News in New York – Election Results, New HERRC Site, “Get Stuff Clean”

New York 2022 Midterm Election Results

In Tuesday’s midterm election, Kathy Hochul won reelection over Lee Zeldin, making her the first woman to be elected Governor of New York State. Statewide incumbents Senator Chuck Schumer, Attorney General Tish James, and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli also secured additional terms. However, all statewide races were much closer than they have been in previous years.

A few races remain too close to call and may be headed to recounts, but Senate Democrats are currently three seats shy of their current 43-seat majority. Republicans in Long Island and the Hudson Valley were able to flip several seats previously held by Democrats. Democrats were able to hold onto their supermajority in the Assembly, with their current 107-member majority expected to fall between 100 and 103 seats. However, several longtime New York City Democrats lost their seats, including Steven Cymbrowitz, Chair of the Housing Committee, and Peter Abbate, who has served in the Assembly since 1986.

New York was also a battleground for Republican control of the House of Representatives. The GOP picked up three additional House seats, including winning all four races on Long Island. Notably, Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Sean Patrick Maloney, lost his seat to Mike Lawler in the Hudson Valley. For more insight on the New York elections, check out a special edition of Cozen O’Connor’s Beltway Briefing.

Randall’s Island Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center Demobilized

Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday that the city will be closing the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) on Randall’s Island. A fourth HERRC, located at the Watson Hotel in midtown Manhattan, will open shortly to assist newly arriving single adult men. The Watson Hotel HERRC will include 600 rooms for asylum seekers. Occupants of the Randall’s Island HERRC will begin transporting to the Watson Hotel early next week. The number of asylum seekers has now surpassed 23,800, and Mayor Adams emphasized the need to shift as necessary to provide assistance to these individuals.

Mayor Adams Launches “Get Stuff Clean”

Last Thursday, Mayor Adams launched “Get Stuff Clean,” a new citywide cleaning initiative. $14.5 million will now be available to clean over 1,000 “No Man’s Land” neglected areas throughout the city. New services will include increased public litter basket service and rat exterminators, in addition to expanded camera enforcement to dissuade illegal dumpings. To support these services, 200 new DSNY workers will be hired, and NYC Parks will be adding additional shifts for rat mitigation.