He Fought City Hall Over the Homeless. Now He’s Battling From the Inside

Late this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio assembled a group of advocates for homeless people at City Hall; it was time for damage control — again.

The homeless issue was continuing to spiral out of control: the number in New York City shelters was stuck stubbornly near a record 59,000; the city comptroller was still rejecting proposed shelters because of unsanitary conditions; and street homelessness was becoming more visible.