Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bloomberg Claims NY Is "More Compassionate" About Homeless Than Other Cities
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 23, 2013
Modified Feb 23, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 23, 2013
Modified Feb 23, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Bloomberg hasn't exactly established himself as a friend to the city's homeless population lately, but he says the homeless still love him; he announced on his weekly radio show yesterday that "We’re three to 10 times more compassionate than the other cities," when it comes to homelessness. After all we've got so many!
Hizzoner's been criticized over a recent, much-contested policy requiring homeless single individuals to prove they have no alternate housing before being allowed into a city shelter. But Bloomberg said yesterday that there were way fewer homeless people sleeping on the streets as opposed to shelters in New York in January than in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami and Seattle (though, perhaps the homeless Miami residents find their outdoor January weather a little more conducive to street-sleeping than our sub-freezing temps). “So we’re three to 10 times more compassionate than the other cities if you use that as a measure of compassion, assuming everybody’s measurements are the same,” he said yesterday. And our shelters are so damn pleasurable!
Meanwhile, the city says they'll spend $955 million on homeless services in the next fiscal year. Though that does seem like a waste of money, considering that guy sleeping on a bench in Union Square is just a hallucination from all that heavy weed you've been smoking, anway.
Tagged
bloomberg
homeless
homelessness
mayor bloomberg
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
The concern is that many will avoid medical care out of fear that doing so could jeopardize their immigration status.
By
Caroline Lewis
News
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
The concern is that many will avoid medical care out of fear that doing so could jeopardize their immigration status.
By
Caroline Lewis
Early Addition: Spy magazine is doing a Substack pop-up
By
James Ramsay
Bronx woman found dead and infant in critical condition after balcony push, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
After Trump defunding, thousands losing rental assistance in NYC may finally have relief
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .