New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a multi-faceted response to the severe cold snap, which is expected to push real-feel temperatures to as low as negative 20 degrees this weekend. The city is reopening 10 public schools as warming centers, deploying school nurses for street outreach, and piloting a program that pairs formerly homeless individuals with outreach workers to encourage them to seek shelter.
The extreme cold warning issued by the National Weather Service has highlighted the dangers of prolonged exposure to such conditions, which can lead to hypothermia and frostbite in just 15 minutes. Mayor Mamdani described the situation as "lethal" and urged caution, stating that even short periods outside could pose a severe risk.
Seventeen people have lost their lives outside during this cold stretch, with preliminary indications suggesting 13 died of hypothermia and three from overdoses. The mayor emphasized that these conditions are too low and too dangerous to survive, calling on anyone who may be considering spending time outdoors to "come inside."
The city is also expanding its shelter capacity, adding approximately 65 new hotel units for individuals reluctant to enter congregate settings. Two new CUNY warming centers have been added, as well as two new facilities through a partnership with Northwell Health.
In addition to these measures, outreach teams have made over 1,250 placements into shelters and safe havens since January 19, with twice as many placements as the previous night. The city has also cut the response time for homeless assistance prompts on 311 from one minute and 20 seconds to approximately 40 seconds.
As the death toll rises, Mayor Mamdani acknowledged responsibility for the city's actions across all five boroughs, stating that each day presents an opportunity to address concerns raised by New Yorkers.
The extreme cold warning issued by the National Weather Service has highlighted the dangers of prolonged exposure to such conditions, which can lead to hypothermia and frostbite in just 15 minutes. Mayor Mamdani described the situation as "lethal" and urged caution, stating that even short periods outside could pose a severe risk.
Seventeen people have lost their lives outside during this cold stretch, with preliminary indications suggesting 13 died of hypothermia and three from overdoses. The mayor emphasized that these conditions are too low and too dangerous to survive, calling on anyone who may be considering spending time outdoors to "come inside."
The city is also expanding its shelter capacity, adding approximately 65 new hotel units for individuals reluctant to enter congregate settings. Two new CUNY warming centers have been added, as well as two new facilities through a partnership with Northwell Health.
In addition to these measures, outreach teams have made over 1,250 placements into shelters and safe havens since January 19, with twice as many placements as the previous night. The city has also cut the response time for homeless assistance prompts on 311 from one minute and 20 seconds to approximately 40 seconds.
As the death toll rises, Mayor Mamdani acknowledged responsibility for the city's actions across all five boroughs, stating that each day presents an opportunity to address concerns raised by New Yorkers.
The cold snap in NYC has been a harsh reminder of how quickly things can go wrong when we're not prepared. It's heartbreaking to see 17 people lose their lives in such extreme conditions, and it's even more alarming that hypothermia and frostbite can set in after just 15 minutes outside. I hope the city's efforts to reopen public schools as warming centers, deploy school nurses for street outreach, and expand shelter capacity are enough to make a difference 
! I mean, -20 degrees is COLD, fam 
. We need to be more proactive about helping our homeless brothers and sisters find warmth & shelter ASAP 
. 65 new hotel units are a great start, but we gotta keep pushing for more 
. The city's response so far is pretty solid, but I'd love to see even more innovative solutions to tackle this issue 
. Let's get those outreach teams working overtime and make sure people know they're not alone in this crisis 
. Stay warm, NYC! 
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it's crazy how quickly things can go from bad to worse when you're exposed to temps like -20°. I mean 15 minutes is just not enough time to get help if something happens outside, and with all these people losing their lives... it's just heartbreaking 
it's amazing what can be done when we come together. And adding more hotel units for shelter? That's a huge step forward too 
.
. And Mayor Mamdani taking responsibility for everything? That's leadership right there 
. Fingers crossed things start warming up (literally) soon 
seriously though, the city needs to step up its game here. reopening schools as warming centers is a good start but we need more concrete solutions. like, how are people supposed to get help if they don't know where to go? 
can u believe it's getting THAT cold in NYC ? 
. but seriously, mayor mamdani is doing an amazing job responding to this crisis 
. reopening schools as warming centers and deploying school nurses on the streets is genius 
it's awesome that they're expanding their shelter capacity and outreach programs too 
let's hope this cold snap passes soon and everyone stays safe & warm 
... this cold snap is crazy! I'm not surprised it's getting really bad out there - 20 degrees below zero? That's like, way too cold for me 
. It makes me glad that the city is doing everything they can to help people who are struggling. Opening up schools as warming centers is a genius idea, btw 
. And kudos to the outreach teams for making those 1,250 placements in just a few weeks - that's amazing work!