The Degradation of a City - The New York City Social Experiment Gone Awry
Skyrocketing Crime, NYPD Burn Out, Office Building Bust, Homelessness/Massive Migration, & Crack Pipe Vending Machines
Don’t Want to Read? - Watch this Substack on my YouTube Channel
I am writing this Substack article through the lens of a former law enforcement officer with over 300 hours of drug-specific training & nearly 10 years of experience in dealing with people from all walks of life who were immigrants, homeless, drug-addicted, mentally-impaired, & physically-impaired. I have personally used NARCAN (naloxone) to revive multiple subjects from death. In addition, I am a former New York City resident who used to enjoy all of the culture & city life it had to offer.
I remember New York City turning from a high-crime, prostitution-filled, drug-riddled city during Mayor David Dinkins’ 3 year stint as Governor from 1990-1993 to a place where I felt safe to walk around in the back alleys at 4 a.m. after dancing all night at clubs like The Limelight, The Bat Cave, & Soundfactory. What did Mayor Rudolph Giuliani do to turn New York City Around?
Some key elements of Giuliani's approach included:
Crime Reduction: Giuliani made combating crime a top priority. He implemented the "broken windows" theory of policing, which focused on addressing minor offenses and disorderly behavior to prevent more serious crimes. This involved cracking down on quality-of-life offenses, improving law enforcement strategies, increasing police presence, and utilizing data-driven approaches such as CompStat to target crime hotspots.
Police Reforms: Giuliani appointed William Bratton as the Police Commissioner, who introduced innovative approaches to policing. This included implementing community policing strategies, improving police-community relations, and using data analysis to target resources effectively.
Tough-on-Crime Policies: Giuliani advocated for stricter law enforcement measures, supporting measures such as the "three strikes" law, which imposed longer sentences for repeat offenders. He also emphasized proactive policing tactics to deter crime, including aggressive tactics like stop-and-frisk, which generated controversy but also resulted in weapons seizures.
Economic Development: Giuliani prioritized revitalizing the city's economy. He focused on attracting businesses, promoting tourism, and supporting financial sectors. Through efforts to reduce regulations and taxes, Giuliani aimed to create a business-friendly environment that stimulated economic growth and job creation.
Social Programs: While known for his tough stance on crime, Giuliani also recognized the importance of addressing underlying social issues. He implemented initiatives to combat drug addiction, including expanding drug treatment programs and providing support for individuals seeking rehabilitation.
So what happened? How did The City That Never Sleeps turn into a social experiment gone awry? Looking at the aforementioned five major topics, I will explain how liberal social policies have degraded the quality of living in what was one of the greatest cities in the world.
Crime is Skyrocketing -
Minor Offenses are Treated as Cashless Bail Offenses - “Critics of New York’s old bail laws argued that they penalized poverty, creating a two tiered criminal justice system in which the wealthy can post bail while they await trial while the poor who have to sit in jail.” In 2019, a cashless bail system was introduced.
“Cash bail is prohibited for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies under the 2019 changes. In these types of cases, judges are required to release people with the least restrictive conditions imposed to ensure they return for their court dates. For violent felonies and some misdemeanors, such as purposefully trying to prevent someone from breathing, judges have discretion over how to use an arsenal of tools available to make sure a defendant returns to court — such as setting bail, electronic monitoring, surrendering passports or treatment programs. Judges can also hold people in detention pending their trial in very serious cases.” - The City
In the first year New York’s new bail policies took effect, nearly a fifth of all defendants were rearrested for a crime of any kind, and 2% of the total led to a rearrest for a violent felony, according to the Office of Court Administration.
Recidivism due to Cashless Bail Policies -
Re-arrest rates for released defendants with prior violent-felony arrests grew from 61.9% to 72.4% under bail reform. Re-arrest rates for released defendants with any pending cases swelled from 62.8% to 68.8%.
