{"id":585,"date":"2019-05-25T01:08:05","date_gmt":"2019-05-25T01:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/?page_id=585"},"modified":"2025-10-17T16:29:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T16:29:56","slug":"hart-island","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/hart-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Hart Island"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hart Island: The City Cemetery<\/h2>\n

Hart Island has served as NYC\u2019s public burial ground since 1869, with over one million burials. It played a major role during the AIDS epidemic and is likely the largest burial site for AIDS victims in the U.S. In 2021, the administration of Hart Island transferred from the Department of Correction (DOC) to the Parks Department (Parks), with the Human Resources Administration (HRA), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) now coordinating burial and public services. <\/p>\n

Today, Hart Island remains the City\u2019s primary burial site for the unclaimed or unidentified<\/a>. While many of those interred have next of kin who opted for public burial, others are buried due to lack of contactable family, or because they remain unidentified including fetal remains. Advocates have raised concerns around burial practices and accessibility. In the summer of 2025, Parks released a 20-year capital plan that aims to transform the island into a more accessible, ecologically resilient, and respectful space.<\/p>\n

On October 16, 2025, the Committee on General Welfare, chaired by Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, jointly with the Committee on Parks and Recreation, chaired by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, and the Committee on Health, chaired by Council Member Lynn Schulman, will hold an oversight hearing<\/a> on the Hart Island Capital Projects Proposal. The Committees will also hear:<\/p>\n