By Robert Press

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited Jacobi Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to formally announce the reactivation of the Just Home Project, a long-delayed initiative aimed at providing housing for medically vulnerable individuals transitioning from incarceration.

The Just Home Project was first introduced during the administration of former Mayor Bill de Blasio as part of the city’s broader plan to close the Rikers Island jail complex. At the time, officials proposed converting the vacant Building No. 2 at Jacobi Hospital into supportive housing for people transferred from the Rikers infirmary. Early plans suggested the facility would serve individuals with severe medical conditions, including late-stage cancer. Over time, however, the scope appeared to narrow to less critical health needs, prompting confusion and community concern. City officials have consistently noted that approximately 84 percent of individuals held at Rikers are pretrial detainees who have not been convicted of a crime.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, emphasized the city’s renewed commitment to housing. “We have land, and we want to house people,” Katz said, underscoring the role public health infrastructure can play in addressing homelessness and reentry challenges.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams framed the project as a moral imperative. “Restarting Just Homes is a statement that our city chooses humanity over exclusion,” he said.

Stanley Richards, president of the Fortune Society, highlighted the project’s focus on dignity and care for vulnerable populations. “New Yorkers returning from incarceration who are medically fragile, who have paid their debt to society, will be housed at Just Home,” Richards said.

During the press conference, reporters asked Dr. Katz whether additional buildings might be constructed on the Jacobi campus, given previous discussions about expanding beyond existing structures. Katz responded cautiously, noting that NYC Health + Hospitals has available land and that the current administration is committed to housing solutions. When pressed further, Katz added, “Obviously, our mayor has made it clear,” before Mayor Mamdani redirected the focus back to the day’s announcement.

The reactivation of the Just Home Project signals a renewed push by the Mamdani administration to integrate healthcare, housing, and criminal justice reform—particularly for individuals whose medical needs make traditional reentry pathways difficult. As the project moves forward, city officials say further details will be released regarding capacity, timelines, and potential expansion at the Jacobi Hospital site.