Quality of life is rooted in compassion and communal support, rather than increased law enforcement, according to an Op-Ed by New Yorkers.
In the heart of New York City, a growing consensus among residents is that genuine improvement in quality of life doesn't come from increasing criminal justice statistics, but from social justice solutions. This shift in perspective is a response to the city's systemic failures, which include an affordability crisis, the collapse of accessible mental health care, the defunding of community-based support systems, and decades-long disinvestment in low-income neighborhoods.
A citywide poll conducted earlier this year revealed that an overwhelming 84% of city residents believe we are facing a serious mental health crisis. This is evident in the issues being targeted by the city's Quality of Life Division, such as public drug use, panhandling, loitering, and street homelessness, which are symptoms of deeper systemic failures.
However, arrests and summonses do not provide mental health care, prevent evictions, feed hungry families, address addiction, or domestic violence. Instead, quality of life includes affordable housing, clean streets, safe parks, and accessible mental health services.
Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President of Brooklyn Org, echoes this sentiment. She emphasizes the importance of investing in the organizations and leaders already working in our communities to provide mental health and housing support. Nonprofits, social workers, public health professionals, and outreach workers have the training, experience, and trauma-informed tools to address these challenges compassionately and effectively.
These professionals can connect New Yorkers to shelter, treatment, food, and job training, and build trust with vulnerable communities. They can foster social connections through expanded community parks and recreation facilities in underinvested neighborhoods, improving access to safe outdoor spaces and promoting wellness.
One such example is the $164 million investment by Mayor Adams in the West Village corridor, which combines affordable housing, accessible recreation amenities, and community wellness programs, aiming to strengthen community bonds and improve overall health without relying on heightened policing.
Another approach is investing in affordable and supportive housing through impact investing and private capital targeting multifamily affordable housing projects. Programs like the Community Foundation’s recoverable grants and upcoming discussions by the New York Fed emphasize sustainable financing for such housing.
New Yorkers understand that city-funded programs that combine mental health support with public safety initiatives to reduce crime and violence are the way forward. They support solutions that provide mental health and housing support, rather than increased law enforcement.
Since its launch in April, the NYPD's Quality of Life Division has issued 6,100 summonses and made 357 arrests. Yet, quality of life can't be legislated through law enforcement, but must be nurtured through community investment. If New York City wants to live up to its promise of equity and opportunity for all, it must start investing in solutions that provide mental health and housing support.
More police presence is not the same as improving quality of life. Instead, it's about creating healthier, more connected neighborhoods that reduce reliance on criminalization and enforcement for public safety. It's about empathy, as 58% of New Yorkers say they feel mostly empathy for those on the streets struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and other issues.
As we move forward, it's crucial to remember that genuine improvement in quality of life comes through social justice solutions, not by increasing criminal justice statistics. It's about investing in our communities, our people, and our future.
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