Mayor Adams Outlines Plans for Housing, Closing Illegal Cannabis Shops, and Job Creation in Third State of the City Speech

(New York Daily News/TNS) – In his third State of the City speech since becoming mayor two years ago, Mayor Eric Adams outlined several new initiatives Wednesday that he said will build on his push to make New York “safer” and more prosperous.

Adams’ speech, delivered at Hostos Community College in the Bronx, featured policy prescriptions that included a plan to create a Tenant Protection Cabinet focused on guarding against hostile landlords, a push to build more than 10,000 units of affordable housing on city land, the creation and refurbishment of several skate parks throughout the Big Apple and a directive designating social media a public health crisis.

Adams also mentioned the creation of a department to tackle e-bike and moped safety, and hinted at the creation of an agency focused on the city’s growing number of delivery workers across the city, and expressed a vision for a “harbor of the future” he says will create jobs.

He also introduced a plan to cut down the length of time disciplinary cases against officers are opened by half.

Some of his proposals, including a plan to close illegal cannabis shops proliferating the city and building more housing across the five boroughs, require state approval.

The speech comes a year ahead of Adams’ re-election run — a race that’s increasingly likely to feature a challenge from one or more fellow Democrats.

Before his address, Adams’ team played a video entitled, “The Blue-Collar Mayor Who Is Getting Stuff Done.” The hype video featured some of Adams’ political allies, including New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat and State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, listing off some of the milestones of his administration, like a decrease in some crime categories in 2023 as compared to the year before.

“Our city has gotten safer,” Adams said in his speech before the college’s packed auditorium on the Grand Concourse.

The address also came as he faces severe headwinds on several fronts.

Adams has vetoed bills that aim to ban solitary confinement in city jails and to document every interaction police have with civilians, which has created controversy among elected officials. 

The mayor has weathered attacks over his handling of the migrant crisis as well.