Eric Adams Announces Community Development Coalition for 14th Street – Telemundo New York (47)

NEW YORK – On Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other city officials announced a multi-agency law enforcement strategy targeting 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A in Lower Manhattan to improve the safety of the protect the public and improve the quality of life.

As part of the Adams administration’s Community Engagement initiative, the 14th Street Community Development Coalition is the result of an ongoing partnership between the Adams administration and community partners to address recent neighborhood decline, and is supported from a $1 million investment for a new Mobile Command Center. to be located on 14th Street, secured as part of the $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget approved in June.

“When we took office, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy and make our city more accessible and livable, and the 14th Street Community Development Coalition addresses precisely to these concerns, improving the quality of life and making the East Town safer. “, said Mayor Adams. “Our administration does not and does not accept a progressive environment. That is why our multi-agency approach, working in partnership with local elected officials and community members, keeping our streets safe and our businesses thriving, and we’re already seeing the impact: Crime is down in the 9th and 13th Precincts this year that, our efforts build on a $1 million investment in the new NYPD Mobile Command Center, which will maintain a visible presence and enable the needs of communities.

The multi-agency coalition works to address a variety of public safety issues, including illegal sales, retail theft, substance abuse, mental health crises, aesthetics, heavy scaffolding that creates quality of life issues, stores unlicensed cannabis and more.

Over the past few weeks, multi-agency teams have been deployed to conduct rounds to see issues in real time and speak to local community members and businesses on the ground.

They have also identified specific people in the area who may need links to services, such as housing or health care, and refer them to the relevant city agency or service provider. Additionally, to facilitate direct lines of communication between the community and the police, the 9th and 13th Police Districts have established a WhatsApp chat with business owners in the East 14th Street Corridor to report issues and address them in real time and offer a single channel to respond to them. community concerns.

“Residents and business operators of 14th Street deserve to feel safe, and city agencies are working to protect this corridor from crime and disorder,” said a New York City Councilwoman. , Carlina Rivera. “This area welcomes local families, visitors and travelers every day, and the various quality of life issues that affect the community deserve services. effective, sustainable and improved outcomes. Together, we must continue to work to help each other and address our challenges with meaningful and compassionate solutions.”

The community is served by the 9th and 13th Police Districts, where officers have worked diligently and collaboratively to reduce crime and address community concerns. Overall, serious crimes in District 9 have decreased 29.1 percent so far this year, from 1,058 crimes reported in 2023 to 750 reported this year. Overall, serious crimes in the 13th District have decreased 6.8 percent so far this year, from 1,016 crimes reported in 2023 to 947 this year. While the community has seen these significant declines in crime, recent events are still a source of concern for the community.

To address this issue, the Adams administration has taken concrete steps and will continue to do so:

• Conduct weekly NYPD operations to deal with homeless encampments, vendors, and people in need of assistance.
• Designate an NYPD footprint dedicated to addressing quality of life issues and maintaining a visible presence on the 14th Street commercial corridor.
• Apply moving lights to maintain visibility.
• Repair trash cans on all three DSNY shifts each day and address homeless encampments.
• Use DSNY’s graffiti removal crews to remove graffiti on private property.
• Ensure mental health units and homeless service teams are available to support individuals in need of mental health assistance through DOHMH and DHS.

The 14th Street Community Development Consortium will also invest $1 million for a new, secure Mobile Command Center in the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget The vehicle will initially be parked near 14th Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A , and the NYPD flexibility to move the unit as circumstances demand.

The Mobile Command Center will be staffed by uniformed NYPD officers and will serve as a central hub for law enforcement operations in the area. You will have the ability to communicate and coordinate between officers, ensuring efficient and effective responses to all types of quality of life situations, criminal incidents and major incidents.

“The community concerns we face along the 14th Street corridor show that quality of life issues are just as important to the police and our partners as serious crime, which has decreased this year both in terms of -local and citywide,” said Commissioner Cabán of the New York Police Department. “Public safety is a shared responsibility, and our coordinated multi-agency strategy to improve conditions and the This neighborhood revitalization assures New Yorkers that every person and every business in every community matters.”

Since its inception, Community Link has already convened five community development coalitions across the five cities. In the past 18 months, Community Link has responded to over 800 complaints and undertaken over 600 activities to address quality of life concerns raised by the communities it serves.

“Improving safety, quality of life and viability must start with health and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthier and longer life,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Vasan. “By listening to community Lower Manhattan and connecting those who need access to high-quality care and services for mental and physical well-being, we’re doing just that.”