| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold | To get mentally ill people off the streets, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is turning to a plan to hospitalize them whether they like it or not. Adams, whose promises to combat crime have come up against a string of random attacks committed by people with histories of mental illness, issued a directive allowing emergency responders to transport people to hospitals against their will. Involuntary commitment is not entirely new, but the standard has been that people can only be taken off the streets without consent if they pose an immediate danger to themselves or others. Now, cops and health workers will be able to force treatment for the severely mentally ill if they cannot meet their own basic needs. What does that mean exactly? The city is not issuing a precise definition, leaving emergency responders to make the call on a case by case basis. The push is sure to meet challenges both legal and logistical. Hospitals are already strained, and there is a shortage of beds available for psychiatric treatment — with just 50 empty beds currently available. Without more options for treatment, the directive could result in a revolving door of people being brought to packed emergency rooms only to be quickly discharged back to the street. The NYCLU said the plan will violate the state and federal constitutions. "The Mayor is playing fast and loose with the legal rights of New Yorkers," executive director Donna Lieberman said. "The decades-old practice of sweeping deep-seated problems out of public view may play well for the politicians, but the problems will persist – for vulnerable people in desperate need of government services and for New Yorkers." IT'S WEDNESDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com , or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold WHERE'S KATHY? Making a clean energy and economic development announcement. WHERE'S ERIC? Traveling to Athens, Greece to participate in the Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism Safeguarding Inclusive Democracy, meeting with the Combat Antisemitism Movement, and attending the opening dinner for the summit.
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | |  | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING | | New York mayor offers national Dems a hand in 2024 , by POLITICO's Joe Anuta: Mayor Eric Adams is eyeing Washington in 2024 — but not a run for president. Nearly 18 months ago, after winning a crowded primary, Adams declared himself the future of the Democratic Party. And since he became mayor in January, Adams ratcheted up his role in national politics — hosting President Joe Biden to tout their shared vision on reducing crime, pushing for New York City to host the next Democratic National Convention and penning an op-ed advising Democrats on how to win back working-class voters. In a sit-down interview at POLITICO's offices in New York, Adams said he has offered his support to the president, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her presumed successor, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as attention turns to the 2024 elections. " De Blasio Was Admonished by Ethics Board for Using City Staff and Phone for Politicking. His Underlings Weren't So Lucky ," by The City's Yoav Gonen: "Former Mayor Bill de Blasio violated conflicts of interest rules more extensively than previously known — but the city's ethics board kept the breaches under wraps by admonishing him privately, documents obtained by THE CITY show. Twice in 2016 the Conflicts of Interest Board sent a letter to de Blasio privately warning him that his conduct ran afoul of the City Charter." " New York to Pay as Much as $300 Million for Release Delays at Rikers ," by The New York Times' Benjamin Weiser: "New York City has agreed to pay as much as $300 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of thousands of jailed people whose releases were delayed for hours or even days after they made bail, according to court records and a lawyer. The city will pay $3,500 to every detainee who claims that his or her release was delayed three hours or more, according to a copy of the agreement filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan. There have been roughly 72,000 such people since 2014, said Debbie Greenberger, one of the lawyers who brought the case." " MTA may need massive 30% fare hikes to avoid 'fiscal cliff', Comptroller DiNapoli warns ," by amNewYork's Ben Brachfeld: "The MTA would need to raise its fares by nearly 30% to avoid a looming 'fiscal cliff' and return to a pre-pandemic financial equilibrium, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli charged in a new report. A pair of 4% fare increases scheduled for 2023 and 2025 — along with $100 million in unspecified savings and a $915 million annual debt service plan proposed by the MTA — are not enough to bring the beleaguered authority back to its 2019-level farebox revenue. To achieve that, DiNapoli's report suggests, 19% in additional fare hikes would be necessary — leaving straphangers to pay more than $3.50 per ride on the subway or bus." — " MTA board member parks illegally while decrying drivers who break the law ," by WNYC's Stephen Nessen and Clayton Guse
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | " State reveals 'inhumane' conditions at nursing home in western NY ," by Times Union's Brendan J. Lyons: "The state attorney general's office on Tuesday announced it was filing a lawsuit against the operators of a nursing home in Orleans County where residents were allegedly drugged, subjected to inhumane conditions and, in some instances, died as a result of the mistreatment. Attorney General Letitia James held a news conference announcing the lawsuit while accompanied by individuals who had family members mistreated at the 120-bed facility in Albion — The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center." " NY Chief Judge's Departure Stymied Ethics Case, Docs Show ," by Law360's Frank G. Runyeon: "The misconduct charges against former New York Chief Judge Janet DiFiore have been frozen due to her resignation earlier this year, according to confidential documents and sources with direct knowledge of the probe. