David N. Dinkins Municipal Building
1 Centre Street 15th Floor North
New York, NY 10007
Email: gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov
Hotline: (212) 669-7250
April 2nd, 2025Press Release
"The mayor was always entitled to his day in court – instead, he’s used his power and privilege to sidestep the process. No matter what he’ll now claim, this isn’t a testament to his innocence, but to his capitulation and fear.
"Judge Ho may have refunded the sale today, but Mayor Adams still sold out New York in the first place – and would unapologetically do so again and again. We’ll soon find out if his refusal to stand up to Donald Trump was because he was afraid, or because he agreed with him.
"Prosecutors Danielle Sassoon, Hagan Scotten, First Deputy Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayors Parker, Joshi, and Williams-Isom are just some of the people who resigned because the mayor hasn’t cared enough about the city to do so himself. Based on the judge's own words, how can New Yorkers ever believe that the mayor won't continue to put his own interests above the best interests of our city?"
March 29th, 2025Press Release
"Eid Mubarak to all New Yorkers celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
"Today as we celebrate Eid al-Fitr, we recognize the spirit that has defined this past month. I’ve been honored to join in many iftars and observances this year, and have been inspired and grounded by the resilience, resolve, generosity of our Muslim neighbors—values that extend far beyond today’s celebrations.
"I know that for many in the Muslim community, this time of joy is also met with uncertainty and pain – with suffering abroad and threats at home challenging basic identity and ideals. In moments of crisis, we must reaffirm our shared commitment—to combating Islamophobia and hatred, to advocating for justice, and to building a city where every New Yorker feels safe and seen.
"The lessons of Ramadan are universal. They remind us that our strength is greatest when it is shared. I pray that Eid brings you peace, blessings, and light, today and always."
March 27th, 2025Press Release
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today called for urgent action to address a looming emergency for emergency responders. 911 operators and dispatchers are facing untenable, unacceptable working conditions and staff shortages that could threaten the city’s emergency response systems if not addressed immediately. The Public Advocate recently raised these issues to NYPD Commissioner Tisch, and joined workers at a press conference outside 1 Police Plaza today to further discuss the urgent issues.
“We have an emergency coming for our emergency responders – and there’s no one left for them to call,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “Without fair conditions and benefits, an end to punitive forced overtime, and sufficient training and staffing, we could be heading for a crisis with no one on the other end of the line. This is a core public safety issue – we need fast emergency response. That means we need more responders, more experienced operators, and support for the trauma of the people supporting New Yorkers in traumatic moments.”
911 dispatchers and operators, members of DC37 Local 5911, report being routinely subject to unworkable conditions, including mandatory overtime under threat of penalty, with some workers unable to go home between 16-hour shifts and needing instead to sleep in the facilities.
Despite the traumatic work they are engaged in on a regular basis, NYC’s Police Communications Technicians and Supervisors are considered clerical workers, and so not able to access mental health resources. As a result of these and other conditions, as well as pay that is not commensurate with the challenges of the work, staffing levels are alarmingly low and turnover is alarmingly high. In a letter to NYPD Commissioner Tisch, the Public Advocate documented serious issues and potential exploitative actions that workers have reported including:
To address these issues, the Public Advocate demanded the NYPD answer the following questions:
The dedication of Local 5911 workers is deep, but the consequences of a failure to address this crisis are dire. Read the full letter from the Public Advocate here.
March 25th, 2025Press Release
Amid an ongoing effort by the federal government to reduce the budgets and effectiveness of federal housing programs, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. WIlliams pushed for the staffing and strengthening of municipal housing agencies. At a budget hearing of the Committee on Housing and Buildings, he argued that the safety of tenants and tradesmen alike depends on safe staffing levels and robust funding for inspection and infrastructure.
“We cannot have unsafe and weakening infrastructure that puts New Yorkers at risk,” declared the Public Advocate. “I would like to know if the administration plans to respond to the federal government and meet the goal of being fully staffed for HPD and DOB.” This comes as City Hall and city agencies have been reluctant to criticize the actions of the Trump administration that negatively affect the lives of New Yorkers.
