FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

CONTACT: Adolfo Abreu, adolfo@vocal-ny.org, 347-302-0051

Free to Pee Coalition Welcomes the Throne Labs Pilot Program 

Modular Restrooms Are a Much-Needed Investment, But Relief Is Still a Way to Go 

NEW YORK — Today, in response to Mayor Mamdani’s announcement of the Throne Labs pilot program, the Free to Pee Coalition led by VOCAL-NY and Coalition for the Homeless released the following statement:

“The Throne Labs pilot is a welcome investment as our City begins to prioritize building out a public bathroom network and infrastructure that serves all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable among us. However, we are concerned that it raises several access issues for homeless New Yorkers. Many may not have a smartphone or be able to easily obtain a physical tap card to open these restrooms. Others may not be able to access one of the 17 sites, particularly during the limited hours when they are operational. To better ensure these meet the needs of unhoused New Yorkers, the City must maintain a robust, comprehensive feedback system that engages harm reduction programs, homeless service providers, and organizations on the ground and quickly connects unhoused New Yorkers with City services and resources. 

As the City tests this pilot and decides in the future to purchase additional bathrooms, modular bathrooms alone will not change the current imbalance in bathroom access. Implementation of Local Law 58 of 2025, which would establish a public bathrooms strategic plan, can get us closer to delivering much-needed relief to our city.”

Background: 

By September 1, the Mamdani administration should have delivered the first-ever strategic plan for doubling the number of public bathrooms by 2035. The administration now plans to release the report by November 1st, 2026. 

Local Law 58 of 2025 – passed by the City Council last year creates a permanent, long-term planning process for a citywide bathroom network that requires: 

• the first strategic plan by September 1st, and to be updated every 4 years 
• the City to post a comprehensive, easy-to-use online map of all publicly available bathrooms, along with design recommendations for modular bathroom facilities

There has not been a considerable increase in public bathrooms since the 1970s, when many were closed due to budget cuts and mounting stigma against homeless New Yorkers. Currently, there is only 1 public restroom per 9,035 New Yorkers. Additional critical data includes:

• Many public restrooms are not accessible to those with disabilities. 11% of the City’s population lives in the five boroughs with disabilities – that’s 945,456 people.
• In Fiscal Year 2025, the New York City Police Department issued 10,003 criminal and civil summonses for urination in public, establishing a record high. 

In the 1990s, homeless New Yorkers sued New York City and the MTA for forcing them to endure ongoing embarrassment, harassment, humiliation, and hazardous conditions that stemmed from a lack of access to public bathrooms. Access to restrooms is a public health issue for everyone. 

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