The embattled head of the city’s sprawling network of social and homeless services, Steve Banks, has ended his pursuit of a position in Mayor-elect Eric Adams’ administration and will depart at the end of the year, he announced Monday.
The longtime lawyer’s decision to leave municipal service and return to the courtroom comes after a slew of newspaper investigations and city reviews exposed significant shortcomings and wrongdoing at key nonprofit shelter providers.
“Steve Banks is a skilled and accomplished public servant, who has navigated complex government problems to find essential solutions on behalf of New Yorkers,” Adams said in a statement. “I wish him well in his new endeavor.”
Might as well leave this here too.
At least a dozen homeless people — each a “different shade of crazy” — have colonized the historic Manhattan Bridge colonnade, terrifying residents and besmirching the century-old neoclassical structure with shanties, tarps and tents.
Nearby businesses and residents told The Post their new neighbors are not only a blight near the 111-year-old span once hailed as the gateway to the Big Apple — they’re dangerous too, throwing things when jostled, stealing, and even pooping al fresco.
“Every day’s a problem,” said Zhong Yi Wang, 53, who manages his family’s restaurant, Jisu on Canal Street, where he said three bamboo plants — which cost $800 a pop — recently disappeared.
Bridge denizens often urinate on his door, bang on his window, and even barge inside to scream at him, he said.
Urine isn’t the worst of it, according to a woman who works at the nearby Mahayana Temple.
“Somebody pooped in front of the temple,” said the woman, who only have her first name, Cindy. “And when we talk to them, they just will throw things on you and do all kinds of strange things.”
“It’s not so safe,” she continued outside the Buddhist house of worship. “They will try to punch you or kick you, you have to run away.”
Even other homeless people avoid the area now.
9 comments:
Liberals are why we can't have nice things.
Why isn't the local media covering this mess the city has created?
Why doesn't the local press have more video coverage of the homeless encampments and show the violent homeless people attacking people and the small businesses in that area?
Are they avoiding this horrible mess Deblasio, his fake public servant wife and his enablers created, so Eric Adams can look better in the public eye?
Or they just don't want to report more bad news so more tourists can come to NYC?
These politicians and their sycophants really need to be exposed for the phony public servants they really are.
Vibrant! Diverse! The party of the person who controls almost every community in NYC.
These are people who are exercising their freedom to live wherever they want. The Constitution said nothing about having to own a house.
Only commie punks would have issues with this.
Can/will he still be investigated/charged?
Steve Banks was always scum. Steve Banks is probably doing Mitchell Draizin's bidding as Mitchell Draizin probably wants NYC all to himself and Longview Capital Advisors.
Does anyone remember why Steven Banks was appointed commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services? Is he getting two paychecks while he’s also Commissioner of the most corrupt NYC Agency, HRA?
No one remembers that the attorney DeBlahblah appointed as DHS commish went on a spending/decorating spree, while old people slept in alleyways and sidewalks in the dead of winter, Gilbert Taylor’s main concern was the color of his office walls matching the new sofa. Gilbert resigned but was kept on as a consultant. Tammany Hall & Boss Tweed would be quite proud to see this bunch carrying on their fine NY ways.
This is killing tourism and by extension NYC.
When it's dollars and cents the powerful real estate will go after the politicians.
My money is on the real estate guys.
Steven Banks cared more about Luxury Condominiums than he did about homeless people and affordable housing for them.
I guess he was blind to all the homeless encampments in Manhattan and under bridges and in the public parks.
If he wasn't taking kickbacks for them, he could care less what happens to them.
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