MAX
COURIER LIFE, J M BR B G ULY 19–25, 2019 25
Cuomo urges MTA
to address subway
homelessness
Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged the MTA Board of Directors to
address the increasing problem of homelessness on the
subways. Getty Images
BY BILL PARRY
The MTA announced
a “major milestone”
Thursday that subway
on-time performance
hit 81.5 percent in June,
the fi rst time it’s been
above 80 percent in
nearly six years.
MTA Chairman Patrick
Foye pointed to the
Subway Action Plan
launched by Gov. Andrew
Cuomo and former
MTA boss Joe Lhota as
the reason for “more
than six months of sustained
improvement”
in the subway system.
One day later, Cuomo
demanded more.
The governor fi red
off a letter on July 12 to
the MTA Board of Directors
urging them to
address the increasing
problem of homelessness
on the subways.
In 2018, there were
1,771 homeless people
living in the subway,
but that number surged
to 2,178 in 2019, an increase
of 23 percent according
to the MTA’s
own statistics, and
trains were delayed 659
times in 2018 by homeless
people who were
walking on the tracks,
and engaging in disruptive
and dangerous
behavior including
blocking train doors,
something Cuomo
called a “staggering 54
percent increase from
the 428 homeless related
delays in 2014.
“New Yorkers are
unfortunately accustomed
to having homeless
issues on trains and
in the terminals during
the winter months, but
this has now become
a year-round phenomenon,”
Cuomo wrote.
“Homeless people often
pose a danger to themselves
and others. This
is another example of a
problem long discussed
but short on constructive
progress. The discussion
has had the
NYPD point to the MTA
and the MTA point to
the NYPD. Let’s end
that exercise and point
forward.”
Cuomo demanded the
MTA develop a comprehensive
outreach plan
that coordinates MTA
personnel, social service
providers and shelter
and supportive housing
providers to help the
homeless out of the system
and into safe, supportive
environments.
“There is no ‘reinvention
of the wheel’
necessary in this case,”
Cuomo wrote. “Society
serves no one by allowing
homeless individuals
who need help to inhabit
the subways. Let’s
actually focus on helping
the homeless, rather
than political posturing.
This is not an issue
for helping the homeless
or the subway riders;
that is a false choice. We
must serve both.”
City Hall and the
MTA did not immediately
respond to a request
for comment.
Cuomo added that
if the MTA needs more
police or social service
providers they should
make that adjustment
now.
This story fi rst appeared
on QNS.com ,
one of our sister publications.
/QNS.com