At a rally on Sunday, Bruce Blakeman, who is running for governor under the GOP banner, took aim at Mayor Zohran Mamdani, labeling him a Manhattan elitist disconnected from the needs of the outer boroughs. The event was held at a proposed homeless shelter site in Brooklyn, where Blakeman criticized the current administration’s approach to neighborhoods beyond the island of Manhattan.
Blakeman, who currently serves as Nassau County executive and is gearing up to challenge Governor Kathy Hochul in the upcoming November elections, addressed a gathering of around 50 supporters in Bensonhurst. The location was strategically chosen as it is set to be the future home of a homeless shelter, a point of contention for many locals. Blakeman asserted his solidarity with residents of Queens and Brooklyn, arguing that the mayor lacks understanding and concern for these areas.
“We share a lot of similarities with these neighborhoods,” Blakeman, a Long Island native, remarked. “These areas are more suburban than urban, and that’s what residents appreciate. If they were looking for an urban lifestyle, they’d choose Manhattan.”
He continued by emphasizing the demand for local governance and transparency, which he claimed are absent under the leadership of both Zohran Mamdani and Kathy Hochul. “The voices of those in the outer boroughs are being ignored, and as governor, I pledge to ensure they are heard,” Blakeman vowed.
For over two years, Bensonhurst residents have expressed strong opposition to the planned 150-bed homeless shelter at 86th Street and 25th Avenue, fearing it could disturb the tranquility of their neighborhood. Despite the backlash, the facility is slated to open by the end of 2027.
The facility is expected to open by the end of 2027.
Hundreds of protesters showed up at the site on March 30 in an attempt to halt construction, with as many as 100 NYPD officers called to the scene to try to quell the unrest.
At the same time, officials in the Mamdani administration maintained that they would not back down and are moving forward with the plan, which City Hall said is needed to serve the Big Apple’s homeless.
On Sunday, Blakeman and other critics of the plan made it clear they’re also standing their ground — and said there are other ways to deal with the city’s homeless crisis.
“The way to do that is to take a multifaceted approach, not just stick them somewhere, and put a homeless shelter in the middle of a beautiful community,” he said. “Some of them have substance issues. Let’s get them the treatment that they need. Some of them need job training.
“Let’s get them the training so they can get jobs and become productive members of our society,” Blakeman added. “They need medical treatment, because they have emotional issues. Let’s get them that help. We’re not anti homeless. We don’t want to hurt the homeless.”
State Assemblyman Lester Chang (R-Brooklyn) said Mamdani has other options.
“There are 9,000 available areas that can be occupied and renovated,” he said. “Seventeen billion dollars for neighborhood jails that nobody wants. We can take that $1 billion to fix up Rikers Island and the rest of the money can be for affordable housing and solve the city’s budget deficit.”
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