As to the municipal budget and city administration, Public Advocate Williams noted that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) currently has 382 open positions, a vacancy rate of 13.8 percent, and the Department of Buildings has over 200 vacant positions.
He further highlighted the direct dangers of underfunding and understaffing, both to tenants and workers. There were 30 construction-related deaths on the job in 2023, the most in a decade, and that for DOB “... The average inspection response has been negatively impacted due to being understaffed. The average wait time for construction inspections increased to 4.2 days, plumbing inspections increased to 3.9 days, and electrical inspections increased to 9.4 days more than doubled from before.”
In the face of federal cuts, the Public Advocate asked “What is the City planning to do to protect the federal funds and capital projects? Also, how will the City respond to a potential and probable backlog on the administration of Section 8 applications?”
The Public Advocate’s full comments as-delivered are below, and video is available here.
STATEMENT OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS
TO THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND BUILDINGS
MARCH 25, 2025
Thank you very much, Madame Chair. I just want to congratulate the Acting Commissioner, congratulations, couldn’t happen to a nicer, more attentive guy, so I appreciate that. And I want to shout out my 16 year old, Amelie, who is here today, out of school, thanks for joining, junior in high school.
My name is Jumaane D. Williams and I am the Public Advocate for the City of New York. Thank you very much to Chair Sanchez and members of the Committee on Housing and Buildings for holding this hearing and always allowing me the opportunity to provide a statement.
Our housing agencies have faced high attrition rates with HPD experiencing a 45.6 percent change from pre-pandemic to current trends. As of February 2025, HPD’s vacancy rate is 13.8 percent with a total of 382 vacancies. HPD has bounced back from the pandemic lows with production in FY25 increasing from the low point of the previous two fiscal years. However, the vacancy rate from last month is still very high. It’s my hope HPD continues to approve prioritizing hiring to fill the gap and ensure it does not negatively impact the agency’s capacity.
According to the Preliminary Mayor’s Management Report, within the first four months of FY25, HPD issued 13 percent more violations compared to the same period of FY24 for hazardous conditions including 15 percent increase for Class A non-hazardous violations, 13 percent increase for Class B hazardous violations and 11 percent increase for Class C immediately hazardous violations. In addition, HPD’s Section 8 voucher utilization rate was 89 percent in the first four months of FY25, which was a 8 percent decrease compared to FY24. The rate is much lower because of the transfer from NYCHA that saw 3,000 vouchers added to the Agency’s baseline, which in turn increased the number of vouchers issued by 26 percent.
DOB faces similar staffing changes with a higher attrition rate of 68.3 percent change from pre-pandemic to current trends. As of February 2025 – I know DOB will be later, just putting on the record now – DOB’s vacancy rate is 12.41 percent with a total of 216 vacancies. Compared to HPD, DOB has been falling behind from the pandemic lows with production in FY25 being minimal compared to the previous fiscal years. It is critical that we ensure that DOB is also able to fill all its vacancies for this year.
There has been a concerning trend in building safety in the past couple of years. 2023 was the deadliest year for construction workers. There were 30 construction deaths on the job, which was the most in a decade. According to the Preliminary MMR, construction-related incidents with injury decreased from 237 to 143 and construction-related injuries decreased from 266 to 146, as DOB has put several steps in place to prioritize and ensure the safety of workers.
In addition, the average inspection response has been negatively impacted due to being understaffed. The average wait time for construction inspections increased to 4.2 days, plumbing inspections increased to 3.9 days, and electrical inspections increased to 9.4 days more than doubled from before
I’m hoping to hear from the administration about my concerns and asks for this budget cycle:
I hope during today’s hearing the administration will provide information on the issues that I just highlighted in my statement. We cannot have unsafe and weakening infrastructure that puts New Yorkers at risk. I would like to know if the administration plans to respond to the federal government and meet the goal of being fully staffed for HPD and DOB.
I’ll just end by saying a few weeks ago I was here at a public safety hearing. The only thing discussed during that public safety hearing was law enforcement. I just want to re-up the fact that all of these issues, whether education, or housing , really, really have to be a part of the public safety discussion. I hope soon, we’ll talk about it as such.
