Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson appeared "Mornings On 1" Tuesday to address two critical issues affecting the Bronx: a surge in fentanyl-related incidents and ongoing efforts to expand affordable housing.
The Bronx has been grappling with a concerning increase in fentanyl-related problems, with more than 3,000 overdose deaths reported in the city last year — a 12% surge from 2021. Fentanyl was linked to more than 80% of these overdose cases. One heart-wrenching incident in the Bronx also saw the death of a 1-year-old child because of exposure to fentanyl at a day care.
“It's outrageous. It's unacceptable. It's not normal that children are not safe in day care centers,” Gibson said.
She said she hopes to see more naloxone kits made available to the general public and wanted officials to “send a message that it’s not OK to sell, possess, manufacture drugs in safe spaces.”
Gibson also stressed the need for overdose awareness and education.
“We just want to educate and do extensive comprehensive outreach to New Yorkers, to Bronxites, about the dangers of opioids, fentanyl, cocaine and so many drugs that are often used for pain management that tuns into addictions or drug misuse,” she said.
Shifting the conversation to affordable housing, Gibson discussed the Bronx's role in expanding housing options and emphasized the need for balanced development.
“We cannot oversaturate neighborhoods already inundated with affordable housing, and it really needs to be affordable,” she said, noting that communities need to be constructed alongside housing.
“What I also love to do in my recommendations as borough president supporting affordable housing is also adding more to the school community,” Gibson said. “Adding additional schools, renovating the parks, adding supermarkets and commercial and ground level retail because I think you have to create neighborhoods with hundreds of new units of affordable housing.”