New York City Mayor Keeps Creating New Offices
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From child care to rats, if you’ve got a problem, Mayor Eric Adams has a job to tackle it.
This article was first published by Route Fifty partner publication City & State New York.
In some ways, New York City government has shrunk under Mayor Eric Adams. The city has fewer employees—see 4,700 slashed positions and 23,000 vacant jobs—than it did under Mayor Bill de Blasio. But, it has grown in other ways, including billions in more revenue and new offices galore. Some of those offices, such as the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media and the Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture, were created by City Council legislation that passed in 2021. Another, the Mayor’s Office of Equity, was created by a November ballot proposal. But Adams has done a lot on his own too. Here are some of the new offices and a few recent jobs created under the mayor.
Office of Asylum Seeker Operations
Adams’ most recent proposal will create an office to manage a new migrant intake center as well as oversee coordination with city, state and federal agencies.
Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships
Don’t tell the mayor about the separation of church and state. Adams worked closely with clergy in Brooklyn Borough Hall, so he created this office to keep it up.
Mayor’s Office for Child Care and Early Childhood Education
In February, Adams said this office would lead the city’s strategy, planning and coordination around child care issues. That came after City Hall was criticized for pausing the expansion of free preschool for 3-year-olds and failing to pay some providers.
Mayor’s Office of Innovation and Emerging Markets
Adams never publicly announced the creation of this office. But its executive director was quoted when the mayor launched his effort to avoid the press and send a newsletter directly to constituents.
Mayor’s Office of Risk Management and Compliance
The mayor talked about creating this office before his inauguration, saying it would crack down on waste fraud and abuse. But he didn’t seem to formally establish it until a year later, with a January 2023 executive order.
Mayor’s Office of Municipal Services Assessment
Politico first noticed this new office, quietly formed alongside the risk management office, to monitor city agencies. It’s run by NYPD Captain Miltiadis Marmara who’s staying on the police payroll, and reports to Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks.
Cannabis NYC
With marijuana being sold in the city—legally and otherwise—Adams appointed Dasheeda Dawson as his weed czar to lead the Cannabis NYC office, under the Department of Small Business Services.
Public Realm Officer
Parks and public space advocates have called for the city to name a point person on outdoor spaces for years. Adams responded in February, naming a public realm czar.
Chief Pension Administrator
The city’s pension funds have a lot of oversight already. But in May 2022, Adams created a new position within the already existing Mayor’s Office of Pensions and Investments to coordinate it all.
Chief Efficiency Officer
Creating all these offices, is it ironic that Adams also created the job of chief efficiency officer? City Hall spokesperson Fabien Levy argued that designating one person or office to focus on a particular issue can help move things along. “When we hire people,” he wrote in an email, “they don’t just sit around, but actually Get Stuff Done for New Yorkers.”
Director of Rodent Mitigation
No new job in the Adams’ administration has gotten as much attention as the “rat czar.” Nearly 1,000 people applied but a winner—who will work in the deputy mayor for operations’ office to lead anti-vermin efforts—hasn’t been announced yet.
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