Thank you.
March 20th, 2025Press Release
Today, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams sent a letter to Mayor Adams demanding swift action to uphold the city’s legal and moral commitments to racial equity and economic justice. The letter underscores the administration’s failure to release the legally mandated 2024 Racial Equity Plans and to implement the True Cost of Living standard, both of which are critical to addressing systemic disparities and ensuring a fair distribution of city resources.
The letter follows prior notifications from the New York City Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) and the New York City Progressive Caucus highlighting the administration’s noncompliance with its obligation to publish the 2024 Racial Equity Plans, warning that further delays are not just bureaucratic failures but active barriers to transparency, accountability, and equity in governance.
“The administration’s continued failure to release these plans obstructs the Council’s ability to conduct a truly equitable and informed budget review,” said the Public Advocate. “New Yorkers—especially working-class and low-income communities of color—deserve leadership that takes their struggles seriously and prioritizes justice over neglect.”
Read the Public Advocate’s full letter below: March 20, 2025
Mayor Adams,
I write today to express my deep concern and frustration regarding the administration’s failure to uphold New York City’s legal and moral commitments to racial equity and economic justice.
As outlined in a previous letter from the New York City Commission on Racial Equity (CORE), the administration has failed to release the 2024 Racial Equity Plans, a legally mandated step to ensure city agencies address systemic disparities. This failure is unacceptable, and undermines the very principles of justice and opportunity that New York City must uphold.
Additionally, the administration has yet to implement the True Cost of Living standard, a critical measure designed to ensure our policies reflect the real economic burdens faced by New Yorkers. The lack of action on this front further exacerbates inequities, leaving working-class and low-income communities—particularly communities of more color—without the transparency and resources they deserve. This inaction is particularly urgent given that the New York City Council has demanded the preliminary 2024 Racial Equity Plans this week. Without these plans, the Council cannot conduct a truly equitable and informed budget review.
The failure to provide necessary racial equity data and assessments obstructs the Council’s ability to evaluate whether city resources are being allocated fairly, further entrenching disparities in housing, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. These delays are not just bureaucratic oversights—they actively prevent elected officials from ensuring that the budget serves all New Yorkers equitably.
New Yorkers deserve leadership that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and justice. I implore you to immediately release the required Racial Equity Plans and implement the True Cost of Living standard. The communities most affected by inequality cannot wait any longer for leadership that takes their struggles seriously. New York City’s future depends on real action—not just rhetoric—when it comes to building a more just and equitable city.
Sincerely,
Jumaane D. Williams
March 13th, 2025Press Release
After the White House announced it would be firing 1,300 Department of Education employees, cutting the unit in half, the Public Advocate defended the need for education investment within the city school systems. At a budget hearing of the Committee on Education, he stressed the importance of funding programs and initiatives aimed at equitable education services, including for students with disabilities.
“New York City is currently failing many of its students with disabilities—in particular, preschoolers with disabilities. Though the mayor promised a special education preschool seat for every child who needs one—and is legally entitled to one—it has yet to materialize for many children with disabilities,” stated Public Advocate Williams to open the hearing. “There are about 450 children who are sitting at home instead of in a classroom where they will receive the support and services they need.” Without the renewed funding, many of these students could possibly fall behind.
The Public Advocate also emphasized the importance for undocumented students having access to the services and support they need within the school system. One program, Promise NYC, was budgeted $25 million to help undocumented families in the city with education, but is set to expire in June of this year if it is not renewed. These services allow the youngest, newest New Yorkers to have access to early childhood education, since many are English language learners, already experiencing trauma on their way into the city.
Trauma and mental health issues resound throughout the school system, and addressing these challenges must be central to the budget. The Public Advocate argued that “Public schools are the main youth mental health system in our city, and an audit published last year by the State Comptroller found that too many public schools are understaffed with mental health professionals, are not adequately training staff, and only a few have services readily available.”
