The city’s former comptroller and one-time mayoral candidate Scott Stringer has his eye on challenging Mayor Eric Adams in 2025.

Stringer told NY1 that he filed papers with the city’s Campaign Finance Board to create an exploratory committee for a possible mayoral run. The move allows him to raise money before he makes a decision and must officially file to run in July.

“New York City needs a new direction and new leadership. Crime is up, housing is down, education is flat,” Stringer said in a phone interview Wednesday evening.

“I think we have an administration that is steering this ship, thrown an iceberg.”

Several officials have announced interest in challenging Adams for his seat, but Stringer is the first to file an exploratory committee ahead of 2025.

He ran for mayor in a crowded primary in 2021, receiving crucial endorsements from the powerful United Federation of Teachers as well as the progressive Working Families Party. But his campaign got derailed by sexual harassment and misconduct allegations waged by Jean Kim - a lobbyist who claimed the misconduct occurred when she interned for Stringer in the past. It hurt his campaign and led to key endorsers — like the WFP — to abandon him.

Stringer has denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against Kim, which is under appeal.

Stringer said both he — and New Yorkers — think he deserves a second shot at the job.

“I think there’s buyer’s remorse,” he told NY1.

He also claimed the idea to run was not sparked by the ongoing federal investigation into Adams’ campaign finances.

Meanwhile, Stringer slammed Adams’ recent budget proposal and threats to make devastating cuts to agencies.

“We do have serious budget issues, he exaggerated this in a way that showed the administration had very little credibility.”

Stringer said he can handle tough budget decisions because as city comptroller, he was in charge of auditing city agencies and has insight into their operations.

He said he will approve a new strategy to tackle the migrant crisis, but said he will get into details later if he decides to run.

“You can’t love migrants on Monday… then blame them for the fiscal challenges we face,” he said.

On crime, Stringer said he’ll focus on how to “identify and align finally a robust mental health police response.”

“It’s not enough to just throw overtime at cops and think it’s sustainable,” he explained.

Stringer previously served as city comptroller, Manhattan borough president and a state assemblyman. Stringer was eliminated in the sixth round of ranked-choice voting in the 2021 Democratic primary election.