Mayor Mamdani Acts to Safeguard NYC Before Cold Snap
TODAY, ahead of the coldest night of the winter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced additional emergency actions to expand shelter and warming facility capacity across the city and bring vulnerable New Yorkers indoors.
On Friday night, the Mamdani administration accelerated the opening of 48 new safe haven beds in the Bronx for homeless people who are resistant to traditional shelter settings. The expansion was carried out with support from the Department of Social Services and the Department of Buildings.
The administration has also deployed more than 150 additional outreach workers - supplementing the more than 400 Department of Homeless Services outreach staff already working around the clock - to conduct direct street outreach throughout the weekend. More than 50 school nurses have also been deployed. Since January 19th, the city has made more than 1,300 shelter placements and involuntarily transported 29 New Yorkers.
On Saturday, the Department of Education announced it is supporting the opening of two additional warming centers - one in Far Rockaway and one in Washington Heights - in addition to the 10 reopened school-based warming centers announced Friday by the mayor.
In response to community concerns, Mayor Mamdani also directed city agencies to increase the size and visibility of signage and labeling on warming vehicles and at warming centers across all five boroughs.
Earlier today, Mayor Mamdani travelled to Staten Island to thank firefighters and emergency medical service workers for their efforts to keep New Yorkers safe and warm. City workers and partners continue operating with a heightened capacity to bring people indoors as temperatures drop.
"The temperature tonight will be the coldest we have seen all winter," said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. "If you are still outside, please come inside. Being outdoors for even a brief period of time can be lethal. City government is doing everything in its power to keep vulnerable New Yorkers safe and warm during this winter weather crisis. The cold is persistent, but so is this city. Let's keep looking out for one another. Stay safe. Check on your neighbors. And if you see someone in need, please call 311."
Today's announcement builds on emergency actions announced Friday, including:
· The expedited opening of 64 new hotel shelter units in Queens.
· Operation of nearly 65 warming facilities citywide throughout the weekend.
· Expansion of NYC Health + Hospitals' mobile warming outreach initiative to 33 mobile units. The program has already engaged nearly 3,000 vulnerable New Yorkers, provided more than 1,000 clinical consultations, and distributed essential supplies, including blankets, warm clothing, socks, warm meals, and water, to more than 80% of those engaged.
· A pilot "peer outreach" initiative through DHS deploying formerly homeless New Yorkers to conduct street outreach and build trust with people still outside.
· A citywide message campaign in partnership with LinkNYC featuring a direct appeal from Mayor Mamdani for New Yorkers to come indoors, along with a new tool to locate the nearest warming center.
· Collaboration with 311 to cut the amount of time in half that it takes to call for help for a homeless individual since the start of the Code Blue emergency.
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/02/mayor-mamdani-announces-additional-actions-to-keep-new-yorkers-s.html
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