Office of Court Administration data show that under bail reform, 79% of defendants with a pending case or prior conviction who are charged with petit larceny and then released on non-monetary conditions get re-arrested while their case is pending. For residential burglaries, the re-arrest rate is 62%, commercial burglaries 70%, grand larceny 70%, robbery third degree 70%. - NY Post
Lack of Capture & Lack of Prosecution - we’ve all seen the videos of mass shoplifting & looting in malls, pharmacies, & high-end stores. Several weeks ago, I wrote a Substack about shoplifting & its effects on the community. If retailers’ corporate policies are weak &/or there is a lack of prosecution for the crime, it will continue to happen en masse.
Lack of Law Enforcement Officers & Support - In the wake of the Defund the Police movement & city ‘leadership’ looking to gain social credit score points with the Black Lives Matter mob combined with deteriorating working conditions, NYPD Officers have had enough:
Precinct cops are being forced to work an inhumane amount of overtime, including on their days off, while being penalized for minor uniform and administrative infractions. Meanwhile, precincts barely have enough personnel to meet the minimum required to safely answer 911 calls. Some officers are so disgusted that the carrot of an NYPD pension isn’t even enough to keep them in. New York City’s Finest are also bailing because of what they consider anti-cop politics, woke bail reform policies that make criminal justice a revolving door and low wages. “We are losing cops to better pay and benefits in other policing jobs almost every day,” said Lynch, who reps 22,000 uniformed officers. - NY Post
Would you want to be a NYPD Officer if you knew your work was a waste of time & that you would be subjected to working an ungodly amount of hours all for a starting salary of $55,190 & after 5 ½ years: $117,510? Using a tax calculator:
Could you live in NYC or even on Long Island for $40,551? Not according to this:
So with the NYPD officers not even able to receive livable wages on top of the aforementioned working conditions, is it a mystery why officers are leaving in droves?
Economic Development - NYC used to be a thriving economic powerhouse. Office towers, restaurants, bars, clubs, Broadway shows, Times Square, & the hustle & bustle of commuters & tourists alike. The government-imposed lockdowns of 2020 strangled the life out of New York City not to mention the vaccine mandates which saw the forced termination of thousands of key employees.
Shuttered Businesses - “The number of private businesses operating in Manhattan was down by 5,200 during the last three months of 2021 when compared to the same period in 2019. The report was first noted by news nonprofit The City. Over the same time period, jobs in New York City fell by approximately 295,000, or 7 percent of its base of approximately 4 million at the end of 2019.” - NY Post
The $12 Billion Loss Due to Remote Work - New York City businesses are losing customers and revenue with people working remotely. The workers coming into Manhattan are spending $12.4 billion less per year than they were before the pandemic, according to a Bloomberg report citing data from Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom’s WFH Research team.
Office Occupancy Rates - “Office vacancy in the first three months of 2023 rose 16.1%, according to the real estate firm JLL, which means some 76 million square feet of office space is empty. The amount of space leased totalled only 4.6 million square feet, which is the lowest amount since early in 2021. The situation is not likely to improve anytime soon: Companies are wrestling with their space needs as they continue to sort out how many employees will be in the office each day. In addition, almost 14 million square feet of modern office space is under construction, which is expected to lure tenants from older buildings.”
According to Investopedia, office vacancies in Downtown Manhattan are 22.6% in Q1 of 2023 compared to 10.6% in 2020, and 22.5% compared to 8.5% for Midtown South.
Office Buildings Cannot Easily Convert to Residential Space - many people believe an easy solution to the declining office occupancy rate & the increase in immigration & homelessness in the city would be to convert the vacant space into apartments. The transition would be far from easy.
Commercial office towers are not always suitable for conversion into apartments due to several reasons:
Structural and Design Considerations: Commercial office buildings are designed and constructed with different considerations than residential buildings. They often have large, open floor plans optimized for flexible office layouts and may lack the necessary infrastructure for residential use. The structural elements, such as load-bearing walls, may not align with residential apartment layouts, requiring significant modifications.
Building Codes and Regulations: Residential buildings are subject to specific building codes and regulations that differ from those for commercial structures. Converting an office tower into residential units would require extensive renovations to meet safety standards, including fire codes, soundproofing requirements, ventilation systems, and adequate access to natural light.
Amenities and Services: Commercial office towers typically lack the amenities and services necessary for residential living. Residential buildings often require features like parking facilities, recreational spaces, common areas, and utilities that are not typically present in office buildings. Retrofitting an office tower to accommodate these amenities can be expensive and challenging.
