Mayor Adams Announces Citywide Expansion of Program to Improve Quality of Life in Persistently High-

July 18, 2025

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“Every Block Counts” Drives Multi-Agency Resources to Specific Residential Blocks with Historically High Crime Levels

Citywide Expansion Includes Resource Fairs and Direct Outreach to Connect Residents with City Services, Community Support, and Job Opportunities

Adams Administration’s Focus on Interagency Collaboration and Targeted Public Safety Efforts Has Resulted in Six Consecutive Quarters of Crime Reductions, Record Lows for Shooting Incidents and Shooting Victims Through First Half of 2025

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the citywide expansion of the pilot of “Every Block Counts,” a comprehensive program to address historically high rates of violent crime and disorder on specific residential blocks across New York City. Every Block Counts is a data-driven, multi-agency initiative that focuses on blocks that have historically seen high levels of shooting incidents, crime, and quality-of-life issues. Chosen blocks receive intensive support and resources from numerous city agencies in an effort to reduce crime and restore lasting safety and livability.

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a neighborhood that is safe — where the streets and sidewalks are clean and well lit, where street signs are clear, and where you are safe from gun violence and other crime,” said Mayor Adams. “Every Block Counts is our latest initiative to increase cooperation between city agencies and communities to ensure our city works better for everyone. Since its launch, we’ve seen tremendous success — including a significant reduction in shootings on the targeted pilot blocks. Those reductions have helped drive citywide progress — with shootings and shooting victims at record lows, and major crime down 5.5 percent citywide today. Now, we’re expanding this program across all five boroughs because when city agencies and communities work together, we can achieve real results — block by block, street by street — and make every neighborhood a place where New Yorkers can thrive.”

The pilot program — launched in October 2024 — initially focused on five blocks from each of the two New York City Police Department (NYPD) precincts with the most shooting incidents over the previous five years: the 46th Precinct in the Bronx and the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn. Those blocks were:

• 46th Precinct: Elm Place, Walton Avenue, and three blocks on Morris Avenue
• 73rd Precinct: Bristol Street, Christopher Avenue, Dumont Avenue, Lott Avenue, and Mother Gaston Boulevard

Since launching in those two precincts, the pilot blocks have seen a nearly 22 percent decrease in overall crime, an over 33 percent drop in shooting incidents, and a 60 percent reduction in shooting victims — demonstrating the program’s early success in restoring safety.

The program has since expanded citywide, now with five blocks in each of the five boroughs. This expansion targets 15 additional blocks, focused in the 34th Precinct in Manhattan, the 110th Precinct in Queens, and the 120th Precinct in Staten Island. These blocks are:

• 34th Precinct: Arden Street, Post Avenue, 10th Avenue, and two blocks on Sherman Avenue
• 110th Precinct: National Street, Roosevelt Avenue, 43rd Avenue, and two blocks on 41st Avenue
• 120th Precinct: Bowen Street, Broad Street, Broadway, and two blocks on Park Hill Avenue

Building on the success observed in the pilot precincts, the Adams administration anticipates that the expanded blocks will demonstrate similar declines in violent crime and enhancements in residents’ quality of life. Today’s expansion draws on the combined efforts of various city agencies to promote safer, more livable neighborhoods across all five boroughs.

“Since its inception, ‘Every Block Counts’ has been laser-focused on making a difference for New Yorkers who face chronic quality-of-life and public safety issues,” said Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Administration Camille Joseph Varlack. “Our innovative approach addresses community-identified concerns, activates enhanced agency collaboration and visibility in areas of need, and maintains a presence. Now we’re doing a much-needed expansion that will bring that work citywide, and I could not be prouder. This administration is committed to using every tool at our disposal to keep New Yorkers safe and our city the best place to live.”

“Every Block Counts is about using real data to deliver real change — block by block,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry. “We’re working hand-in-hand with the people who live in neighborhoods most impacted by violence and disorder, and we’re already seeing measurable results: fewer shootings, less crime, and cleaner, safer streets. And these aren’t one-time fixes — we’re building trust, restoring order, and making sure residents feel the difference on their own blocks. Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, this administration is showing what it means to be proactive and relentless in our commitment to public safety.”

“Every community deserves to feel safe, supported, and seen,” said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. “Initiatives like ‘Every Block Counts’ reflect a growing understanding that lasting safety comes from collaboration, care, and consistent investment. When we center people, not just problems, we move closer to a city where every block — and every life — truly matters. I look forward to seeing this initiative grow in a way that centers equity, collaboration, and care.”

“The Bronx has been under-resourced for so long, leading to persistent crime,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark. “This multi-faceted approach of caring for people’s needs and addressing the root causes of crime one block at a time will help the entire community improve and thrive.”

“We know that violent crime in our city is concentrated in specific neighborhoods, and we also know that targeted enforcement is effective, said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “This initiative will increase resources and the focus given to these blocks, including non-law enforcement responses, to enhance safety and quality of life. With Brooklyn experiencing another record year in reducing gun violence, this program can help us to continue this momentum.”

