In an August 6, 2025, interview on 94.7 The Block’s “Jonesy in the Morning,” Mayor Eric Adams addressed critical issues facing New York City. He discussed a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem, linked to cooling towers, with 67 cases and three deaths, emphasizing mandatory inspections and public awareness to combat flu-like symptoms. Adams responded to concerns about police misconduct, particularly an incident involving reckless driving and obstruction of complaints, pledging investigations and stricter accountability. He also highlighted housing initiatives, announcing an increase in affordable housing preferences for city employees from 5% to 10%, now including veterans, and reaffirmed strong tenant protection laws to prevent displacement amid rumors of privatization. Additionally, Adams addressed high water bill issues at Rochdale Village, assuring residents that his team is working on a resolution.
Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls In for Interview on 94.7 the Block’s “Jonesy in the Morning”
Tarsha Jones: Ladies and gentlemen, Mayor Eric Adams.
Mayor Eric Adams: Hey, how are you?
Jones: Doing well, how are you?
Mayor Adams: Good, good. Moving around the city.
Jones: Well, stay away from Harlem because the Legionnaires’.
Mayor Adams: Yes, I’m going to get up there. I’m going to get up there today. We want to dispel any misinformation that people are receiving. We believe the Legionnaires’ outbreak is coming from the cooling towers. And so we conducted inspections up there. We had private landlords inspect their cooling towers as well. Unfortunately, there’s been 67 cases with 3 deaths.
But wherever we find signs of Legionnaires’ disease, we are telling the private landlords they have to make sure that the issue is resolved within 24 hours. But you can’t catch it from person to person. So, you know, people need to be aware of that. But if they have flu-like symptoms, they should definitely seek medical care.
Wayne Mayo: Mr. Mayor, this seems to pop up every few seasons. Is there any way we can be preemptive and do inspections of these cooling towers every season before this happens?
Mayor Adams: We didn’t deal with it much last year. But it is very important to do routine inspections to make sure that if there’s any sign of Legionnaires’ disease, it can be corrected.
Jones: So from what I’m gathering, is this from the vapors of the cooling systems?
Mayo: Exactly.
Jones: But who’s going into an area where there’s a cooling system and asking them when’s the last time they inspected their thermometer or filter or whatever?
Mayor Adams: The buildings are required to do these routine inspections when it comes up. During this hot weather is when this comes about. You know, our Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and our other agencies that are involved make sure that these inspections are taken care of.
Jones: Is it safe to say that if it’s happening in these particularly certain kinds of older buildings, maybe, whatever it is, I’m not saying it’s the older buildings, but should people in other boroughs be conscious of if they’re in a similar type of establishment or dwelling? Should they be super cautious?
Mayor Adams: Yes. No, without a doubt. Everyone in this building should be conducting these inspections. It doesn’t matter if it’s a mall or any particular area of the city. All building owners should be conscious of these inspections to make sure they inspect their cooling towers.
Jones: And don’t be afraid to ask people. I know it feels awkward sometimes going and asking, when’s the last time you did this? When’s the last time you did that? Do not be afraid because, listen, what can it hurt? But it might. It might if you don’t ask. Shifting gears real quick, Mayor Adams, I’ve been seeing social media videos of police officers being reckless, breaking laws. And when people are trying to come into the precinct to file reports against them, they are pushed out.
Like, they are physically pushed out by these officers. And there’s another officer, his name is [Cottaway.] What can you do to make people feel safe that even when cooler heads aren’t prevailing, that they are civilians or we are civilians, we will have a right to file complaints without just being locked up because they’re cops and we’re just civilians.
Mayor Adams: If you have videos of that nature, please share it with us. If someone out there has a video like that, because this should not happen.
Jones: The officer was driving recklessly through Sunset Park. That’s how it all started. And then when the guy said, there’s kids out here, what are you doing? He got violent, tried to, it’s all on Mr. Checkpoint. If you ever watch Mr. Checkpoint on social media, the cop goes and hits him with his car door. And then when the guy goes to file the complaint, the officer has made it back to the precinct by that time.