Noise and Privacy Concerns: Commercial office buildings may be located in bustling urban areas with high levels of noise and traffic. Converting them into apartments would require substantial soundproofing measures to provide residents with the necessary privacy and quiet living conditions.
Infrastructure and Utilities: The infrastructure of office buildings may not be designed to handle the demands of residential use. This includes issues such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and elevators, which may require significant upgrades or modifications to meet residential requirements.
Zoning and Land Use Restrictions: Local zoning regulations and land use restrictions may prevent the conversion of commercial office towers into residential buildings. Some areas may have specific zoning designations that restrict certain types of land use or require special permits or approvals for residential conversions.
While some office-to-residential conversions have been successful in certain cases, they often involve extensive renovations and substantial investment.
Who will pay? New York City’s budget is bleeding: “Overall, the city’s revenue stream is projected to fall this year [2022] and next — the first two-year decline in audited state comptroller records, which date back to 1980. The state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, recently said the city faced a potential budget gap in 2026 of nearly $10 billion.” This is on top of commercial building bank note holders such as mid-sized banks facing $2+ trillion in leases being up for renewal in the next 5 years at higher interest rates. Neither party will be interested in investing any further in a hemorrhaging liability.
Social Programs - How is NYC combatting drug addiction, homelessness, & massive migration?
Drugs - “NYC’s Drug-Themed Vending Machine Cleaned out of Crack Pipes Over Night - They Should Re-Stock” a NY Post headline read on June 6, 2023.
“The machine, installed in the drug-infested neighborhood Monday, is the first of four new contraptions set to provide a slew of drug-themed items to the community gratis, including drug-smoking kits complete with pipes, mouthpieces and lip balm, the overdose-reversing drug Narcan and fentanyl-detecting strips, as well as various odd items such as condoms, tampons and nicotine gum. The machines cost $11,000 each before being stocked. The drug paraphernalia and other items in them are free, with patrons needing only to punch in a zip code to get what they want.
“Our city should not be commodifying addiction, and anyone supporting these vending machines should be ashamed of themselves,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) raged to The Post on Tuesday. “The money the Health Department is spending on these machines — which are providing, among other things, free crack pipes to drug-addicted individuals — should be spent on rehabilitation and social services to actually help addicts rather than on items like these which only encourage their addiction,” she said.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
From my law enforcement experience, I can tell you naloxone (NARCAN) will only be effective if a person is using drugs with another person who is both coherent enough & willing/able to recognize the difference between the typical on-the-nod behavior of someone who is high versus not-breathing, unresponsive, cardiac arrest. If the ‘partner’ makes the wrong judgement call, there may be major penalties either way. Either the partner kills the person’s high (which is grounds for an ass beating) or they wait too long & the person actually dies. 99.99% of the time coming close or actually dying will NOT stop the addicts’ use of the drug. The addict could be ‘saved’ from death several times in a single day & still continue to use drugs. It’s a never ending cycle that in which often times addicts actually want to die just to break the cycle. Addicts that are too far along the path no longer get high. Addicts use drugs so they don’t get ‘dope sick’. For heroin/fentanyl users, the normal cycle is around every four hours between hits. Addicts will do everything & anything they can just to raise enough money for their next fix. Shoplifting, panhandling, burglary, prostitution, you name it. The cost of the naloxone isn’t cheap either. “Depending on the specific form of naloxone used by the department, the cost of a single naloxone rescue kit ranges from approximately $22-$60 for intranasal kits.”
As for the fentanyl test kits, if a person is playing around with powdered fentanyl and they don’t have any type of tolerance to the drug, a dose of 3 milligrams equivalent to several granules of sand can kill a person if it becomes airborne & inhaled or if it lands on the skin & is absorbed. They used to warn us as deputies to be extremely careful when testing any fentanyl-suspected substance. Several of my colleagues had to be rushed to the hospital after multiple naloxone administrations after a small amount of fentanyl became airborne. When I tested drugs for fentanyl content, I wore two pairs of gloves & made sure to use the appropriate precautions. The average person on the street should not be haphazardly testing drugs for fentanyl content. A user should assume all drugs contain fentanyl (I found a high majority of powered/iced drugs had traces of fentanyl). In addition, no test strip or kit will tell you the level of fentanyl content. One can only assume the level of content given the rapidity of the color change on the strip/kit. It should be noted, a single fentanyl test kit would cost an agency around $50.
