Mayor Bill de Blasio on NYCHA CEO, opioid crisis, MTA and Cuomo [INTERVIEW]

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio came to Good Day New York to talk to hosts Rosanna Scotto and Lori Stokes about several issues facing the city: the opioid crisis, the NYCHA heating crisis, homelessness, congestion pricing and more.

This week, the mayor announced a lawsuit against several drug makers and distributors over the opioid crisis. The city's lawsuit is asking for $500,000 to fight the drug epidemic.

"These companies systemically hooked America on drugs that we really didn't need and that's the bottom line," de Blasio said. "Hundreds of millions of prescriptions a year at the high point, and what that's meant for New York City is we've literally lost thousands of people."

Rosanna and Lori also asked the mayor about problems with heat, hot water, and lead in public housing and what the city plans to do. Rosanna challenged the mayor on the leadership of NYCHA CEO Shola Olatoye.

Why does he continue to support her despite investigations and reports into the lead inspections and the truthfulness of her statements?

"Because she's done a really good job for the people," the mayor said. "Olatoye… took an almost bankrupt organization, righted its finances, made it stable, created a plan to invest in the future."

The city has invested more than $2 billion to fix roofs, improve security, and more, de Blasio said. He noted that crime in public housing has steadily fallen.