NYC migrant crisis: Controversial 'DocGo' contract won't be renewed
NEW YORK CITY - The Adams Administration says they intend to let its contract with the medical company "DocGo," which was responsible for providing care to about 3,600 migrants, expire in May.
Since the get-go, there were a number of concerns about "DocGo," one of them being the contract with the city was just way too expensive. There were also concerns about whether the company had enough experience to help with the migrant crisis.
"DocGo" was given a $432 million no-bid contract to care for asylum seekers. The company quickly faced accusations that ranged from wasting food, as well as hiring unlicensed security guards and mistreating migrants, according to the New York Times.
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In a statement, the mayor's chief of staff, Camille Joseph Varlack, said, "New York City has led the nation in managing this national humanitarian crisis, providing compassion and care to more than 187,000 migrants who have come through our intake system asking for shelter since the spring of 2022. And because of our work, we’ve also successfully helped more than 60 percent of those migrants move out of shelter and take their next steps. We are constantly working to find new ways to better serve those in our care and manage this crisis in a financially responsible way.
"As part of our work to reduce spending, we will not be renewing the full DocGo emergency contract that currently serves approximately 3600 migrants at this time and will instead be issuing a competitive RFP to take over this work moving forward. We are working with the comptroller on a temporary extension for the upstate DocGo hotels to ensure we are not disrupting children in school and are not leaving our upstate partners without proper notice. This will ultimately allow the city to save more money and will allow others, including non-profits and internationally-recognized resettlement providers, to apply to do this critical work, and ensures we are using city funds efficiently and effectively."
The city will work with the comptroller, Brad Lander, to pursue a competitive bid contract with a different migrant services provider.
Lander, an outspoken critic of the company, wrote, "After months of warnings about the selection of this vendor and its performance, I’m relieved that the Administration finally came to its senses."
In a statement, a DocGo spokesperson said, "The contract between the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and DocGo for housing of asylum seekers in hotels in Upstate New York has been extended through the end of 2024. This extension is designed to ensure sufficient time to transition and/or close emergency sites as needed and when directed by the City."
"DocGo is immensely proud of the exceptional work that our team has accomplished and continues to perform in aiding the City’s response to this unprecedented crisis. At the peak of the crisis, when New York City was seeing over 600 new arrivals each day, the City’s flex housing program provided essential capacity and helped ensure families and children did not have to sleep on the street. DocGo will continue to provide medical services, case management and other core services to asylum seekers in New York City under this contract and other continuing contracts."
New migrant shelter in Brooklyn
As NYC continues to receive more asylum seekers, city leaders opened a new shelter located next to the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
Neighbors filed a lawsuit against the city, citing pollution concerns. The city said the shelter meets local and state regulations.
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"We are also working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to schedule an additional soil vapor intrusion test at this site, which is not mandatory testing," Varlack said.