Mayor Eric Adams is extending an olive branch to the NYC Council by deploying top loyalist and senior advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin to set up “peace meetings” following a housing veto override that embarrassed City Hall, The Post has learned.
Sources said Lewis-Martin has scheduled multiple in-person “relationship repair” sit-downs with pols over the next few weeks.
Led by Speaker Adrienne Adams, the Democrat-majority city council overwhelmingly voted to overturn Adams’ veto earlier this month — an embarrassment for the Adams administration as it was the first override since the Bloomberg administration.
“We need you to be more on our side about this,” the person recounted Lewis-Martin’s words, adding she was keen on getting an “assessment of what went wrong.”
“It’s basically to say, ‘We want to know next time you’ll help us avoid this,’’ said a source, who requested anonymity, describing the top aide’s pitch.
Although Adams’ aides directly called elected officials to urge a ‘no’ vote in the days before the measures first passed, NYC politicians said the effort was too late.
Following the veto override, City Hall threatened to take legal action over the measures, arguing their implementation of the housing legislation could cost the city up to $17 billion.
“Maybe they should speak to leadership. I have not had a conversation with the mayor in God knows how long,” Deputy Council Speaker Diana Ayala (D-Manhattan/The Bronx) told The Post. “It’s easy to work with folks who are allies. The real work is to work with those who you disagree with.”
Ayala chairs the Committee on General Welfare, which oversees the Department of Social Services and Department of Homeless Services, and so far has not been invited to meet with Adams or Lewis-Martin.
“As you know, we don’t discuss private conversations. The mayor and members of this administration meet with and are in constant communication with elected leaders from across the city, state, and federal government about myriad issues,” said Adams spokesman, Fabien Levy.