All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Mamdani bans hidden ‘junk fees’ at NYC hotels

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 22, 2026

Mamdani bans hidden ‘junk fees’ at NYC hotels

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Hotels in New York City and beyond are now barred from charging hidden “junk fees” that often add unexpected costs to bookings. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the final rule Wednesday, which is projected to save millions by banning fees labeled as “destination” or “resort” charges, as well as unexpected credit card holds or deposits. Taking effect February 21, the rule also applies to businesses outside the city that advertise prices to New Yorkers.
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NYC’s top 2 worst landlords of 2025 hold most violations in city history

One of A&E’s buildings included in the settlement. Streetview of 340 Fort Washington Avenue © 2022 Google

January 22, 2026

NYC’s top 2 worst landlords of 2025 hold most violations in city history

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New York City released its 2025 list of the worst landlords, with the top violator holding more building-code violations than any landlord on record. On Wednesday, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the 2025 "Worst Landlords Watchlist," the annual list that exposes the city's 100 most negligent property owners and ranks them according to the number of housing violations in their buildings. Margaret Brunn of A&E Real Estate topped the list with 4,872 open violations across 24 buildings, and last week the company reached a $12 million settlement with the Mamdani administration to resolve thousands of them.
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Nathan’s Famous, home of the hot dog eating contest, sells for $450M

Credit: Jeremy Thompson on Flickr

January 22, 2026

Nathan’s Famous, home of the hot dog eating contest, sells for $450M

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Nathan’s Famous, the century-old Coney Island hot dog institution that grew from a single stand into a global brand, has been sold for $450 million. On Wednesday, Smithfield Foods said it would pay $102 per share to acquire the iconic brand. Smithfield, a Chinese-owned food processor based in Virginia, has held the rights to produce and sell Nathan’s products in the U.S. and Canada since 2014, which were scheduled to expire in 2032. For fans worried about the future of the famed Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, fear not—Smithfield said it plans to continue hosting the event, according to The Hill.
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NYC faces $12B budget deficit, new comptroller warns

Credit: Matthew Moloney on Unsplash

January 21, 2026

NYC faces $12B budget deficit, new comptroller warns

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Mark Levine, New York City’s new comptroller, is sounding the alarm on a $12 billion budget shortfall—the city’s largest since at least the 2008 recession. Levine shared the figures with The City ahead of a report set for Friday, estimating that the current budget will close this fiscal year in June with a $2 billion deficit, while next year’s gap could reach $10 billion, posing a major challenge for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. The comptroller attributed the financial difficulties to sluggish economic growth and fiscal mismanagement under former Mayor Eric Adams.
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Lily Allen and David Harbour’s Brooklyn townhouse finds buyer

Photo credit: Hayley Ellen Day

January 21, 2026

Lily Allen and David Harbour’s Brooklyn townhouse finds buyer

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A Carroll Gardens townhouse referenced in Lily Allen’s latest album, following her split from actor David Harbour, has found a buyer. As first reported by the New York Post, the former couple’s home at 381 Union Street has sold with a last asking price of $7.3 million after hitting the market for nearly $8 million in October. The 22-foot-wide brownstone was fully renovated by architect Ben Bischoff of MADE and features a distinctive interior by AD100 designer Billy Cotton, as 6sqft previously reported.
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The 15 best free and cheap winter activities in NYC
January 20, 2026

The 15 best free and cheap winter activities in NYC

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Winter came early to New York City this year, and jacket season is in full swing across the five boroughs. The long stretch until spring and summer’s outdoor activities can feel discouraging, but there are still plenty of free and affordable ways to enjoy the city in the meantime. Ahead, here's a list of the best affordable and free activities NYC has to offer during the winter months, from getting your fitness on during Zumba classes in public parks to dining for cheap at over 600 restaurants during winter Restaurant Week.
Cheap ways to enjoy nyc WINTER, ahead
NYC landlord to pay $2.1M to resolve 4,000+ building-code violations

