NYC Mayor Mamdani Reinstates Homeless Encampment Sweeps

Reversal of campaign promise sparks criticism from advocates

Feb. 21, 2026 at 3:55pm

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has directed city agencies to restart the process of sweeping homeless encampments, reversing a campaign promise to end the practice. The sweeps will now be led by the Department of Homeless Services, rather than the Police Department as under the previous administration. The move has drawn criticism from homeless advocates who say it falls short of Mamdani's pledges to address the city's affordability crisis and homelessness.

Why it matters

Homeless encampment sweeps have long been a controversial tactic, with advocates arguing they are ineffective and inhumane. Mamdani's reversal on this issue raises questions about his commitment to his campaign promises on homelessness and affordability, which were central to his election. The decision also comes amid a deadly cold snap in New York, heightening concerns about the city's approach to supporting its unhoused population.

The details

Under Mamdani's new policy, the Department of Homeless Services will lead the encampment sweeps, sending outreach workers to engage with people living in encampments for seven consecutive days before any clearance takes place. This represents a shift from the previous administration, where the Police Department led the sweeps. Mamdani's budget plan also includes funds to hire an additional 60 outreach workers. However, the move has been criticized by homeless advocates who say it still falls short of the mayor's campaign promises.

  • On January 5, Mamdani paused the encampment sweeps to re-evaluate the process.
  • On February 18, Mamdani announced the reinstitution of the encampment sweeps, led by the Department of Homeless Services.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City, who campaigned on addressing the city's affordability crisis and homelessness.

Eric Adams

Mamdani's predecessor as mayor of New York City, who took a more heavy-handed approach to homeless encampments.

Matthew Rauschenbach

A spokesman for Mayor Mamdani.

Joshua Goldfein

A staff attorney at Legal Aid, a legal services provider that works with the city's homeless population.

Christine C. Quinn

The president and chief executive of WIN, a nonprofit that runs shelters and supportive housing in New York City.

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What they’re saying

“When Mayor Mamdani took office, he paused the failed encampment sweep policies of the past. Beginning today, outreach workers will be the first touch and will notice encampments and proceed to conducting seven consecutive days of intensive engagement before any clearance takes place.”

— Matthew Rauschenbach, Spokesman for Mayor Mamdani

“What we're seeing right now is a retreat from campaign promises and a lack of meaningful communication. It's hard to know if what we are seeing is a full retreat or something more measured because we haven't gotten any information as to what they are thinking.”

— Joshua Goldfein, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid

“This is clearly reacting to tragedy. But this is not an on-point solution to what went wrong.”

— Christine C. Quinn, President and CEO, WIN

What’s next

The mayor's budget plan includes funds to hire an additional 60 outreach workers to support the encampment sweep process.

The takeaway

Mamdani's reversal on homeless encampment sweeps raises concerns about his commitment to addressing homelessness and affordability in New York City, key issues he campaigned on. The move has drawn criticism from advocates who say it falls short of the mayor's promises and risks repeating ineffective and inhumane policies of the past.