Mayor Bill de Blasio abruptly canceled a major policy announcement Wednesday on the city’s new plan for dealing with the homeless, amid questions about his administration’s handling of grade-fixing in public schools, a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in The Bronx, and an uptick in the murder rate.
Hours later, he also suddenly pulled out of an appearance before the ADA Sapolin Awards to honor those helping the disabled.
The first event — which was to include details about moving homeless people into mental health facilities — was postponed at around 10 a.m., just a few hours before two media briefings.
“We need to finalize an aspect of the policy. We are rescheduling for Thursday, time, TBD. Sorry for the late notice,” said the mayor’s spokeswoman, Karen Hinton, in an email to the press.
When asked what “aspect” needed more work, she declined to elaborate.
The unusual delay came amid a pressure-filled week for Hizzoner, highlighted by the schools scandal and the climbing murder rate.
None of that stopped him from yukking it up Tuesday with comedian Louis CK, who has been shadowing him for an unspecified project.
On Sunday, the mayor skipped out on a scheduled appearance at a Pakistani independence day celebration.