Mamdani brings back homeless encampment sweeps — turning on campaign promise after backlash over cold weather deaths

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is bringing back homeless encampment sweeps — reversing course on another campaign promise following backlash for not getting people off the streets during the deadly recent cold snap, The Post has learned.

Hizzoner is expected to restart the practice – used by each of his predecessors and ramped up during the Adams administration – as soon as Wednesday, sources said.

The city’s Department of Homeless Services, which has been left in the lurch with zero guidance since Mamdani’s order came down to halt the sweeps last month, will again take the lead on issuing notices to people living on the streets, sources said.

Mayor Mamdani is bringing back homeless encampment sweeps after initially cancelling the practice last December. Stephen Yang for NY Post

The homeless outreach workers will then return repeatedly over the next week to try to get the homeless connected with services before tearing down their makeshift living arrangements, the sources added.

The practice will mimic the process under former Mayor Eric Adams – with cops and sanitation workers still on hand for the sweeps, according to insiders.

The city has received more than 3,300 complaints about encampments around the five boroughs so far this year, according to 311 data.

Mamdani’s about face comes amid the fallout over the 19 deaths of homeless people during the brutally cold stretch of weather – the first crisis of his fledgling administration.

The City has received thousands of complaints about encampments so far this year. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post

City Council Speaker Julie Menin skewered the administration’s response during a council hearing last week, declaring, “These New Yorkers should be alive today.”

Before taking office, Mamdani vowed to end homeless sweeps, telling reporters in December that the practice was a failure that resulted in only a few people being placed into city shelters.

He ended the practice shortly after taking office on Jan.1, ordering the DSNY and NYPD to leave encampments only or anything that resembled personal property nearby.

However, DHS was given no instructions on how to handle the shantytowns.

“The fact they keep rolling back campaign promises shows they spent the summer only saying whatever made political sense,” an insider quipped.