Mayor Zoran Mamdani announced on Monday the revival of Just Home, a housing initiative for former prisoners in the Bronx that his predecessor, Eric Adams, had tried to dismantle.
This initiative will provide over 80 new apartments at Jacobi Medical Center for elderly individuals who have been incarcerated and have complex medical needs that extend beyond what homeless shelters can handle.
Mamdani noted that it felt fitting to make this announcement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“We’re not just building 83 apartments to assist those in need; we’re promoting a larger cause of justice,” he remarked during a press conference at Jacobi, joined by various city officials, advocates, and former inmates.
“This project guarantees stable rents for all tenants and demonstrates that our dedication to helping homeless New Yorkers and those requiring support is both tangible and actionable.”
The future of Just Home had been uncertain in the previous year when Adams, who had initially backed it, informed city councilors of plans to relocate the project.
A letter from Adams’ Deputy Mayor, Randy Mastro, cited local opposition, including from former City Councilmember Kristi Marmorato (R-Bronx), as a reason for this shift.
Mastro proposed moving the initiative to Brooklyn instead.
City Council members criticized Adams’ abrupt change as a political maneuver during what appeared to be a tough re-election campaign.
Ultimately, they approved a 99-year sublease for the project to ensure its continuation.
Mamdani’s actions indicate that, in contrast to his predecessor, his administration will support the project.
Mitchell Katz, the president and CEO of Health and Hospitals, stood alongside Mamdani and humorously remarked, “Wow, what a great mayor, what a great initiative he’s doing,” eliciting laughter from those present.
