Eric Adams Defeats Curtis Sliwa to Serve as NYC’s Next Mayor

By Yehudit Garmaise

     Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams defeated Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels patrol group, tonight to serve as New York City’s 110th mayor. 

     Adams, who has served as Brooklyn’s borough president since 2013, is expected to continue his longtime warm and supportive relationship with the Jewish community.

      “I have only visited Israel twice, but I visit Brooklyn every day,” said Adams, who has long supported many issues that are important to the Jewish community, such as community safety, religious freedoms, advocacy for small business, and yeshiva education.

     When asked on MSNBC on Sunday what his first 100 days might look like, Adams said  “I am going to focus on public safety, which is the prerequisite to prosperity.

     “Safety and justice will go together.

     “We are zeroing in on gun violence, using Precision Policing and reinstituting the Plain Clothes Anti-Crime Unit [that Mayor Bill de Blasio disbanded in the summer of 2020] and reforming it as an Anti-Gun Unit.”

     While crime remains the top concern of New Yorkers, Adams was told that homelessness was the Number Two issue, and was asked what are his plans to get the more than 40,000 New Yorkers off the streets.

      In response, Adams spoke about dealing the mental heath issues that cause and perpetuate homelessness.

   He also said, “We have to get out of the business of congregate shelters, which [are not the right places for] people who are dealing with mental health issues, who don’t want to be there.”

    Adams, who said that he has been listening to the experts on homelessness for the past two and a half years, has instead of advocating for shelters, has long supported the Fountain House, which is a national mental health non-profit that creates “clubhouses” in 40 states and serving more than 60,000 members.

     Adams said that he will be including Fountain House in his administration “as one of my top advisors.”

     Adams also said that he will prioritize the growth of the New York City economy.

     “We must get people back to work and ensure that our financial ecosystem is a healthy one,” said Adams.

     Adams’ plans to “get New Yorkers employed and to connect with our business community.”