Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams has cancelled public hearings for migrants moving into city neighborhoods, according to reports.
Adams issued an executive order this week, carving out emergency shelters which were opened to accommodate migrants headed to New York City, Fox News reported. The order allows the city to circumvent the city’s land use process, making it easier to create housing solutions. (RELATED: Influx Of Migrants Bused To NYC Forces City To Cut Costs)
Laws related to the siting, leasing, and construction and operations of temporary shelters have been suspended for the extent of the emergency, the outlet reported. Public hearings, submission of recommendations, and voting on the issue of land use have all also reportedly been eliminated to handle the crisis. The Uniform Land Use Review Procedure’s (ULURP) suspension allows the city to more quickly respond to the growing migrant crisis.
Adam Levy, a spokesperson for Eric Adams’ office, said the moves are necessary to speed up, “the process of bringing needed shelter space online,” according to Fox News.
Eric Adams suspends NYC land review process, nixes public hearings for moving migrants into neighborhoodshttps://t.co/DUAqmnwB04
— suehen4941 (@suehen4941) May 17, 2023
Adams bemoaned how the city has faced the brunt of the migrant surge, arguing the rest of the state has not done its part.
“We are carrying this entire burden. This national problem is being laid in the lap of New Yorkers,” Adams said. “This is an unsustainable crisis that’s been forced on New Yorkers and is going to continue to grow if there’s not a real response at our border and if there’s not assistance of a decompression strategy here in New York State.”
The mayor announced plans to use school gyms for migrant shelters, which sparked outrage and protests from parents and students. Adams has also announced plans to bus migrants into neighboring Republican counties.