Streetview of 35-64 84th Street © 2017 Google

January 20, 2026

NYC landlord to pay $2.1M to resolve 4,000+ building-code violations

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A major New York City landlord will pay $2.1 million to settle thousands of violations across its properties under a settlement announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday. The deal covers 14 A&E Real Estate-owned buildings, requiring the landlord to pay fines, fix more than 4,000 building-code violations, and bar further harassment of tenants. The settlement concludes a year-and-a-half legal battle that began under former Mayor Eric Adams and is the largest in the history of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Anti-Harassment Unit, according to Gothamist.
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Mamdani renews support for Morris Park hospital supportive housing project

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 20, 2026

Mamdani renews support for Morris Park hospital supportive housing project

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani has revived a controversial supportive housing project at a Bronx hospital that would deliver more than 80 homes, including nearly 60 for formerly incarcerated people leaving Rikers Island. On Monday, Mamdani announced his support for “Just Home” at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi campus in Morris Park, a plan to convert a vacant hospital building into 83 affordable apartments, including 58 supportive units for New Yorkers exiting Rikers Island with medical conditions such as cancer or heart failure. Former Mayor Eric Adams initially supported the project when it was unveiled in 2022, but withdrew support ahead of the 2025 election, urging lawmakers to abandon the plan, according to Gothamist.
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Mamdani signs executive order to cut costs and red tape for NYC small businesses

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 16, 2026

Mamdani signs executive order to cut costs and red tape for NYC small businesses

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An executive order signed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week gives seven city agencies 45 days to inventory the thousands of fees and penalties facing small businesses and identify ways to reduce and streamline them. Signed on Wednesday, Executive Order 11 directs newly appointed Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and city agencies to compile a comprehensive inventory of more than 6,000 rules, regulations, fees, and penalties affecting small businesses. The effort aims to lower costs and make it easier for small businesses to operate across the five boroughs.
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Marble Hill rental with Harlem River views opens lottery for 35 apartments, from $3,180/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 15, 2026

Marble Hill rental with Harlem River views opens lottery for 35 apartments, from $3,180/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 35 middle-income apartments at a new luxury rental in Marble Hill overlooking the Harlem River. Located at 170 West 225th Street, The Danby rises seven stories and offers tenants brand-new residences with modern amenities, including a rooftop deck with sweeping river views. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,180/month one-bedrooms to $3,330/month two-bedrooms.
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NYC to complete delayed Madison Avenue bus lane redesign

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 15, 2026

NYC to complete delayed Madison Avenue bus lane redesign

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New York City is moving forward with a long-delayed project to give buses a dedicated lane along a busy stretch of Madison Avenue. Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn on Sunday announced that the agency will complete the stalled redesign of Madison Avenue, extending double bus lanes from 23rd to 42nd Streets. The upgrades aim to improve the commutes of the avenue’s 92,000 daily riders, a stretch where buses often crawl at speeds as low as 4.5 miles per hour, according to a press release.
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Trucks of Art returns: DSNY invites artists to decorate NYC garbage trucks

Images courtesy of DSNY

January 14, 2026

Trucks of Art returns: DSNY invites artists to decorate NYC garbage trucks

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Back for the first time since 2022, New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is inviting artists to paint vibrant murals on its garbage trucks. As part of the "Trucks of Art" zero-waste initiative, the agency adorns the sides of its 46,000-pound garbage trucks with traveling works of art using leftover household paints that would otherwise end up in landfills. Applications are being accepted until February 8 at 11:59 p.m., with the trucks expected to be painted in April.
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Hunts Point plaza gets $12M makeover with new public space and traffic improvements

Photos courtesy of NYC DDC

January 14, 2026

Hunts Point plaza gets $12M makeover with new public space and traffic improvements

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A busy Bronx intersection known for pedestrian-vehicle conflicts has received a $12 million upgrade, improving safety and creating a vibrant public space for residents. Last week, the city's Departments of Transportation (DOT), Parks, and Design and Construction (DDC) announced the completion of upgrades to Hunts Point’s Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square, finished on time and nearly 20 percent under its $14.8 million budget. The project realigned the roadway to ease traffic on East 163rd Street and added a new lane on Hunts Point Avenue, addressing issues with illegal turns, inadequate signage, and long crossing distances.
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Second Avenue Subway to expand west on 125th Street with three new stations

