New York, New York - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced the opening of a first-of-its-kind outposted therapeutic housing unit as a step toward closing the infamous Rikers Island jail complex.
"We are gathered here today to mark a major milestone on the path to closing Rikers," Mamdani said in a press conference on Tuesday.
The 104-bed unit on the Bellevue Hospital campus will allow people with complex medical needs detained at Rikers to receive better care, including oncology, cardiology, and neurology services. The NYC Department of Correction will manage security.
"Patients will begin moving in tomorrow," Mamdani announced to applause.
"Rather than wait critical hours and travel offsite to get the treatment they need, specialty services will be just an elevator ride away."
"Rather than enduring the crumbling conditions that have defined Rikers for so long, they will receive care in a space designed for rehabilitation."
The Bellevue facility is the first of three planned outposted therapeutic housing units across the city.
Zohran Mamdani promises to take "different course"
Mamdani's announcement comes days after two people who had been detained at Rikers – Barry Cozart (39) and John Price (49) – died within one week of each other.
"Now for decades, the daily conditions at Rikers have been calamitous and unsafe," Mamdani said. "Rikers as we know is broken."
"The facilities at Rikers have long languished in disrepair, creating the conditions for violence and putting those with health conditions at serious risk."
The mayor said the New York City Council had voted to close Rikers and replace it with borough-based jails and therapeutic housing units back in 2019. He blamed the previous Eric Adams administration for delaying the construction and opening of such facilities, noting that the Bellevue unit had been completed in 2025.
"Today, we are charting a different course, one that diverts from the path of neglect and begins the process of closing Rikers Island once and for all," Mamdani insisted.
"Today, when we cut this ribbon and open these doors, we are not just unveiling a new facility," said Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards. "We are offering a glimpse into the future – a future beyond Rikers Island, a future shaped by dignity, care, and support."