Policy

As New York City faces a sixth Covid wave, Mayor Eric Adams is expanding the city's network of at-home test distribution sites. Starting Wednesday, New Yorkers will be able to pick up a free rapid Covid test from 57 NYC Parks locations, including parks, pools, nature centers, and recreation centers. With these new NYC Parks distribution sites, the city's at-home test distribution program includes 1,220 sites.
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Policy

NYC sues illegal Airbnb operator who earned $2M and deceived thousands of guests since 2018

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 13, 2022

NYC sues illegal Airbnb operator who earned $2M and deceived thousands of guests since 2018

New York City is suing an operator of an illegal short-term rental in Midtown East who officials say ran more than 78 Airbnb listings and "deceived more than 6,500 guests." According to the lawsuit, announced on Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams, Arron Latimer, a licensed broker, Apex Management, and Esther Yip, used several limited liability corporations to run a short-term rental operation at 344 East 51st Street in Turtle Bay. The lawsuit is the first under a new city law that requires short-term rental platforms to regularly report data on listings and their hosts.
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Policy

Bed-Stuy residents urge city to landmark 120-year-old mansion facing demolition

Streetview of the Jacob Dangler House © Google 2022

July 13, 2022

Bed-Stuy residents urge city to landmark 120-year-old mansion facing demolition

Bed-Stuy residents and public officials are urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to designate a historic mansion as a city landmark to save it from demolition. Known as the Jacob Dangler House, the property, located at 441 Willoughby Avenue, was built at the turn of the 20th century and features a striking French Gothic architectural style. After a developer filed demolition permits, the LPC added the property to its agenda last minute and voted last month to calendar the property, temporarily protecting the mansion. During a hearing on Tuesday, a majority of public testimony was in favor of designation.
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Policy

Flood zone maps & inflatable dams: NYC’s plan to prepare New Yorkers for extreme rainfall

September 3, 2021: Gov. Kathy Hochul toured several homes in East Elmhurst, Queens that flooded from torrential rains brought on by Hurricane Ida. Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of the Governor on Flickr

July 12, 2022

Flood zone maps & inflatable dams: NYC’s plan to prepare New Yorkers for extreme rainfall

Almost a year after severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ida left more than a dozen New Yorkers dead, the city has released a plan to prepare for extreme rainfall. With hurricane season well underway, Mayor Eric Adams last week unveiled the new action plan "Rainfall Ready NYC," which outlines steps New Yorkers should take during extreme rainfall. The city also updated its flood zone maps that help residents identify if they live in an area at risk of flooding.
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Policy

City underreported NYC Ferry costs by $224M, according to audit

The inaugural NYC Ferry ride with Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017; Photo © 6sqft

July 7, 2022

City underreported NYC Ferry costs by $224M, according to audit

The city agency that operates New York City's ferry system failed to report nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in expenditures during Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, according to a new audit released by City Comptroller Brad Lander on Wednesday. The 50-page audit says the Economic Development Corporation spent $758 million on ferry operations from July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2021, but only reported $534 million. The report also details tens of millions in unnecessary expenses as a result of the agency's "poor financial management."
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Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

Photo courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

July 6, 2022

Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey announced Tuesday that they've agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding that they would split the local portion of the cost of the long-stalled Gateway Project's Hudson River tunnels, the New York Times reports. The agreement on who would pay the $14 billion tab for the project's first phase is a step ahead in one of the nation's most ambitious infrastructure plans.
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NYC launches nation’s first mobile test-to-treat Covid program, with free antiviral pills at testing sites

Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 5, 2022

NYC launches nation’s first mobile test-to-treat Covid program, with free antiviral pills at testing sites

New York City will provide antiviral medication for New Yorkers who test positive for Covid at certain mobile testing sites, Mayor Eric Adams announced last week. Clinicians at participating mobile testing units will be able to write prescriptions for those who test positive--and are eligible for-- Paxlovid, an oral antiviral treatment that reduces the chance of severe illness caused by the virus. The new test-to-treat program is the first of its kind in the United States.
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Policy

Two tudor-filled areas in Queens’ Cambria Heights designated as historic districts

Image courtesy of the Landmark Preservation Commission

June 29, 2022

Two tudor-filled areas in Queens’ Cambria Heights designated as historic districts

