Mayor Eric Adams vetoes 4 bills aimed at increasing aid to homeless New Yorkers, citing cost
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams vetoed four bills seeking to increase aid to homeless New Yorkers on Friday, setting up a showdown with the New York City Council amid tense negotiations over a new budget due June 30th.
First, the mayor cut the ribbon for a new public space project on Broadway, but it wasn't his most momentous action of the day - by a longshot.
Shortly after, he vetoed a sweeping package of housing bills that would cost billions of dollars that the city cannot afford, he said.
"The bills not only create expectations among vulnerable New Yorkers that cannot be met, they also take aim at the wrong problem," said a statement attributed to Adams.
When asked at the Broadway event if he would veto the bills, Adams said, "We sent out a statement and the statement speaks loud."
The "loud" statement sent the mayor on a collision course with the City Council.
City Hall said the bills, which seek to expand the number of people eligible for rent subsidies, could cost as much at $17 billion over five years.
Councilmembers quickly gathered supporters to protest the vetoes.
"The mayor made a campaign promise of $4 billion dedicated to housing in his campaign for mayor. That has not been fulfilled," said Council Member Pierina Sanchez, of the Bronx.
Two influential City Council members said they would not allow the mayor's vetoes to stand during an appearance on "The Point with Marcia Kramer."
"We will override his veto," said Council Member Crystal Hudson, of Brooklyn. "We're in a housing crisis like we've not seen before."
- Related Story: Mayor Eric Adams calls on Albany to pass measures he says will help build 100,000 affordable housing units
"We know that to have a single person in a shelter for a year costs almost half a million dollars. With that same amount of money, a family could live in a two-bedroom subsidized apartment for five years," said Council Member Tiffany Caban, of Queens.
It was not immediately clear if the City Council will try to override the vetoes before striking a budget deal with Adams.
If would be the first successful override since 2013, when then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed a police reform package.
Watch the full interview with Hudson and Caban on "The Point with Marcia Kramer" at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on CBS2 and CBS News New York.