New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said Thursday he would stop clearing homeless encampments when he takes office in January, ending a longstanding practice by Mayor Eric Adams' administration.

While answering questions at "Hot Chocolate, Frozen Rent" in Manhattan, Mamdani confirmed he would halt sweeps of homeless encampment sites across the city, marking one of his clearest breaks yet from an Adams policy launched in 2022.

"If you are not connecting homeless New Yorkers to the housing that they so desperately need, then you cannot deem anything you're doing to be a success," Mamdani said.

The mayor-elect said his administration's focus would be securing long-term housing solutions, "whether it's supportive housing, whether it's rental housing, whatever kind of housing it is."

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Mamdani added that homelessness is too often treated "as if it is a natural part of living in the city," when he believes it reflects "a political choice being made time and time again."

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released an audit in 2023 of NYC Department of Homeless Services' role in the Adams administration’s sweeps of homeless encampment sites between March and November 2022, finding the initiative "completely failed" to connect homeless New Yorkers with services.

"The evidence is clear: by every measure, the homeless sweeps failed," New York City Comptroller Brad Lander stated in the audit report.

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The audit noted that 2,308 individuals were present during city cleanups and only 119 accepted temporary shelter. A follow-up review found that nearly one-third of cleared encampments saw homeless activity return.

In August, the Adams administration said it had placed more than 3,500 formerly unsheltered New Yorkers in permanent housing.

City officials received more than 45,000 complaints about encampments in 2025, according to data reviewed by the New York Post.

Mamdani's comments were the latest split with the outgoing mayor, who signed two executive orders Wednesday aimed at countering antisemitism and preventing city funds from supporting the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that Mamdani supports.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mayor Adams' office for comment.

The Detroit Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys 44-30 on Thursday Night Football, cementing themselves as the top challenger for the final seed in the NFC playoffs.

Dallas entered the game riding a three-game winning streak to climb back into the playoff hunt. But the loss drops the Cowboys to 6-6 and into the 10th seed, two and a half games behind the San Francisco 49ers for the final NFC playoff spot.

Detroit improved to 8-5, putting the Lions firmly back into the race just one game behind San Francisco.

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Thursday's game was also the subject of criticism against referees on social media. 

Two calls in particular were widely scrutinized: when Prescott was seemingly tackled in his own end zone in the first quarter, but referees did not call a safety, and in the fourth quarter when offensive pass interference was called on Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson during a crucial red-zone third down — even as many argued Lions defender Alex Anzalone committed the infraction.

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Detroit's running backs led the way in the red zone, as Jahmyr Gibbs scored three touchdowns and David Montgomery added another. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for 309 yards. 

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 376 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. His first interception ended Dallas’ opening possession of the second half and set up a Lions touchdown to extend the lead to 27-9. His second interception ended the Cowboys’ final drive as they attempted to rally late.

Prescott has now thrown eight interceptions this season. He was considered an MVP contender earlier in the year, but no player has ever won the award without reaching the postseason.

Dallas now has just an estimated 8% chance of making the playoffs.

If the Cowboys fall short, it will mark their 30th consecutive season without a Super Bowl title.

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