Gothamist, Karen Yi, Feb 9, 2026

The head of New York City’s homeless services and public benefits programs has submitted her resignation to the Mamdani administration, Gothamist has learned.

Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, who was appointed by former Mayor Eric Adams in 2023, confirmed she tendered her resignation in a letter on Monday morning. Her resignation comes amid frigid temperatures that have lingered over the region since last month; 18 people have been found dead outside in the cold since Jan. 24, leaving questions about whether the Mamdani administration did enough to get people indoors.

The Mamdani administration had given no public indication on whether it planned to keep her in the post. Park said she’s still determining when her last day will be.

“This limbo has been really taxing on the agency, on me and my family. I really think [the Department of Social Services] deserves and needs a permanent leader. So this is the right time,” Park told Gothamist.

Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said the mayor appreciated Park’s service to the city and “looks forward to working with her through this transitional period.”

Park, 51, who oversees the city’s sprawling portfolio of homeless shelters, street outreach and cash assistance and food aid programs, took the helm as the city was grappling with an unprecedented number of asylum seekers and a record number of cash assistance and SNAP applications prompted by the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Read more: Gothamist