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With the controversial Bensonhurst homeless shelter site in the background, three Republican candidates for top state offices on Sunday told a crowd of nearly 50 people that current homeless policies from Democratic leaders have fostered corruption and inefficiency.
Bruce Blakeman, the GOP gubernatorial candidate who was flanked by his running mate, Todd Hood, and Saritha Komatireddy, the Republican candidate for New York Attorney General, gave a press conference Sunday afternoon on 86th Street and 25th Avenue, where they denounced the policies of Governor Kathy Hochul.
"We have places already where we can house them," said Blakeman. "But we also have to get into a mode where we are solving the homeless problem. We don't solve the homeless problem, we just create more homelessness."
Blakeman, the current Nassau County Executive, said homeless individuals who are out of work need job training. He talked about a woman he met in Washington Square Park who had been homeless. Blakeman said she begged the city for job training, but it fell on deaf ears.
He also pointed out that not only are there enough treatment centers for anyone with substance abuse, but people with those addictions are simply thrown into a homeless shelter. That leads to more criminal and drug activity, he said.
"Why put that in this beautiful community?" Blakeman said.
“Bruce Blakeman’s extreme MAGA record on housing is clear: He bragged about how expensive housing is on Long Island, one of the least affordable places to live in America, jacked up property taxes – twice – to make life even more expensive for Long Islanders, and opposed building affordable housing," said Hochul's Campaign Spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki.
Meanwhile, Komatireddy called the homeless crisis a nonpartisan issue by referring to the report by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, a Democrat, about the growing number of homeless people in the city.
"We need to take the homeless off the streets in a humane way," she said, adding that the amount of money spent on each homeless person last year went to waste. "We don't have the means for an outcome. We don't have the means for who is walking in and then kicking them out."
Komatireddy also criticized Attorney General Letitia James for not doing enough about crime, adding that the race for the next Attorney General is about public safety. She also said James should be prosecuted for spending $80,000 toward each homeless individual, despite the fact that the mayor and City Council deciding how funds are spent on the homeless.
"We need to hold them accountable," Komatireddy said. "They need to be audited and investigated, and that's what I'll do on day one."
After the press conference, the candidates addressed questions from voters. Blakeman said he is against Hochul's fracking ban, saying it is "fiction" that it affects New York's water supply. Fracking has been a big environmental issue in New York for many years, as opponents have argued that the chemicals that are mixed with the water used to crack shale can get into the state's water supply.
He also told one woman with two school-age children that he supported Gifted & Talented programs and wants to give education control back to the parents.
Many in attendance seemed optimistic about the candidates. Some took pictures with them, while others waved campaign signs. The press conference finished with the crowd chanting, "Blakeman! Blakeman!"
In response to Komatireddy's comments. Phillip Jerez, campaign manager for the attorney general, said James has "a proven record of protecting public safety for all New Yorkers."
"She has championed real solutions to address the root causes of crime, including access to stable housing, mental health support, and affordable and accessible health care, while taking action to hold bad actors accountable and take dangerous drugs and weapons off of our streets," Jerez said in a statement.
