Giuliani: De Blasio Policies Have Created Homeless Crisis
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is calling on the city to end its homelessness problem.
In an op-ed piece for the New York Post on Sunday, Giuliani wrote that the homeless need to be "dealt with through intervention rather than denial."
Giuliani pointed the finger at Mayor Bill de Blasio.
"The so-called 'progressive' view, that people have a right to live on the sidewalk, is not only legally devoid of any merit but is inhumane, indecent and dangerous," Giuliani wrote.
Giuliani wrote that sleeping on the streets is unacceptable and it's the city's responsibility to find the homeless treatment, shelter and even a job.
"A city with homeless on its streets is a city that has no love of its people," Giuiani wrote.
The de Blasio administration fired back in a statement saying: "Homelessness increased by 27 percent under Rudy Giuliani's watch, and his strategy of chasing homeless New Yorkers from corner to corner is ineffective and wrong."
De Blasio recently released a plan to add case workers and increase outreach.
On Sunday, CBS2 spotted a number of homeless on streets, on sidewalks and in parks.
New Yorkers say something has to be done.
"I've seen a lot of people sitting down with signs," said Desane Bowe, of Brooklyn. "A lot of hopelessness. Not necessarily aggressive, but a lot of hopelessness -- sitting down with signs, not saying anything, just looking downtrodden."
Andrea Davis, who says she's been homeless three or four years, said she won't stay in a city shelter because it's dangerous.
"How can you help the homeless?" she said. "Help them get a place instead of them going to a shelter. Find a place for them to stay."
Meanwhile, city Comptroller Scott Stringer says he has the answer to homelessness. He told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria the city needs a "bigger, bolder homeless prevention plan."
"The problem that we have here is the lack of affordable, permanent housing, and we have got to make sure that people who are struggling have the ability to access housing," he said. " ... We've got to build housing for the people who are struggling the most in this city."