Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mamdani says more help is coming to homeless New Yorkers living outside this winter
By
Karen Yi
Published Nov 9, 2026 at 4:00 a.m. ET
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 .
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By
Karen Yi
Published Nov 9, 2026 at 4:00 a.m. ET
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
The Mamdani administration will deploy more nurses and add warming buses and beds across the city this winter, to better protect New Yorkers sleeping on the street from extreme cold.
The city announced the sweeping changes to its Code Blue policy Monday, as well as $25 million in new funding for it. Code Blue is triggered when temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The new measures include deploying another 300 canvassers to reach out to homeless residents, 800 more beds to keep New Yorkers warm and hiring additional nurses who can provide care on site.
Last winter, more than two dozen people died outdoors or in their homes during a brutal stretch of freezing temperatures.
“We have spent the past year preparing for any challenge winter throws our way. We have trained our workers, readied our equipment and strengthened our protocols because keeping New Yorkers safe can’t begin when the first storm hits,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement.
“This winter, we’re doing things differently — we’re expanding Code Blue to reach more New Yorkers in need, equipping New York’s Strongest to clear snow and ice faster and leaving no stone unturned when it comes to protecting our neighbors from the cold. No New Yorker should face the dangers of winter alone, and no part of our city should be left behind.”
This winter, street canvassers will reach out to every homeless person they meet, rather than focusing on a list of at-risk individuals. More than 50 mobile vans run by the city’s public hospital system will provide medical care and transportation to warming facilities.
The Department of Homeless Services will also open four additional warming centers and deploy 20 warming buses.
City officials also announced improvements to its snow clearing efforts, putting a priority on keeping sidewalks clear for older adults and New Yorkers with disabilities. The city’s sanitation department will include more snow clearing routes on Staten Island and upgrade snow plows to more effectively clear roads. It also purchased the agency’s first snow blowers to clear bus stops and crosswalks faster.
New Yorkers can sign up for emergency alerts about extreme weather and emergency resources by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 or download the app. Those interested can also sign up to be a snow shoveler earning $30 an hour.
Tagged
homelessness
new york city
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Brooklyn jogger killed in stabbing saves 4 lives through organ donations
Katie Suarez, 28, donated five organs after she was fatally stabbed while jogging along the Brooklyn waterfront. A suspect has pleaded not guilty to murder.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Nov 8, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
New York’s House delegation will include 20 Democrats and six Republicans
The Associated Press has now called a winner in all 26 of New York's congressional districts.
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
New York’s House delegation will include 20 Democrats and six Republicans
The Associated Press has now called a winner in all 26 of New York's congressional districts.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Jazz Age fashions return to Governor’s Island for the Lawn Party's fall edition
By
Stephanie Keith
Brooklyn woman killed after tumbling from a moving SUV on the BQE near Brooklyn Bridge
By
Michael Sol Warren
Mamdani expands free produce programs for New Yorkers on SNAP
By
Karen Yi
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 .