Mayor Eric Adams took center stage to address pressing issues facing New Yorkers. He opened with a light-hearted nod to the marathon runners, including city officials, saying, “Good morning, good to see you all. Those of you who ran the marathon, I hope you have a lot of epsom salt and you soaked a little.”

Turning to more serious matters, Mayor Adams emphasized the city’s commitment to maintaining safety during the upcoming election day. “Our election security is on top and we want to reiterate we are going to ensure that election day is a fair opportunity for New Yorkers to cast their votes,” he stated, urging residents to participate in the democratic process.

The mayor also expressed grave concerns about the dangerous trend of subway surfing, which has claimed six lives this year. He praised the collaborative efforts of the NYPD, MTA, and student advocates, stating, “Really hats off to the New York City Police Department, the MTA, and student advocates who have come together and really started to look at this issue.”

On the topic of city development, Mayor Adams highlighted the “City of Yes” initiative aimed at addressing the housing crisis.

“The goal is 108,000 new homes over 15 years. We have to build new housing,” he emphasized, urging all communities to get involved.

In response to a severe dry spell, Mayor Adams brought attention to the city’s drought watch. Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala detailed the water shortage and urged New Yorkers to conserve water, explaining, “If we can cut our water consumption by only 5 percent today, every 20 days we do that, that buys us another day of full water supply later on.”

Mayor Adams concluded by addressing recent criticisms of MTA’s decision to close the A train in the Rockaways for maintenance.

“The MTA is making this call,” he said, expressing support for the necessary infrastructure updates and the importance of alternative transit solutions.