NYC Has 98 Closed Playgrounds, Despite Mayor Eric Adams’ Pledge

On the campaign trail, Eric Adams—then a candidate for mayor of New York City— promised to prioritize reopening playgrounds in housing projects. A year later, more of them are closed than before, according to a report in The City by Reuven Blau and Candace Pedraza.

“Families need safe outdoor spaces to reclaim a sense of normalcy,” Adams had tweeted before becoming mayor. “But in NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] complexes, delayed repairs and dilapidated playground equipment have made that all but impossible.”

Unfortunately, reporter Blau tells Reason, NYCHA “is like this forgotten world.” Last year, there were 89 playgrounds closed for repairs. While some reopened, more were taken out of commission. As a result, 98 are now closed—including one that is literally a sink hole. And yet safe, joyful gathering places in housing projects are “where people need them the most.”

Blau has followed the failed NYCHA playground story for about six years, ever since hearing about a child injured on one. He filed a Freedom of Information Act request to see how recently that playground’s equipment had been inspected.

“It turned out that they were not doing inspections… in any mean