14 people have died during dangerous cold snap in NYC, Mayor Mamdani says
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said a total of 14 people have died outside during the dangerously cold weather.
As the freezing temperatures continue, new single-room shelter units will open for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, Mamdani said at a news conference Saturday.
Preliminary findings found hypothermia played a role in the deaths of eight people. Officials are still waiting for the final results from the medical examiner's office.
"This is one of the longest, most sustained cold stretches our city has endured in years, and it is showing no signs of abating. We remain in a Code Blue," he said.
The emergency code went into effect Jan. 19, and officials have resorted to forcibly removing people experiencing homelessness from the streets to save lives.
Single-room shelter units open in Upper Manhattan
Single-room-occupancy style shelter units opened Sunday in Upper Manhattan. They are designed for people who are reluctant to go indoors because they don't want to share rooms or are skeptical of other shelter options.
"By making new single-room units available, we are meeting people where they are and removing barriers that keep too many New Yorkers out in the cold," Mamdani said.
The mayor also said a new low-barrier-bed shelter site will open to make spaces more accessible.
"A full all-hands-on-deck approach"
Mamdani said officials ramped up outreach to get New Yorkers into shelters.
They have made more than 860 placements into shelters and safe havens since the start of the cold snap. Sixteen people were involuntarily transported who were determined to be a danger to themselves or others, he said.
Warming shelters remain open to anyone across the five boroughs. There are also 20 warming buses parked across the city.
"We have expanded shelter capacity, relaxed intake rules and worked with faith-based and community-based organizations to scale up outreach. As we have made clear, we are not going to slow down in this work," he said.
On Friday night, 17 on-call ambulettes were deployed, which offer people on the streets warmth, food and medical attention.
Anyone who sees a person whom they think may need help is asked to call 311.
"It takes everyone stepping up and keeping an eye out for those across the city for us to be able to protect each and every New Yorker," Mamdani said.
More workers help with snow cleanup over the weekend
The mayor said an additional 130 city workers will help clear snow across the city.
"That means, in addition to the 2,500 sanitation workers who are working each 12-hour shift, we now have more than 1,200 additional workers who will be assisting in the cleanups of this city," he said.
Mamdani also highlighted the 67 million pounds of snow melted and the 188 million pounds of salt used.