A Manhattan man identified only as John has described paying between $60 (£45.28) and $80 (£60.38) for sex along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, as prostitution-related arrests on the corridor have fallen sharply this year. His account appeared in a report published on 27 September 2026 that also described alleged street solicitation in Jackson Heights and Corona.
Roosevelt Avenue has for years been the focus of complaints about street prostitution, suspected illegal brothels and other quality-of-life concerns. New York repealed Penal Law Section 240.37 in February 2021, eliminating the offence of loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offence. The repeal did not itself legalise prostitution, which remains addressed under separate provisions of state law.
