Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
MTA Police To Take Action Against Homeless People On The Subway
By
Mirela Iverac
and
WNYC Staff
Published Aug 15, 2019
Modified Aug 15, 2019
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 .
Mark Lennihan/AP/Shutterstock
By
Mirela Iverac
and
WNYC Staff
Published Aug 15, 2019
Modified Aug 15, 2019
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
This weekend, New York state will deploy police officers and other employees to reduce the number of homeless people in the subway system, a function normally undertaken by the city.
MTA police and staff members from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will be waiting at the end of several train lines, according to information obtained by WNYC/Gothamist. While the OTDA and other outreach workers will offer services and shelter placements to the homeless, the MTA police officers will be on hand to enforce violations of agency rules. The initiative will take place across 16 terminal stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx — from the World Trade Center on the E line to the end of the 4 line in Woodlawn.
“Simply being homeless is not a crime and our approach to this societal problem is to try to get people the help they need,” MTA spokesman Shams Tarek said in an email.
Tarek declined to say if homeless people would be forced to leave subway cars or stations or if they would be arrested if they refused. In general, police issue summonses for infractions such as lying down and taking up more than one seat, and arrests occur if someone commits a crime or has an open warrant.
The move comes on the heels of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s criticism of the MTA’s handling of homelessness, who said last month the problem is “worse than ever.” Last month, the authority formed a task force that set a goal of significantly reducing homelessness on the subways by the end of the year.
According to the latest federally-mandated count from earlier this year, 2,178 people were sleeping in the subway system — an increase of 23 percent compared to a year earlier. According to the MTA, trains were delayed 659 times by homeless people in 2018, though that is a small portion of the roughly 700,000 delays the system experienced that year.
Currently, the Bowery Residents’ Committee has contracts to provide services and bring homeless people into shelters from the subway system and commuter rail hubs. However, a state comptroller audit of BRC’s performance at Penn Station and other commuter rail stations last month criticized the non-profit for its lackluster performance.
The MTA’s initiative follows a program from the de Blasio administration that began last month, which gives homeless people in the subway system a chance to clear summonses for fare evasion or other infractions if they agree to go to a shelter.
But the city has often struggled to maintain safe conditions in the shelter system, and some homeless New Yorkers say they would rather take their chances on the streets or in the subway system than risk the shelters. As one homeless subway rider told the NY Times last year, "There’s places people can go, but no place that’s safe."
As part of the state’s effort, the city’s Department of Homeless Services has asked non-profit homeless services providers to wait at the end of subway lines to engage homeless people coming out of the stations.
Giselle Routhier, policy director at the Coalition for the Homeless, criticized the program for essentially “criminalizing” homelessness.
“This and the other previous announcements are all PR to make it look like the governor is doing something about the problem without actually devoting resources to addressing the problem: affordable housing, supportive housing, and low-threshold safe haven shelters,” she said.
Mirela Iverac is a reporter for WNYC, where she covers poverty and homelessness. You can follow her on Twitter at @mirelaiverac.
Tagged
homelessness
homelessness epidemic
MTA
Mirela Iverac
Read more
WNYC Staff
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Bronx woman found dead and infant in critical condition after balcony fall, NYPD says
Police say it's still unclear whether the pair jumped, fell or were pushed.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 7:28 a.m. ET
After Trump defunding, thousands losing rental assistance in NYC may finally have relief
The Trump administration issued new guidance outlining a plan to replace expiring rental assistance vouchers with a new program.
By
David Brand
News
After Trump defunding, thousands losing rental assistance in NYC may finally have relief
The Trump administration issued new guidance outlining a plan to replace expiring rental assistance vouchers with a new program.
By
David Brand
Blind man dismissed from grand jury duty can sue NY for discrimination, judge rules
By
Samantha Max
Gatorade recall affects drinks sold in New York and New Jersey
By
Giulia Heyward
Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
By
Caroline Lewis
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 .