Introduction to PATH
Mayor Eric Adams charged on Thursday that his administration has made massive strides in getting those living with homelessness out of the subway system, even as some critics say the impact has been minor.
Photo by Dean Moses
The PATH Program
Mayor Eric Adams charged on Thursday that his administration has made massive strides in getting those living with homelessness out of the subway system, even as some critics say the impact has been minor. Hizzoner made the announcement at the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station on March 20 while standing alongside NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta and NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. Adams lauded the Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness program (PATH) for engaging with 11,000 unhoused New Yorkers since being implemented in August 2024. He also stated that outreach workers have given shelter, meals, and medical treatment over 3,000 times.
The Impact of PATH
“Allowing people to sleep in our subway system, allowing people to sleep on our streets — it’s just inhumane, and we were unwilling to just walk by our fellow brothers and sisters and see them suffering with mental health issues and act like it does not exist,” Adams said. “PATH is our innovative way to ensure that we use all of our resources to tackle this problem.” The program also includes the NYPD Transit Bureau, which, along with assisting the outreach teams, has issued 290 summonses and removed 911 people from the transit system for violating quality of life conditions.
“Allowing people to sleep in our subway system, allowing people to sleep on our streets — it’s just inhumane, and we were unwilling to just walk by our fellow brothers and sisters and see them suffering with mental health issues and act like it does not exist,” Adams said.
Photo by Dean Moses
Challenges and Criticisms
Chief Gulotta also pointed out that police have been attempting to zero in on subway recidivists to return to the bowels of the city to commit crimes. “The Mayor and Police Commissioner put a lot of resources in transit to keep people safe. We made sure we moved them to where they were needed, the platforms and on the trains,” Gulotta said. Despite championing the immersive number of individuals the program has reached, some recent reports indicate that very few end up receiving long-term housing. According to a report by The City news site, of the 955 people whom the outlet tracked who were living on the streets and subways and approved for supportive housing, just 175 of them received a place to live.
Public Perception
Some riders have also made several complaints to amNewYork in recent weeks about the state of mental health in the New York Subway system, stating that despite the numbers, they often see those suffering in plain sight. Still, the mayor looked to ensure the public that his administration was making a difference. “I understand New Yorkers are feeling that way. That’s why we decided not to ignore it,” Mayor Adams said. “I understand New York is feeling that way. But trust me, you look at the numbers, it shows that what we were doing is actually working.”
“The Mayor and Police Commissioner put a lot of resources in transit to keep people safe. We made sure we moved them to where they were needed, the platforms and on the trains,” Gulotta said.
Photo by Dean Moses
Call to Action
Meanwhile, the Coalition for the Homeless, along with the Community Service Society, The Legal Aid Society, and VOCAL-NY, are asking mayoral candidates to prioritize addressing the homeless crisis for any potential incoming administration. “For too long, mayors and mayoral candidates have promised to address New York City’s longstanding homelessness crisis, and yet year after year, administration after administration, the crisis only persists and worsens,” said David Jones, president and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for the Homeless, along with the Community Service Society, The Legal Aid Society, and VOCAL-NY, are asking mayoral candidates to prioritize addressing the homeless crisis for any potential incoming administration.
Photo by Dean Moses
“I understand New Yorkers are feeling that way. That’s why we decided not to ignore it,” Mayor Adams said. “I understand New York is feeling that way. But trust me, you look at the numbers, it shows that what we were doing is actually working.”
Photo by Dean Moses
Conclusion
The PATH program has made significant strides in addressing homelessness in the subway system, but there is still much work to be done. While the program has engaged with 11,000 unhoused New Yorkers and provided shelter, meals, and medical treatment, critics argue that the impact has been minor and that long-term housing solutions are needed.
FAQs
Q: What is the PATH program?
A: The Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness program (PATH) is an initiative aimed at addressing homelessness in the subway system.
Q: How many people has the PATH program engaged with?
A: The PATH program has engaged with 11,000 unhoused New Yorkers since its implementation in August 2024.
Q: What services does the PATH program provide?
A: The PATH program provides shelter, meals, and medical treatment to those in need.
Q: What are the criticisms of the PATH program?
A: Critics argue that the program has had a minor impact and that long-term housing solutions are needed.
Q: What is the Coalition for the Homeless calling for?
A: The Coalition for the Homeless is calling for mayoral candidates to prioritize addressing the homeless crisis in any potential incoming administration.
