Adams and Hochul work together on $485M gun violence prevention plan

August 2, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

Brooklyn Eagle photo by Mary Frost

Share this:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and state Attorney General Letitia James, together with other city leaders, recently revealed a comprehensive $485 million public safety plan that aims to curb gun violence in the city.

The plan, titled “A Blueprint for Community Safety,” takes a broad-based approach, involving mentorship, housing, job opportunities and further investments in the community. The goal is to minimize gun violence in the city, adopting a public health approach that considers gun violence as a health crisis and employs strategies akin to disease prevention.

“Shootings have declined by 24% in the first six months of 2023, and crime has fallen across five of the seven major categories in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year,” Mayor Adams said. “Because of these efforts, New York City remains the safest large city in America. But the work of keeping New Yorkers safe is never done and any loss of life is one too many. That’s why New York City’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is more important now than ever.”

The initiative represents the work of the New York City Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. More than 1,500 community members participated in the task force’s activities, which focused on the six city precincts most affected by gun violence in 2022. The Task Force was co-chaired by First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Man Up! Inc. Founder A.T. Mitchell, who was appointed the city’s gun violence czar last June.

Mayor Adams expressed his personal investment in the plan during a press conference at City Hall. The blueprint’s successful implementation could become a key element of Adams’ mayoral legacy. Despite criticism of some of Adams’ other safety initiatives, this blueprint emphasizes community-based solutions.

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams praised the cooperative approach between city and state governments, pointing out that such a united front in the fight against gun violence is rare. Governor Hochul also underscored this unity, stating that top aides from her administration are directly involved in the city’s task force.

New York City is currently the safest large city in the U.S., with crime rates having largely decreased since the pandemic. Yet, gun violence remains a significant issue in some communities, with 92% of shootings occurring in 30 of the 77 NYPD precincts. As such, the new plan focuses resources on the six most affected precincts in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Most of the funding for the blueprint comes from the municipal budget, with the state contributing $6 million. Key investments include $118 million for early support programs such as youth mentorship, $57.5 million for improving housing conditions, $118.5 million for job and skill training for young people and formerly incarcerated individuals, and $106.7 million for mental health resources incorporating trauma-informed care. The city also plans to spend $2.6 million on improving community-police relations through neighborhood safety initiatives.