And he comes out and tells him, get out of here. And then takes his body and shoves the man back. And the other officer standing there, they also pull the man out of the precinct. So the officer standing around didn’t respond properly either. And it’s happening more often than I like.
Mayor Adams: One time is too many. So let’s be clear on that. Because there are very clear rules.
Jones: But apparently they’re not getting punished enough. Like why they feel comfortable doing that. Maybe we need to start punishing and threatening to take away their pensions. Not just to the cop that’s perpetuating the behavior. But the standby cops that are not stopping it. Everybody loses their pension.
Mayor Adams: If it’s a criminal case, [when a] police officer is doing something wrong, we always want to make sure the punishment is fine. That is, are there fractures that took place. And we know that in any occupation, you’re going to have those who are not suitable to do the job. That’s in any occupation.
I don’t care if you’re a doctor, if you’re a teacher. There are those who are not suitable to do the job. And we must be swift in making sure they don’t [inaudible], though. This case is going to be investigated and find out exactly what happened here so we can fully understand.
Jones: Yes, because from the Coney Island restaurateur who had the cops bust into his bar over and over again. And demand, allegedly, that he pay them. But I think the guy that was responsible for that, I think he’s since been removed. But it’s just happening too often for me. Hold on one second. I have to take a break. And then we’ll come right back. We have Mayor Eric Adams on the phone, guys. We’ll come back and talk about affordable housing.
[Commercial Break.]
Jones: We’re back with Mayor Eric Adams and I hear that you’re expanding the affordable housing preference for city employees from 5 percent of homes to 10 percent and also expanding eligibility to include military veterans. Tell us about that.
Mayor Adams: This is part of our overall agenda. When you talk about affordability conversation, housing is at the top of the list. As to what we have done, we have preserved, created, and rezoned the city to the point that we can build 426,000 units of housing. This is part of our moonshot goal of 500,000 units of housing.
Jones: That’s what’s up.
Mayor Adams: In one area that was important for city employees, and so at one time we offered 5 percent of the affordable housing to city employees, we’re doubling it to 10 percent and including veterans at the same time.
Jones: Is there any truth to the common folks being pushed out of housing and it being privatized and then them having nowhere to go?
Mayor Adams: No, not at all. We have very strong housing laws, particularly tenant protection laws, and a person is not being shoved out of their housing. Sometimes people will start those rumors and those rumors will spread all over the city, but our housing laws are extremely strong.
Jones: Can they even make them co-ops? Because now you’re not necessarily making people leave, but if they can’t afford the upcharge, then they might have to, because I know growing up in a story of projects, our rent was like $95 and that included heat, gas, lights, can’t get that no more. The good old days.
Mayor Adams: No, there are rules on how a building is converted to co-op apartments, and the residents of the building will have to vote into that type of conversion.
Jones: Okay. Because the people out in Rochdale Village, they’re going through something right now and they’re trying to mess with them saying that the water bill is like $14 million or something like that, and they’re afraid that they might be put out.
Mayor Adams: What happened is, and we saw this in other locations as well, where the water bills were extremely high, and then the interest on top of the water bill makes it difficult to ever pay it down. And so we had a building like that in the Bronx, a large complex, and we were able to resolve that issue, and we’re working with Rochdale as well.
Jones: Good. So take it easy, people in Rochdale Village. The mayor is on the job.
Mayor Adams: We are very much aware of what’s going on there, and our team is devising a resolution.
Jones: All right. Hopefully I’ll see you Sunday at DJ Mr. C’s street naming ceremony on Classon and Lafayette.
Mayor Adams: Yes. Yes. Look forward to it.
Jones: Thank you. Appreciate you, ladies and gentlemen, Mayor Eric Adams.
Mayor Adams: All right. Take care.
August 6, 2025
Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
