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Mayor Mamdani takes the rap for mishaps around warming buses for homeless people
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Feb 5, 2026
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Elizabeth Kim
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Elizabeth Kim
Published Feb 5, 2026
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday he is accountable for a communication breakdown over warming buses for homeless people during the ongoing stretch of dangerously cold weather that has killed at least 17 people.
“I think at the end of the day, that is a responsibility that I have as a mayor,” Mamdani said during an interview on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show.” “It’s never a moment to pass the buck to anyone else.”
Gothamist reported earlier this week that multiple officials – including an NYPD officer and Department of Transportation employee — overseeing the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in Manhattan had no idea that they could direct homeless people to two warming buses outside. The terminal, which also lacked any signage about the warming buses, has been a well-known hub for homeless New Yorkers.
The city has deployed a fleet of 20 warming buses across the city, but people have complained they are difficult to find.
Mamdani said he is ensuring that areas with warming buses have “clear and additional signage ... that is critical."
Norman Siegel, a civil rights attorney who leads a volunteer group called the Street Homeless Advocacy Project, said he's urged city officials to add signs to the buses.
Asked about Mamdani's comments on Thursday, Siegel said he was “pleased the mayor recognizes that some mistakes were made and that he’s going to correct them.”
During last week’s outreach effort at the ferry terminal, Siegel informed several employees about the warming buses and urged them to spread the word. Officials routinely order homeless people to leave the waiting area after several hours.
“As the cliché goes, sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing,” Siegel said about the communications breakdown.
He and three other volunteers convinced at least six people to take shelter in one of the warming buses, which had around 40 seats.
He said his group was prepared to work with the mayor “to address this emergency situation.”
Siegel’s team regularly helps the homeless at different locations in Manhattan. He and other volunteers plan to visit the ferry terminal again on Thursday night.
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Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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