Eric Adams elaborated on his earlier statements regarding the use of federal housing rooftops as greenhouses to cultivate marijuana.
New York Mayor Eric Adams admits his idea to use federal property to grow federally illegal weed may hit a few bumps in the road, but he has an idea. He says that by asking for a “waiver,” the state could bypass federal rulings, avoiding conflict and providing use to this public space.
Adams first shared his “rooftop greenhouse” idea at a conference in Albany this past weekend. “We want to examine the possibilities of having a greenhouse space on (New York City Housing Authority) rooftops to grow cannabis,” he said. “The jobs can come from NYCHA residents. The proceeds and education can go right into employing people right in the area.”
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is responsible for these types of permits and authorizations, said they hadn’t been contacted by Adams’s office. “There isn’t much more to say, marijuana is illegal in public housing,” they said in an email to Gothamist.
On Tuesday, he was asked about the statements he made, making it clear that addressing the federal hurdles was among his priorities. “We have to get over the federal hurdle because, right now, the federal government does not recognize the legalization in the state,” Adams said. “I believe there’s a great opportunity for cannabis to be grown on NYCHA rooftops, with an employment aspect of it and using the medical cannabis aspect of it.”
Still, despite standing behind the idea, he recognizes that there are a lot of steps involved in circumventing cannabis federal laws. “We’re going to sit down with the federal government and federal agencies, [and] see if it’s a possibility to get a waiver [and] how we can get it done,” he said.
Adams believes using these rooftops could provide opportunities for employment and better use of the city’s space.
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) receives money from the federal government, something that could be put at risk if marijuana were to be introduced into the equation.