“By prioritizing investment and improving quality of life in historically high-crime areas, ‘Every Block Counts’ has proven successful in reducing crime and breaking the cycle of violence afflicting New York City’s most vulnerable communities,” said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. “These efforts not only provide a path forward for the community but also bring vital city services and job opportunities directly into the neighborhoods that need them most. ‘Every Block Counts’ is more than a slogan — it’s a commitment to equity, safety, and progress for every corner of our city, and I am thrilled to see this data-driven and crime-preventative initiative come to our boroughs.”

The city is leveraging existing resources from multiple agencies to support these blocks, including but not limited to:

• Fire Department of the City of New York
• Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice
• Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based & Partnerships
• Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
• Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
• Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit
• New York City Department for the Aging
• New York City Department of Buildings
• New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services
• New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
• New York City Department of Environmental Protection
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development
• New York City Housing Authority
• New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
• New York City Department of Sanitation
• New York City Department of Social Services
• New York City Department of Transportation
• New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
• NYPD
• NYC Health + Hospitals

Since the beginning of the pilot program, Every Block Counts has already achieved tangible results:

• Bronx: Of 120 identified complaints, 86 have been resolved, including cleaning and repairing sidewalks, addressing illegal dumping, fixing broken streetlights, and improving visibility at busy intersections through clearer signage and curb maintenance.
• Brooklyn: Of 108 identified complaints, 83 have been resolved, including trimming overgrown trees, removing graffiti, repairing damaged fencing in public spaces, and fixing crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety.

Work on the expansion blocks is already underway, with the following results achieved:

• Manhattan: Of 84 identified complaints, 62 have been resolved, including painting hydrants, removing graffiti, and resolving building code violations.
• Queens: Of 171 identified complaints, 116 have been resolved, including removing graffiti from light poles, cleaning catch basins, and repairing broken street signs.
• Staten Island: Of 156 complaints identified, 106 have been resolved, including repairing potholes, removing graffiti, and performing fire hydrant maintenance.

All of these items were identified firsthand by either residents or city agencies, with the goal of creating a safer, cleaner, and more livable environment on each block. Complaints are identified and resolved on an ongoing basis through a regimented maintenance plan, based on each block’s immediate needs.

Every Block Counts is structured in two phases. Phase one focuses on identifying and addressing quality-of-life issues and infrastructure needs on each block. Phase two builds on that foundation by ensuring residents have direct access to city resources, services, and employment opportunities. As part of phase two, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety hosted an Every Block Counts resource fair block party at Betsy Head Skatepark in the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn on June 7, and another on June 21 at Walton Park in the 46th Precinct in the Bronx. These events brought together city agencies and community-based organizations to offer residents support, answer questions, and connect people to vital programs and services.

Additionally, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit conducted door-to-door outreach to 274 households across the Bronx and Brooklyn pilot blocks — sharing information about the initiative, gathering resident feedback, and connecting families with available city services.

Each street included in the pilot program has a designated “Block Community Enrichment Officer” known as a “Block CEO,” a resident who volunteered to represent their neighbors as a liaison to city officials. The Block CEO provides regular status updates on progress and communicates ongoing concerns and suggestions from the community. In partnership with the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau, the Block CEO ensures residents remain informed and engaged, fostering a collaborative approach to addressing the unique needs of each block.

Every Block Counts’ expansion further demonstrates the Adams administration’s emphasis on taking a community-driven approach to public safety concerns. In May 2023, Mayor Adams launched “Community Link” to bring together various city agencies and local community and business leaders to address complex and often chronic community complaints that require a multi-agency response. Community Link has previously convened seven community improvement coalitions throughout the five boroughs. Focused on “hot spot” areas, Community Link is active at 125th Street, on the 110th Street Corridor, in Midtown West, and on East 14th Street in Manhattan; on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens; and at “The Hub” in the South Bronx. Since its inception, Community Link has responded to over 1,645 complaints and conducted more than 1,826 operations to address quality-of-life concerns raised by the communities they serve. In April 2025, Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch launched the NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division — and expanded it citywide last month — which brings together specially trained officers from existing NYPD community-oriented roles to address chronic quality-of-life issues and strengthen community trust.

As a result of the Adams administration’s relentless focus on public safety, from January 2025 through June 2025, New York City experienced the lowest number of shooting victims in recorded history and tied the all-time low for shooting incidents. These historic numbers have helped drive down major crime categories for the sixth consecutive quarter, with a 6 percent drop in June 2025 compared to the same time last year. Overall index crime across New York City is down 5.5 percent year-to-date — with reductions in homicides, robberies, burglaries, felony assaults, grand larcenies, vehicle theft, shootings, transit crime, housing crime, retail theft, hate crimes, and more. These significant declines resulted in 3,348 fewer victims of major crime in New York City so far this year, compared to the same period last year. The record-low crime statistics build on the Adams administration’s work to remove more than 22,600 illegal guns from New York City streets since taking office, including more than 2,800 illegal firearms removed year-to-date.

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