The highs and lows of Eric Adams' first two years as NYC mayor

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Dec 30

It's been a rocky ride for Eric Adams since being sworn in two years ago as New York City's 110^th mayor – grappling with inherited problems from the last administration — including surging crime and reckless public spending — along with in-house woes, including a federal probe into his political campaign.

The retired NYPD captain and city's second black mayor — who famously declared himself the "future of the Democratic Party" after winning the 2021 primary — is facing record-low polling numbers at the midway point of his term, but Hizzoner has plenty of time to redeem himself in the eyes of voters, political pundits told The Post.

"He's been a well-intended mayor who's been getting stifled at every corner and can't seem to get things done… and can't catch a break," said longtime Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf.

Here's a look at the highs and lows for Adams halfway through his four-year term:

HIGHS

1. CRIME

The moderate Dem, who made fighting crime the centerpiece of his campaign, spent his first six months in office revamping NYPD policies implemented under his far-left predecessor Bill de Blasio. He's also had to deal with progressive, anti-cop City Council members trying to slash the NYPD's budget and Albany pols who've pushed for bail reform and other criminal-friendly laws. However, the tide is beginning to turn.

Through Dec. 24, overall major crime in 2023 is down in five of seven categories, compared to a year earlier: burglaries (13%), murders (11%), rapes (11%), robberies (4%) and larcenies (3%). However, car thefts and assaults are up 15% and 6% respectively.

2. JOB RECOVERY

The city is home to more than 4.7 million public and private sector jobs – the most in its history, according to state Department of Labor data. Under Adams, the city regained all of the 946,000 private-sector jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic – more than a year ahead of his initial target date.

"This is a watershed moment for the city," said Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, who oversees economic development, at the time. "Mayor Adams' economic agenda has powered an historic economic recovery." Since Adams took office, more than 282,000 private-sector jobs and more than 44,000 businesses have been created in the city, according to the Mayor's Office.

3. TOURISM

The city's tourism and entertainment industries – which suffered mightily throughout the heart of the pandemic – has made great strides. This year, nearly 62 million travelers have visited the Big Apple, recovering 93% of the record visitation levels the city experienced in 2019, according to New York City Tourism + Conventions. The group estimates the city's tourism industry bolstered the state and city economy in 2023, generating $74 billion in economic impact with more than $48 billion coming from direct spending.

4. TEST SCORES

New York City students saw large increases in scores on the state's standardized math exams last academic year and also scored slightly higher on English exams. Students clearing the proficiency benchmark on the math exam spiked considerably — from 37.9% in 2022 to 49.9% in 2023 — during the first full school year under Adams and his hand-picked Schools Chancellor David Banks.

The percentage of students achieving proficiency in English Language Arts rose from 49% in 2022 to 51.7% in 2023. City officials touted the results also showed a narrowing of the racial achievement gap between black and white students.

5. REMOVING SCAFFOLDING/SHEDS

While it's debatable whether city streets are cleaner under Adams – or if his "war on rats" has made a dent – he has helped ease at least one longtime eyesore: scaffolding and shabby sheds.

Promising steeper fines and stricter enforcement, Hizzoner has cracked down on so-called "ugly green boxes" loathed by New Yorkers as prime offenders for blocking sunlight, deterring customers from businesses, and even serving as a "magnet" for illegal activity. His "Get Sheds Down" initiative, while not a perfect solution for many landlords, has already helped remove over 400 sidewalk sheds that account for a combined 19 miles citywide.

However, 368 miles of sheds currently remain. Baby steps.

LOWS

1.FEDERAL INVESTIGATION

The feds are currently investigating whether Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign profited from illegal donations funneled through the Turkish government and a Brooklyn construction company.

News of the investigation emerged in November when the FBI raided the house of Adams' top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, causing the mayor to rush back to NYC from DC, where he was expected to meet with White House officials over the worsening migrant crisis. The feds later seized Adams' cellphones.

Neither Adams nor anyone on his staff or campaign have been accused of wrongdoing by authorities, but the mayor has created a legal defense fund hoping to raise $500,000 and some pols are monitoring the probe in the hopes of mounting a 2025 mayoral run.

2. MIGRANT CRISIS

Since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing illegal border crossers to New York and other liberal cities in August 2022, the Big Apple has been swarmed by over 161,000 migrants and left with a huge budget crisis. President Biden – once an Adams ally — has ignored his pleas for help.

Adams last month announced he's moving ahead with across-the-board 5% cuts at all city agencies, with another 10% cut set for early next year, to offset an expected $12 billion tab for providing asylum seekers food, shelter and other basic services.

3. HOMELESS CRISIS

With 68,000 migrants currently in the city's care, the city's shelter system is overstuffed, holding nearly 89,000 as of Thursday. That doesn't count the more than 4,000 people sleeping on streets and subways citywide.

The administration has made some strides providing homeless New Yorkers supportive or permanent housing, and Adams supporters are quick to point out the crisis is one he inherited and extends nationally.

However, critics say homeless encampments rising in parks and public streets and reports of homeless New Yorkers committing violent crimes – especially on subways – have become routine under Adams.

4. CITY COUNCIL

After failing to get his handpicked candidate Francisco Moya (D-Queens) tapped City Council speaker, Adams has spent the past two years consistently at odds with the predominantly far-left legislative body over NYPD funding and other budget issues.

One progressive Dem described the relationship as "toxic," while Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli (R-Staten Island) called it "combative" — but still better than dealing with de Blasio.

The power struggle reached new heights in July when the Council voted to overturn Hizzoner's veto of housing voucher legislation – marking the first such veto override since the Bloomberg administration.

Adams has vowed to veto Council legislation passed two weeks ago that would force police to file millions of reports on even the most ordinary encounters with New Yorkers — saying it will "endanger public safety" by burying cops in red tape.

5. RIKERS ISLAND

When Adams took office, he promised to follow through with de Blasio's plan to shutter Rikers Island and replace it with four smaller, more humane, lockups by 2027.

That plan has stalled badly. Adams even recently suggesting Rikers get a second chance, in part because the city's jail population has swelled to more than 6,100 and the planned lockups would only hold a combined 3,544 beds.

Meanwhile, incidents of violence at Rikers continue to climb, and the city's jail system is facing the possibility of being put under a federal court's control.