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct filed ethics charges against DiFiore for allegedly interfering in a critic's disciplinary case, but the case is now effectively closed unless she returns to the bench, sources told Law360. The misconduct case, titled 'Matter of Janet DiFiore,' was ordered 'discontinued and the matter closed' on Sept. 22, according to one source with direct knowledge." HELLO AGAIN JIM: " Paul Smith's College contemplates merger, and questions abound ," by Adirondack Explorer's James M. Odato: "As Paul Smith's College awaits government review of its petition to merge with a Manhattan-based job training enterprise, the former chancellor of the State University of New York has entered the process. Although both the college and the enterprise, The Fedcap Group, refused interview requests or would not respond to questions from the Adirondack Explorer posed earlier this month, people familiar with the situation or associated with the college say former SUNY chief James Malatras is part of the team involved in the planning for the proposed unconventional marriage." WILL BARCLAY was reelected Assembly minority leader on Tuesday . #UpstateAmerica: Ithaca ranks No. 8 Best Small College City in the country, according to WalletHub.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our "Future Pulse" newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE . | | | | | | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | " Brooklyn's Rep. Hakeem Jeffries expected to make history leading House Democrats ," by New York Daily News' Tim Balk: "Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a son of Brooklyn, is expected to be elected Wednesday as the leader of the House Democrats, less than a decade after the former state lawmaker first arrived on Capitol Hill. The meteoric rise of the hip-hop-loving Jeffries has put him on the cusp of becoming the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in either chamber of Congress. And if the Democratic caucus chooses Jeffries as expected, it would concentrate immense political power in Brooklyn."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Adams said he will pay for his trip to Qatar for the World Cup. — A federal judge ordered Amazon to stop retaliating against union organizers. — More people were diagnosed with HIV in 2021 than 2020. — The MTA reported that subway crime has fallen in the past month . — A lawsuit settlement requires the city Department of Education to provide better care for students with disabilities. — The state Department of Transportation needs snow plow drivers ! And has about 543 openings. — The Suffolk County process for sending millions of dollars worth of tax refund checks has been backlogged since a Sept. 8 cyberattack. — Hate rats? There's a shirt for that . — Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso asked for Summer Streets in his borough to be at least as big as the version in Manhattan. — The MTA is using armed guards to prevent fare evasion at some stations. — The city is turning a Midtown hotel into new shelter for arriving migrants. — Retired city workers are suing over $15 copays for doctors' visits.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Larry Summers … CNN's Andrew Kaczynski … Lauren Pratapas … Alex Clearfield of Bloomberg Industry Group … Edelman's Ben Mahler … Reuters' Jonathan Landay … Jodi Rudoren of The Forward … James Sonne … Michael Beschloss … Sam Jacobson … Erica Orden … José Bayona of Eric Adams' office … David Mamet … William C. Daroff … (was Monday): Jon Stewart ... Paul Shaffer ... Sallie Krawcheck … Dani Dayan … WEDDING — David Rozen recently married Mark Williams. Rozen is deputy general counsel at the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Williams is chief partner success officer at software company BellXcel. MAKING MOVES — Marti Adams is leaving the Treasury Department, where she has served as executive secretary. Adams, who started on Day One of the administration and also worked in the department under President Barack Obama, will take some time off to explore new opportunities. (h/t West Wing Playbook) ... … Stephen G. Mack started on Monday as the CFO and SVP of the Queens Public Library, succeeding Michael Tragale, whose retirement is effective today. Mack most recently was EVP of finance and administration at SCO Family of Services, the nonprofit human services organization. … Stephanie Bazell will be senior policy director at the 5BORO Institute. She was previously director of policy and advocacy at the College & Community Fellowship. MEDIAWATCH — Courtney Rowe is now SVP for corporate communications at NBCUniversal. She most recently oversaw strategic communications and public engagement for the White House COVID-19 response team and is a National Geographic and Obama White House alum.
| | Real Estate | | " NYCHA Tells Feds Housing Fixes Delayed by Massive Shortfall in Rent Collection ," by The City's Greg B. Smith: "The New York City Housing Authority has notified federal officials that a pandemic-triggered shortfall in rent collection is threatening its ability to meet a schedule of apartment fixes mandated by a 2019 court-approved agreement, THE CITY has learned. On Tuesday, NYCHA officials told THE CITY that as of last month, more than 71,000 public housing households were in arrears to the tune of $443 million, way up from the $100 million in arrears that existed when the pandemic struck in March 2020." " NYCHA has only replaced two elevators across entire housing system since 2018: monitor ," by New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt and Michael Gartland: "NYCHA has only managed to replace two elevators across its network of public housing projects in the past four years, falling far short of repair benchmarks spelled out by the agency's federal monitor. The elevator finding is contained in a report released Tuesday by Bart Schwartz, who has served as the New York City Housing Authority's court-appointed federal monitor since 2019." " Bill would expose Council members' rent-stabilized status ," by Real Deal's Suzannah Cavanaugh: "A new City Council bill would offer a window into the living arrangements of the chamber's members, revealing which of them benefit from regulated rents. The legislation, proposed by Council member Robert Holden and referred to the Committee on Standards and Ethics last Tuesday, would require all members to disclose whether their primary residence is a rent-stabilized apartment." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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