Commissioner of NYC's Homeless Services Resigns Amidst Frigid Temperatures and Job Uncertainty
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the city, Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park tendered her resignation to Mayor Mamdani on Monday morning. The news comes as the city is grappling with an unprecedented number of deaths outside due to frigid temperatures since January 24, with 18 individuals found dead in the cold.
Park's resignation has left many questions unanswered, including whether the administration did enough to address the crisis and provide adequate shelter for those in need. Her departure also marks a significant challenge for the administration, which had given no public indication of whether it planned to keep her in the post. The commissioner confirmed that she is still determining when her last day will be.
Park's tenure at the Department of Social Services was marked by numerous achievements, including expanding Safe Haven and stabilization beds as an alternative for homeless individuals living on the streets. During her nearly three-year tenure, the department helped move 1,200 people from these beds into permanent housing, while also issuing more rental assistance vouchers than ever before. The city-funded rental aid program, known as cityFHEPS, has ballooned into one of the nation's largest housing assistance programs.
However, Park's time at the helm was not without its challenges. The department faced criticism for record-slow processing times for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash assistance cases, which delayed benefits for New Yorkers. The city was even sued over these delays.
As part of her legacy, Park emphasized the importance of housing in addressing homelessness. She shaped the Department of Social Services to focus on housing initiatives, including programs that incentivized nonprofits to own their own homeless shelters and build affordable housing.
Park's departure also comes as the department prepares to absorb significant federal spending cuts from the Trump administration, which will impact its SNAP program serving 1.8 million New Yorkers. The city's street outreach services are facing increasing scrutiny, with some calling for more action to address encampments. With about 4,500 New Yorkers sleeping on the streets, an increase from years prior, the city is under pressure to provide adequate shelter and support.
Mayor Mamdani's administration will need to move quickly to fill the leadership vacuum left by Park's resignation. The commission's role in addressing homelessness and providing essential services to vulnerable populations will be a significant challenge in the coming months.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the city, Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park tendered her resignation to Mayor Mamdani on Monday morning. The news comes as the city is grappling with an unprecedented number of deaths outside due to frigid temperatures since January 24, with 18 individuals found dead in the cold.
Park's resignation has left many questions unanswered, including whether the administration did enough to address the crisis and provide adequate shelter for those in need. Her departure also marks a significant challenge for the administration, which had given no public indication of whether it planned to keep her in the post. The commissioner confirmed that she is still determining when her last day will be.
Park's tenure at the Department of Social Services was marked by numerous achievements, including expanding Safe Haven and stabilization beds as an alternative for homeless individuals living on the streets. During her nearly three-year tenure, the department helped move 1,200 people from these beds into permanent housing, while also issuing more rental assistance vouchers than ever before. The city-funded rental aid program, known as cityFHEPS, has ballooned into one of the nation's largest housing assistance programs.
However, Park's time at the helm was not without its challenges. The department faced criticism for record-slow processing times for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash assistance cases, which delayed benefits for New Yorkers. The city was even sued over these delays.
As part of her legacy, Park emphasized the importance of housing in addressing homelessness. She shaped the Department of Social Services to focus on housing initiatives, including programs that incentivized nonprofits to own their own homeless shelters and build affordable housing.
Park's departure also comes as the department prepares to absorb significant federal spending cuts from the Trump administration, which will impact its SNAP program serving 1.8 million New Yorkers. The city's street outreach services are facing increasing scrutiny, with some calling for more action to address encampments. With about 4,500 New Yorkers sleeping on the streets, an increase from years prior, the city is under pressure to provide adequate shelter and support.
Mayor Mamdani's administration will need to move quickly to fill the leadership vacuum left by Park's resignation. The commission's role in addressing homelessness and providing essential services to vulnerable populations will be a significant challenge in the coming months.
. The commissioner just up and quits during a crisis like this? I feel bad for the homeless people who are gonna get affected by her departure... what's gonna happen to all those shelters and programs she built up? 
I'm also super worried about the snap program and cash assistance cases - how are they gonna process all that in time? 
And then there's this huge federal spending cut from Trump... it's like, the city is already struggling to keep up with homelessness, and now what? 
but now that she's leaving, I wonder if anyone's gonna pick up where she left off. The city needs someone who can just keep on doing what she was doing 
, i cant believe they're losing another key person in such a critical time 
, like seriously 18 people have died outside due to frigid temps already this year 
, how are we even supposed to fix homelessness now? 
and what about the funding cuts from the trump admin? that's just gonna make things worse 
i think park was doing some really good work too, expanding safe haven and stabilization beds was a great move 
but of course there's always more to do 
i'm worried about all those people who are struggling to find shelter during these crazy cold snaps... it's not fair at all. the city needs to do better, like, pronto 
. and can we talk about how the federal spending cuts are gonna hit our snap program so hard? 
.
now who's gonna deal with all the headaches? the city shoulda been better prepared for the Trump cuts, it's not like they're just magically gonna make more money 
they did some good work under Park, like expanding safe haven and stabilization beds, but now what? 
the city needs to step up its game ASAP 
i mean park did some good stuff like expanding safe haven and all that, but she also got slammed for slow processing times for snap and cash assistance 
it was a mess. but seriously though, how are we gonna get 4500 ppl off the streets? 
and mayor mamdani is just sitting there twiddling his thumbs 
anyhoo, park might be gone but her problems are just getting started 
The city is really struggling with homelessness, it's so sad 
.
. 18 people have died already... that's just heartbreaking 
. And cityFHEPS is huge 
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She expanded safe haven & stabilization beds which helped 1200 ppl find permanent housing 
But now she's leaving amidst frigid temps & job uncertainty, it's like the city is playing catch-up 
The fact that there are 18 deaths outside in this cold weather is just heartbreaking 
It's gonna be hard for the new admin to fill her shoes, they need to step up their game ASAP 
we need more than just words, we need real change 
. You gotta wonder how many more lives could've been saved if they'd had better resources and support in place. And now, it looks like we're gonna have to wait and see what kind of new leadership comes in and tries to make a difference. Fingers crossed, you know? 
This is so sad! 18 people have died outside due to freezing temps 
I mean, the city-funded rental aid program cityFHEPS was making a real difference for people. How's that gonna change now? 