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate two districts in the Queens neighborhood of Cambria Heights as historic districts. The two areas, known as the 222nd Street and 227th Street Historic Districts, contain 96 well-maintained Tudor-style rowhouses that incorporate Storybook design elements. Both historic districts have been deemed by the LPC to be extraordinarily well-preserved and give the area a "highly distinctive sense of place."
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Policy

June 23, 2022

MTA pledges to make 95 percent of subway stations accessible by 2055

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a class action settlement agreement to make 95 percent of currently inaccessible subway stations accessible to those with disabilities over the next three decades, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday. Currently, just 27 percent of the New York City subway system, including Staten Island Railway stations, are fully accessible to riders with disabilities. Under the agreement, which still requires court approval, the MTA will make accessible 81 stations by 2025, another 85 stations by 2035, another 90 stations by 2045, and the last 90 stations by 2055.
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Broadway will drop mask mandate for month of July

Masks will no longer be required at all of Broadway's 41 theaters next month, the Broadway League announced Tuesday. Starting July 1, masks will be optional for audiences at shows. The League said masking protocols for August and beyond will be reviewed on a monthly basis, with an updated decision made in mid-July. While masks will not be required, audience members are still encouraged to wear them.
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NYC’s stabilized apartments will see rent increases of 3.25% and 5%

Photo by Avi Werde on Unsplash

June 22, 2022

NYC’s stabilized apartments will see rent increases of 3.25% and 5%

More than two million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments could see their rent increase by the largest percentage in a decade. The Rent Guidelines Board on Tuesday voted to approve a 3.25 percent increase for one-year leases and 5 percent for two-year leases that start on or after October 1. For the roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments, the rent hikes are the highest seen in the city since 2013.
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Policy

New map highlights NYC landmarks related to LGBTQ+ history

Image courtesy of the National Parks Conservation Association on Flickr

June 20, 2022

New map highlights NYC landmarks related to LGBTQ+ history

In celebration of Pride Month, the Landmarks Preservation Commission last week released an interactive story map that highlights important landmarks in New York City known for their significance within the LGBTQ+ community's cultural and civil rights movement. The project highlights seven individual landmarks throughout the city, including James Baldwin's Upper West Side apartment and the Stonewall Inn, one of the most important sites associated with LGBTQ+ history in the United States. The story map focuses solely on individual landmarks designated primarily for their LGBTQ+ significance, not just sites that have ties to individuals and groups.
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Adams outlines long-awaited plan to tackle NYC’s housing crisis

Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 16, 2022

Adams outlines long-awaited plan to tackle NYC’s housing crisis

Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday finally released a plan to confront New York City's housing crisis. The plan, titled Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, addresses the city's range of housing problems with a focus on reforming NYCHA, expanding affordable homeownership opportunities, creating more units of supportive and affordable housing, and eliminating unnecessary administrative barriers to housing for homeless New Yorkers. But unlike many of the affordable housing plans released in recent years, Adams' plan does not set a clear goal for the number of new affordable housing units created.
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NYC’s outdoor swim programs won’t return this summer due to ‘lifeguard shortage’

Photo by Danny Avila for NYC Parks

June 15, 2022

NYC’s outdoor swim programs won’t return this summer due to ‘lifeguard shortage’

The New York City Parks Department on Tuesday announced that a number of the city's outdoor swim programs would not be returning for the summer season due to a "national shortage of lifeguards." Lap swim, senior swim, water aerobics, swim team and day camp, and Learn to Swim are among the programs that will not be returning for a third consecutive year.
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New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

All renderings courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

June 9, 2022

New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

The plan to modernize Penn Station has officially entered the design phase. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the state is now requesting proposals from architecture and engineering firms to redevelop the dark and crowded Midtown transit hub into a light-filled train station "worthy of being the epicenter of the most vibrant city on the planet," according to the governor. Proposals are due July 28 and a winning bid could be selected by late summer or early fall.
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Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing

Governor Kathy Hochul signs hotel conversion bill; photo credit: Darren McGee–Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

June 8, 2022

Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing

Gov. Kathy Hochul today signed a long-awaited bill that will relax the current rules for converting underutilized hotels into permanent housing. The new legislation allows for Class B hotels within–or within 400 feet of–residentially-zoned districts to operate as permanent residences. It also allows hotels which meet those criteria to be used for permanent housing if they enter into an agreement with the city or receive State financing, through the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (HONDA).
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421-a tax break will continue to cost NYC revenue for decades after it expires, report finds

