Mayor Mamdani Issues Executive Orders to Restore Humane Conditions in NYC Shelters and Jails

During his first full week in office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signed two executive orders aimed at improving health, safety, and human rights conditions in the city’s shelters and correctional facilities. He has also directed city agencies to fully enforce a local law banning solitary confinement in city jails.

One of the executive orders, issued Monday, temporarily extends the long-standing emergency declaration at Rikers Island and other city jails. However, it requires the Department of Correction to develop a detailed plan within 45 days to bring facilities into compliance with health and safety standards.

In a statement, Mayor Mamdani said years of legal failures by previous administrations allowed conditions in city jails to deteriorate to an alarming level, adding that restoring humane standards will take time and sustained effort.

A second executive order begins the process of reversing emergency shelter policies introduced under former Mayor Eric Adams. Those measures, enacted during the height of the migrant crisis, relaxed shelter capacity limits and removed requirements such as cooking facilities for families. Mamdani has ordered city agencies to develop a plan to reinstate those protections and submit a detailed proposal by February 19.

Advocacy groups welcomed the move. The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless said the emergency framework is no longer justified as the number of asylum seekers has declined and long-term standards must be restored.

Rikers Island, which currently houses about 7,000 people, is legally required to close by August 2027, though doubts remain about whether the deadline can be met. Last year, 14 people died either while in custody or shortly after release, a sharp increase from the previous year.

Mayor Mamdani also instructed city departments to work closely with a federal monitor to implement a 2023 law prohibiting solitary confinement. Human rights organizations have long argued that the practice causes severe psychological harm and should be eliminated entirely.

City officials said the executive orders signal a broader shift toward prioritizing dignity, safety, and accountability within New York City’s shelter and correctional systems.