Law enforcement scrutinizes Eric Adams' associate who received significant salary increase
Jesse Hamilton received a pay increase that significantly exceeded the typical raise allotted to managerial staff.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — A close friend of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has faced criticism regarding a lucrative lease agreement, received a substantial pay raise in his city position during the last fiscal year.
Public records indicate that Jesse Hamilton, serving at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, received an over 18 percent increase in salary, where he manages lease agreements between city agencies and private landlords—contracts that have drawn scrutiny from media, elected officials, and prosecutors.
Hamilton’s salary grew from $213,783 in fiscal year 2023 to $253,239 in fiscal year 2024, which concluded earlier this summer. While a portion of this increase — totaling 6 percent — was due to a standard managerial pay hike, a spokesperson for DCAS noted that Hamilton also received a discretionary raise exceeding 12 percent, a consideration not extended to other senior city officials.
This significant increase prompted outrage from Council Member Lincoln Restler, who has been investigating a questionable contract linked to Hamilton. As reported by PMG last month, Hamilton had directed a multimillion-dollar lease agreement to a donor of the mayor's after bypassing an internal bidding process.
“Jesse Hamilton remains unqualified for the job of deputy commissioner for real estate services,” Restler stated, following a recent hearing regarding lease agreements processed by Hamilton at DCAS. “We need significant oversight and accountability of the work that he has done to date — the notion of him getting a substantial raise is ridiculous.”
DCAS spokesperson Anessa Hodgson remarked that Commissioner Louis Molina has prioritized uplifting staff to enhance agency operations. During this process, she disclosed that Hamilton’s salary was adjusted to be on par with other senior agency officials.
However, records indicate that Hamilton’s pay increase exceeded what his predecessor would have received in the same position.
A representative from City Hall commended Molina's expertise but refrained from answering questions about Hamilton. “Commissioner Molina and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services are experts in their field, and they continue to work to secure the best value for taxpayers while they acquire, sell and lease city property,” stated spokesperson Amaris Cockfield.
Despite the pay increase, Hamilton’s influence at the agency has actually waned. Earlier this year, Molina disclosed that some of Hamilton's authority over lease deals was transferred to him during a hearing last month.
Due to concerns regarding Hamilton's management of 22 million square feet of leased office space from private landlords, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer has initiated a review of his actions, pausing a pending lease agreement for a downtown office building owned by billionaire mayoral donor Alexander Rovt.
Hamilton's recent salary bump is the latest in a series of benefits conferred upon the mayor’s political ally. After succeeding Adams in the state Senate in 2015, Hamilton was ousted four years later and joined DCAS as an attorney in August 2022, earning $190,000. Just four months later, he was unexpectedly promoted to deputy commissioner. Overall, Hamilton has seen his salary rise by approximately one-third during his tenure in city government, despite lacking apparent qualifications for the role.
Since his pay raise, Hamilton has also come under investigation. This inquiry is part of a broader series of probes targeting members of the Adams administration, including the mayor himself.
In early October, Manhattan district attorney officials intercepted Hamilton at John F. Kennedy Airport upon his return from Japan. He was traveling with one of the mayor's closest aides, Chief Advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, and a private broker associated with Hamilton on multimillion-dollar city lease deals. The authorities seized the phones of all three individuals as part of the DA's investigation into real estate transactions managed by Hamilton.
Weeks later, PMG reported that Hamilton had overridden the results of an internal bidding process for a specific lease.
Instead of finalizing an agreement for a new Department for the Aging office with the winning bidder, Hamilton directed the lucrative contract to Rovt’s landmarked building at 14 Wall St. During a recent City Council hearing regarding this deal, Molina explained that Hamilton ignored an internal ranking system that had identified another building owner as the winning bidder through the request for proposal process. Molina defended the decision, stating it saved the city $31 million and that 14 Wall St. was favored by the commissioner of the Department for the Aging.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Public records indicate that Jesse Hamilton, serving at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, received an over 18 percent increase in salary, where he manages lease agreements between city agencies and private landlords—contracts that have drawn scrutiny from media, elected officials, and prosecutors.
Hamilton’s salary grew from $213,783 in fiscal year 2023 to $253,239 in fiscal year 2024, which concluded earlier this summer. While a portion of this increase — totaling 6 percent — was due to a standard managerial pay hike, a spokesperson for DCAS noted that Hamilton also received a discretionary raise exceeding 12 percent, a consideration not extended to other senior city officials.
This significant increase prompted outrage from Council Member Lincoln Restler, who has been investigating a questionable contract linked to Hamilton. As reported by PMG last month, Hamilton had directed a multimillion-dollar lease agreement to a donor of the mayor's after bypassing an internal bidding process.
“Jesse Hamilton remains unqualified for the job of deputy commissioner for real estate services,” Restler stated, following a recent hearing regarding lease agreements processed by Hamilton at DCAS. “We need significant oversight and accountability of the work that he has done to date — the notion of him getting a substantial raise is ridiculous.”
DCAS spokesperson Anessa Hodgson remarked that Commissioner Louis Molina has prioritized uplifting staff to enhance agency operations. During this process, she disclosed that Hamilton’s salary was adjusted to be on par with other senior agency officials.
However, records indicate that Hamilton’s pay increase exceeded what his predecessor would have received in the same position.
A representative from City Hall commended Molina's expertise but refrained from answering questions about Hamilton. “Commissioner Molina and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services are experts in their field, and they continue to work to secure the best value for taxpayers while they acquire, sell and lease city property,” stated spokesperson Amaris Cockfield.
Despite the pay increase, Hamilton’s influence at the agency has actually waned. Earlier this year, Molina disclosed that some of Hamilton's authority over lease deals was transferred to him during a hearing last month.
Due to concerns regarding Hamilton's management of 22 million square feet of leased office space from private landlords, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer has initiated a review of his actions, pausing a pending lease agreement for a downtown office building owned by billionaire mayoral donor Alexander Rovt.
Hamilton's recent salary bump is the latest in a series of benefits conferred upon the mayor’s political ally. After succeeding Adams in the state Senate in 2015, Hamilton was ousted four years later and joined DCAS as an attorney in August 2022, earning $190,000. Just four months later, he was unexpectedly promoted to deputy commissioner. Overall, Hamilton has seen his salary rise by approximately one-third during his tenure in city government, despite lacking apparent qualifications for the role.
Since his pay raise, Hamilton has also come under investigation. This inquiry is part of a broader series of probes targeting members of the Adams administration, including the mayor himself.
In early October, Manhattan district attorney officials intercepted Hamilton at John F. Kennedy Airport upon his return from Japan. He was traveling with one of the mayor's closest aides, Chief Advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, and a private broker associated with Hamilton on multimillion-dollar city lease deals. The authorities seized the phones of all three individuals as part of the DA's investigation into real estate transactions managed by Hamilton.
Weeks later, PMG reported that Hamilton had overridden the results of an internal bidding process for a specific lease.
Instead of finalizing an agreement for a new Department for the Aging office with the winning bidder, Hamilton directed the lucrative contract to Rovt’s landmarked building at 14 Wall St. During a recent City Council hearing regarding this deal, Molina explained that Hamilton ignored an internal ranking system that had identified another building owner as the winning bidder through the request for proposal process. Molina defended the decision, stating it saved the city $31 million and that 14 Wall St. was favored by the commissioner of the Department for the Aging.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
