Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are aligned on policies like expanding free child care, but have so far proven to be miles apart on addressing homelessness in the city’s subways. 

During her “State of the State” speech Tuesday, Hochul announced plans to expand a state-run program called SCOUT, which deploys teams of behavioral nurses and police officers into subway stations, where they force homeless people into hospital care after a nurse determines they’re either at risk of harming themselves or others. The program currently has 10 teams, which Hochul wants to grow to 15.

During his campaign, Mamdani proposed removing police officers from homeless outreach in the subways and replacing them with “transit ambassadors” who offer “assistance with emergencies, directions, accessibility, and other transit information to riders on the platform."