Substance-Abusing Homeless Remain A Problem in Subway, Workers Say

A doubling-down by the de Blasio administration of its efforts to reduce the number of homeless people in the subways has had only a marginal impact on the problem, according to subway workers who did not want their names published.

“The problem is still here,” said one, who works in lower Manhattan and whose duties require daily interaction with the homeless. “These people haven’t just fallen on hard times. They are drinking and doing drugs. Some of them need to be forced to get the help they need. I am always watching my back. They have made threats, but unfortunately there are no witnesses.”