NYC Commissioner Calls Homeless Shelters 'A Ticking Time Bomb' During COVID

Steven Banks, Comissioner of Social Services

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, the de Blasio administration had to come up with a plan to protect the city’s 60,000 homeless people, most of whom live in shelters. By some measures, it’s had success. But opposition to placing homeless New Yorkers into hotels in a few neighborhoods complicated its efforts. WNYC’s Mirela Iverac talked to the Social Services Commissioner, Steven Banks, about these issues.