
“And it’s important because health can’t wait. Especially if people come without their medicines, or without attention to their chronic diseases,” said Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Outside, on the other hand, a group of immigrants asked Adams for more stable housing.
Jean Carlo Garcia said, “Let them try now that those of us who have completed more than 90 days in the shelter system can move us to permanent homes, with this issue of controlled rent.”
The current state of Rikers prison was another point of protest.
Some elected officials and activists expressed concern that the mayor did not provide a solution to the issue.
“And Riker’s Island is one of the most dangerous places and it’s not doing the job it should be doing, but right now I hope the mayor will change his tune and come with us to close Riker’s Island,” he said. . , Brooklyn Borough President.
Adams congratulated New Yorkers for being unwavering pillars in the recovery process following this pandemic, adding that this is just the beginning and nothing will stop the world’s greatest city.