Cuts to education programs have a deep, lasting negative impact on the future of New York and its youngest residents – noting the impact of previous reductions, he said that “Education, our young people's services were defunded. We’ve never had a conversation about the impact of that but we have an opportunity here to really make some folks whole.”
Read the Public Advocate’s full comments below. STATEMENT OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS TO THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION MARCH 13, 2025
Good morning,
My name is Jumaane D. Williams, and I am the Public Advocate for the City of New York. I would like to thank Chairs Joseph and Brannan and the members of the Committees on Education and Finance for holding this hearing.
Firstly, I want to acknowledge that the federal relief funding given to schools during the pandemic—Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief—expired last year. This funding was crucial for a number of school programs, and the city stepped up to provide continued funding that otherwise would have been scaled down or ended. While some programs were baselined, others were only extended for a year. The mayor’s preliminary FY26 budget extended funding for Learning to Work and summer programming for another year, but does not include long-term funding.
New York City is currently failing many of its students with disabilities—in particular, preschoolers with disabilities. Though the mayor promised a special education preschool seat for every child who needs one—and is legally entitled to one—it has yet to materialize for many children with disabilities. There are about 450 children who are sitting at home instead of in a classroom where they will receive the support and services they need—though NYC public schools confirmed this number, the preliminary budget does not renew $55 million in funding for new classrooms. It is important to reiterate that these seats are legally required, and students’ rights are being violated every day that they are not receiving special education services. Last year, more than 14,400 preschoolers with disabilities ended the school year without ever receiving at least one of the types of services the city was legally required to provide, and that is unacceptable.
It is now more urgent than ever to ensure that our undocumented students and newest New Yorkers have access to the services and support they need. In January 2023, the city launched Promise NYC, which helps families who previously didn’t qualify for other state or federal programs due to their immigration status, including undocumented parents and asylum-seekers. It is especially important for recently arrived children to have access to early childhood services, as many are English language learners, and many have experienced significant stress and trauma on their way to New York. The city increased funding in FY25 for Promise NYC, extending access to 1,000 children, but the full $25 million funding will expire at the end of June if not renewed in the budget.
In August of 2023, Advocates for Children found that only 31.1 percent of NYC schools are fully accessible for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that governments ensure people with disabilities have equal access to public programs and services, including public education. However, many students with disabilities are barred from attending their neighborhood schools because of inaccessible infrastructure. The city must allocate $450 million in addition to the $750 million investment in the 2020–2024 Capital Plan, totaling $1.25 billion to make at least 45 percent of buildings that serve as the primary location for a school fully accessible by 2030.
Public schools are the main youth mental health system in our city, and an audit published last year by the State Comptroller found that too many public schools are understaffed with mental health professionals, are not adequately training staff, and only a few have services readily available. School-based mental health clinics provide a range of on-site mental health services to students during the school day, and most of their current funding comes from Medicaid, which is insufficient to cover the range of supports and services that students and schools need. To cover this gap, the city should invest and baseline at least $3.75 million. Additionally, the Mental Health Continuum, a cross-agency partnership to serve students with the greatest mental health needs, requires a renewal of $5 million in the FY26 budget.
I look forward to working with the Department of Education, the Mayor’s Office, and the City Council to ensure our city’s students have the supports and services they need to learn and be successful.
I also hope this is an opportunity for the mayor to step up against what’s happening in Washington as the Chair alluded to. He hasn’t said much. But I do know that money speaks even louder. And so if he is opposed to some of these things this is an opportunity for us to step up and protect our young people.
I also just want to mention that the NYPD was never defunded, but most other services were. Education, our young people's services were defunded. We’ve never had a conversation about the impact of that but we have an opportunity here to really make some folks whole. And as I said the NYPD is speaking about their plans to deal with quality of life issues. I know with services like this that we’re talking about here today, we can do some stuff on the front end and not have to ask NYPD to do stuff on the back end. Those need to be fully funded and structured even though we have a difficult time and I just want to make sure I mention, I understand how difficult it is but we have to make the best decisions for our young people so they can be safe and grow to be good adults.
Thank you so much. Peace and blessings. Thank you Commissioner for being here.