New York City’s homeless are facing a deadly deep freeze, with 13 deaths reported as temperatures plummet to a “real-feel” low of -1 degree this weekend.
The New York Post reported that on Friday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city will only force homeless individuals indoors as a “last resort,” even as his office confirmed three additional outdoor deaths since last Saturday, bringing the toll to 13 amid Winter Storm Fern.
The fatalities, spanning Saturday to Tuesday, include cases linked to hypothermia, though the medical examiner is still determining exact causes. Mamdani’s remarks, made in Long Island City, come as the city braces for worsening conditions and rolls out 18 enhanced warming centers and 20 regular ones.
Hours after Mamdani’s statement, details emerged about victims like Frederick Jones, 67, found dead in Midtown, and Michael Veronico, 44, discovered in Brooklyn, both on Saturday morning.
Since the “cold blue” alert on Jan. 19, city workers have placed 825 people in shelters and made 15 involuntary removals. The administration also noted intensified outreach, with checks every two hours instead of four.
The mayor’s reluctance to enforce sheltering has sparked sharp debate among city leaders and residents alike. Critics contend that prioritizing personal choice over safety during extreme weather is a misguided progressive stance that risks more lives.
Mamdani defended his approach, saying, “There are several specific criteria that are used in determining whether one is a danger to themselves or to others.” This vague standard, based on clothing, warmth, and behavior, leaves too much to interpretation when frostbite sets in overnight.
Further explaining, Mamdani noted, “And for the New Yorkers who are deemed to be a threat to themselves or to others, there is a process of involuntary confinement which is a last resort.” Yet, with only 15 such actions taken since mid-January, the policy seems more like a footnote than a lifeline.
Heartbreaking cases like Nolberto Jimbo-Niola, 52, found dead on a bench in Queens, and Doreen Ellis, 90, who wandered out during the storm, underscore the human cost of delayed intervention. Many of these individuals, including six who previously interacted with shelters, slipped through the cracks.
Frederick Jones, who had a subsidized apartment, still ended up dying a mile away in the cold. How does a system fail someone with a roof already secured? It’s a question the mayor’s criteria can’t seem to answer.
Former Mayor Eric Adams has been vocal, posting on X about pleading with Mamdani last December to maintain stricter policies on encampments. His warning that delays endanger lives feels prescient as the death toll climbs. Stopping sweeps of makeshift shelters, as Mamdani did, appears to prioritize ideology over survival.
Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola has called for tougher enforcement of Code Blue protocols to prevent further tragedies. Her frustration mirrors a broader sentiment that soft policies aren’t compassionate when they leave people freezing to death.
Even Democrat Councilman Phil Wong argues for quicker use of involuntary commitment during extreme weather. Waiting for someone to become a clear “danger” while temperatures nosedive isn’t protection—it’s neglect dressed as freedom.
The city’s response, ramping up warming centers and overtime shifts, is a step, but it’s reactive rather than preventive. With an average of 34 cold exposure deaths annually between 2020 and 2023, this isn’t a new problem—just a newly politicized one.
Compassion for individual autonomy is noble, but not when it’s a death sentence in a -1 degree wind chill. The mayor’s team must weigh personal choice against the stark reality of hypothermia’s grip.
