ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Saritha Komatireddy proposes opioid funds shift to tackle homelessness
Komatireddy pledged to redirect New York’s $3B share of national opioid lawsuit settlement funds immediately upon taking office.
-
1759953093.png)
Staff Reporter - Mon, 17, Aug 2026
- 02:29 EDT
- 37
Saritha Komatireddy / Saritha Komatireddy via X
Saritha Komatireddy, the Republican nominee for New York attorney general in the 2026 election, has outlined a proposal to reallocate billions of dollars in state funds to tackle growing homelessness and public safety issues across New York state.
Speaking in an interview on 'Meet the Candidates' with host Steve Dollison, the former federal prosecutor and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief of staff pointed to homelessness as one of the state’s most urgent challenges, arguing that current policies leave vulnerable residents on the street while harming local small businesses.
During the interview, Komatireddy recounted a visit to a homeless encampment on Manhattan’s West Side, where local business owners expressed frustration over street conditions.
“I talked to a food vendor who's dealing with it every day,” Komatireddy said. “He said, ‘This is supposed to be my busiest month, but I'm losing money. I'm losing business because of what's happening here on the streets ... I follow all the rules. I'm getting punished.’”
Homelessness hurts everyone.
— Saritha Komatireddy (@sarithaforny) August 16, 2026
I visited a homeless encampment on the West Side and spoke with a food vendor who is losing business because of the conditions on the streets.
We already have the resources to provide real treatment and clear the streets. We just need the leadership… pic.twitter.com/keRbiQO3PP
Komatireddy criticized current state approaches to the crisis, framing the lack of intervention as detrimental to both street-level economics and the unhoused population.
“We need to get people real help, real treatment, not leave New Yorkers out on the streets to fend for themselves. I think that's cruel,” she said.
To address homelessness tied to substance abuse, Komatireddy pledged to redirect New York’s $3 billion share of national opioid lawsuit settlement funds immediately upon taking office.
Also Read:Saritha Komatireddy says New York safety drives AG bid
She proposed shifting those resources away from state-approved harm-reduction initiatives toward long-term residential treatment facilities.
“Right now, under James, she's signed off on using it to fund drug use,” Komatireddy alleged. “We shouldn't be using money from the opioid crisis to fund drug use. We should be using it to fund treatment ... We're going to fix this problem, clear the encampments, get people help and clean up our communities.”
Beyond homelessness, Komatireddy’s platform focuses on restructuring the attorney general’s office to increase prosecution of crime and financial fraud.
Komatireddy, a mother of four living in Manhattan, emphasized that her background as a federal prosecutor makes her uniquely positioned to restore order to New York communities.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Leave A Comment
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login