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

June 7, 2022

421-a tax break will continue to cost NYC revenue for decades after it expires, report finds

The 421-a tax abatement program, which gives real estate developers who construct new residential buildings a property tax exemption in exchange for designating a portion of the homes affordable, will expire on June 15 after state lawmakers last week did not renew it during the final day of this year's legislative session. Even with it set to lapse, the controversial program will continue to cost the city revenue for decades, according to a new report. According to findings published Monday by the Independent Budget Office of New York City, the tax abatement program will cost the city over $1 billion annually until 2034, with total costs not ceasing until the fiscal year 2056.
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State lawmakers approve new public trust that could fund repairs at 25,000 NYCHA apartments

photo via Wikimedia

June 6, 2022

State lawmakers approve new public trust that could fund repairs at 25,000 NYCHA apartments

New York state legislators last week passed legislation that would allow the New York City Housing Authority to raise billions of dollars for desperately needed repairs at 25,000 apartments in the system. Championed by Mayor Eric Adams and proposed by public housing authority chair Gregory Russ, the Public Housing Preservation Trust is seen as a rescue measure for funding needed for the NYCHA system–by far the nation's largest public housing authority. The new public trust could raise billions of dollars to upgrade thousands of units, The City reports.
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NYC pols introduce legislation that would temporarily suspend commercial rent tax

Photo by Jason Tester on Flickr

June 2, 2022

NYC pols introduce legislation that would temporarily suspend commercial rent tax

The Covid-19 pandemic, among its many impacts, has drastically underscored the need for ways to mitigate steep commercial rents, such as rent regulation and temporary rent relief. Several local politicians have suggested solutions, including the temporary suspension of commercial rent tax. This week, New York City Council Majority Leader Keith Powers, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and Council Member Gale Brewer introduced legislation that would accomplish the latter.
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Policy

Mayor Adams proposes changes to city zoning rules to create more housing

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 2, 2022

Mayor Adams proposes changes to city zoning rules to create more housing

Mayor Eric Adams wants to turn New York into a city of "Yes in my backyard." During an event hosted by the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) on Wednesday, the mayor introduced three citywide zoning amendments that would spur affordable housing creation, support small businesses, and reduce the city's carbon footprint. Under Adam's "City of Yes" plan, the Zoning for Housing Opportunity amendment would allow for a variety of housing types, make it easier to convert office space into housing, and reduce "unnecessary parking requirements" at developments.
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MTA’s East Side Access project renamed ‘Grand Central Madison’

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 1, 2022

MTA’s East Side Access project renamed ‘Grand Central Madison’

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's long-awaited 700,000-square-foot East Side Access Project will be renamed "Grand Central Madison." The project, which brings Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal, will increase LIRR service systemwide by 40 percent during morning peak service and significantly increase reverse peak service. Grand Central Madison is expected to open in December.
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Subway ridership almost at 90% of pre-pandemic levels in NYC’s working-class neighborhoods

Photo by Jenna Day on Unsplash

May 26, 2022

Subway ridership almost at 90% of pre-pandemic levels in NYC’s working-class neighborhoods

Subway ridership has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels in New York City's working-class neighborhoods. During the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's monthly board meeting on Wednesday, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in most working-class neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs, subway ridership has climbed back up to 70, 80, and for some, 90 percent of pre-pandemic ridership levels. But in the city's major business districts, subway ridership remains way below pre-Covid-19 levels.
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May 24, 2022

Group of NYC building owners sue city over greenhouse gas emissions cap

A group of New York City building owners is suing the city in an effort to block a 2019 law that requires large buildings to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Local Law 97 mandates owners of buildings more than 25,000 square feet to cap their property's greenhouse gas emissions or face fines. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday by two co-ops in Queens and a mixed-use building owner in Manhattan, claims the new law is "excessive and disproportionate to the purported offense," as first reported by Crain's New York. Under the law, owners have until 2024 to ensure their property's compliance, with the ultimate goal of reducing the emissions produced by the city’s largest buildings 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050.
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Policy

May 20, 2022

Judge rules artists’ work won’t stop Manhattan jail demolition