Lethal Dose of Heroin vs. Lethal Dose of Fentanyl
I can understand a needle exchange program in order to curb the spread of disease but the distribution of crack pipes? The addict basically sterilizes whatever pipe they use anyway with the flame of the lighter. There is no life-saving or disease curbing benefit from the distribution of crack pipes & lip balm.
Homelessness - Some facts about NYC’s homeless population
In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
In December 2022, there were 68,884 homeless people, including 21,805 homeless children, sleeping each night in New York City’s main municipal shelter system. A near-record 22,720 single adults slept in shelters each night in December 2022.
Over the course of City Fiscal Year 2022, 102,656 different homeless adults and children slept in the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system. This includes 29,653 homeless children.
Families entering shelters predominantly come from a few clustered zip codes in the poorest neighborhoods in New York City. However, homeless families and single adults come from every community district in NYC prior to entering shelters.
The number of homeless New Yorkers sleeping each night in municipal shelters is now 39 percent higher than it was 10 years ago. The number of homeless single adults is 112 percent higher than it was 10 years ago.
Research shows that the primary cause of homelessness, particularly among families, is lack of affordable housing. Surveys of homeless families have identified the following major immediate, triggering causes of homelessness: eviction; doubled-up or severely overcrowded housing; domestic violence; job loss; and hazardous housing conditions.
Research shows that, compared to homeless families, homeless single adults have higher rates of serious mental illness, addiction disorders, and other severe health problems.
Each night thousands of unsheltered homeless people sleep on New York City streets, in the subway system, and in other public spaces. There is no accurate measurement of New York City’s unsheltered homeless population, and recent City surveys significantly underestimate the number of unsheltered homeless New Yorkers.
Studies show that the large majority of unsheltered homeless New Yorkers are people living with mental illness or other severe health problems. - CFH
Migrants -
More than 67,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since the crisis began. Of those, 41,500 people are currently being cared for by the city, Anne Williams-Isom, the deputy mayor for health and human services, said at a news conference on Wednesday. She said 4,300 people had arrived in just the past week.
That new influx of arrivals has forced the Adams administration to contend with new layers of what was already a humanitarian and economic crisis that the city had spent $1 billion addressing so far, and may cost as much as $4.3 billion through June 2024, according to Ms. Williams-Isom. It has strained Mr. Adams’s relationship with not only New Yorkers but with President Biden.
“Instead of monies coming from people who are visiting us and spending in our tourism, in our Broadway plays, instead of them using those hotels, we’re using those hotels,” Mr. Adams said.
The city applied for $350 million in federal aid, but will receive about $30 million, city officials have said. - NY Times
Adding thousands of migrants on top of the homelessness crisis in New York City is a recipe for absolute disaster. New York City’s social experiment of pretty much everything anti-Giuliani’s reforms (which worked), has been an abysmal failure. What is happening in New York City now is a direct reflection of soft-on-crime, sanctuary city, defund the police-style policies coupled with the absolute havoc caused by government-instituted lockdowns & mandates.
Would you want to live or take your family on vacation to New York City?
What can my Fellow Warriors Learn from the Mistakes of New York City’s Leadership?
Learn & understand the following:
The results of soft-on-crime policies & a cashless bail system
The results of a defunded, overworked, disrespected, & understaffed police department
The nature of drug addiction/drug abuse which cannot be solved by throwing free crack pipes, naloxone, & test kits into vending machines
The results of an open-border/sanctuary city policy
What can my Fellow Warriors do About the Situation?
Vote politicians out of office who support these policies. Let your voice be heard if your business, school, livelihood is being affected by these policies at board meetings & public commentary. Lastly, if you are able, vote with your boots & your wallet. Do not live in or patronize cities that cannot provide a safe & healthy atmosphere for you & your family.
Until next time, stay informed, stay vigilant, Ever Forward!
NYC Circa 2007 - The Good Ol’ Days