The Brief
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Residents and business owners in East Harlem say open drug use and public sex acts have become a daily sight along Lexington Avenue, making the area feel unsafe.
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Exclusive FOX 5 video captured individuals using drugs and passing out on sidewalks as police responded to quality-of-life complaints.
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While NYPD data shows major crimes are down in the 25th Precinct, locals are calling for more action to curb what they describe as a growing public safety crisis.
HARLEM – Residents and business owners in East Harlem are voicing new concerns about quality-of-life issues they say are playing out daily on their streets, from open drug use to public sex acts.
Along the corridor of Lexington Avenue from 116th Street to 126th Street, some locals report seeing people smoking K2, injecting drugs, and passing out on sidewalks, sometimes blocking store entrances.
Why you should care
Exclusive video obtained by FOX 5 NY‘s Lisa Evers shows individuals using drugs in public before NYPD officers arrive in response to the quality-of-life complaints.
“It really isn’t safe,” one resident said, “especially if you’ve got people that are not using drugs at all. You have to walk by here, it’s not safe at all.”
Another person described witnessing people overdose and needing to intervene with Narcan. Others said they’ve seen sexual acts happening in public. “It’s disgusting,” one resident told FOX 5 NY.
Local perspective
The NYPD says major crimes in the 25th Precinct are down more than 14.45% so far this year.
Officials note that routine patrols and new quality-of-life teams launched this summer to quickly address resident complaints are making a difference in some areas.
Police also report receiving just one 311 or 911 call for public lewdness so far in 2025.
Still, many who live and work in East Harlem say the presence of visible drug use and erratic behavior by some individuals remains unsettling. “I’ll be seeing them smoking, putting, shooting up in there… it’s sad,” said one local store owner.
While some residents acknowledge recent progress, many remain concerned that the neighborhood’s quality-of-life challenges are far from resolved.
The Source
This report is based on information obtained by FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers.
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