A view of the tunnel under construction for the Second Avenue Subway’s second phase. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 14, 2026

Second Avenue Subway to expand west on 125th Street with three new stations

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The next phase of the Second Avenue Subway, originally planned to continue down Manhattan’s Second Avenue, will instead run west along 125th Street, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday. The announcement, delivered during Hochul’s 2026 State of the State address, marks a major departure from the century-old plan to extend the Second Avenue Subway all the way to lower Manhattan. Instead, the Q train will be rerouted west along 125th Street, adding three new stations and ending at Broadway in Morningside Heights.
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NYC to activate red-light cameras at 450 intersections by end of 2026

Credit: NYC DOT

January 13, 2026

NYC to activate red-light cameras at 450 intersections by end of 2026

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New York City is ramping up its red-light camera program, aiming to quadruple the number of cameras at intersections by the end of the year. On Friday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the city will activate cameras at 50 new intersections per week for the next five weeks. Red-light cameras are currently installed at 150 intersections—the maximum previously allowed under law—but state legislation passed in 2024 now permits the expansion to reach the full 600.
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43-story Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 89 apartments, from $3,543/month

Images courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 13, 2026

43-story Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 89 apartments, from $3,543/month

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A striking new high-rise rental tower in Downtown Brooklyn designed with young professionals in mind has launched a housing lottery for 89 middle-income apartments. Rising 43 stories at 55 Willoughby Street, House 55 features sleek residential interiors and a suite of amenities tailored to a work-from-home lifestyle. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,543/month studios to $4,518/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Extell adds 25-story tower to Upper West Side’s former ABC campus redevelopment

Streetview of 37 West 66th Street © 2024 Google

January 12, 2026

Extell adds 25-story tower to Upper West Side’s former ABC campus redevelopment

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After a busy year, Extell Development is planning a major new residential project at the former Disney Campus on the Upper West Side. The firm has filed plans with the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) to construct a 25-story, 58-unit tower at 37 West 66th Street in Lincoln Square, as reported by Crain's. Extell has already begun redeveloping the site, including a 90-story skyscraper at 77 West 66th Street that would become the neighborhood’s tallest, surpassing the firm’s existing controversial building across the street at 50 West 66th Street.
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Mamdani unveils $4M pilot program to expand public restroom access in NYC

Bryant Park’s public restroom, one of the nicest in the city. Image via WikiCommons

January 12, 2026

Mamdani unveils $4M pilot program to expand public restroom access in NYC

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New Yorkers on the go often face a familiar dilemma: finding a public restroom in a city of immense luxury yet with too few facilities across the five boroughs. On Saturday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a $4 million pilot program to address the shortage, publishing a request for proposals (RFP) for high-quality modular public restrooms that can be installed quickly and more cheaply than traditional public facilities. Similar to facilities already in use in cities like Los Angeles and Portland, the modular units can operate without direct connection to the city’s sewer and water lines, speeding installation.
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NYC Restaurant Week returns with special prix-fixe menus at nearly 600 spots

Beauty Essex, Manhattan. Photo by Evan Angelastro

January 12, 2026

NYC Restaurant Week returns with special prix-fixe menus at nearly 600 spots

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Escape the bitter New York City cold with a cheap, delicious meal. Reservations are now open for winter’s NYC Restaurant Week, the city’s beloved semi-annual dining program that lets New Yorkers enjoy special, prix-fixe menus at nearly 600 participating establishments across the five boroughs. Running from January 20 through February 12, this year’s program offers two-course lunches and three-course dinners priced at $30, $45, and $60.
A great bite ahead
Under the Radar theater festival to distribute 1,500 free tickets

Christopher-Rashee Stevenson and Stephanie Weeks in the world premiere of “Ulysses” at the Fischer Center at Bard in 2024. Photos by Maria Baranova

January 9, 2026

Under the Radar theater festival to distribute 1,500 free tickets

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Under the Radar, the theater festival that brightens New York City every January with more than 30 free and affordable shows citywide, returns this month for its biggest edition yet. Running through January 25, the event features boundary-pushing productions, from a tasteful adaptation of James Joyce’s "Ulysses" at The Public Theater to performances at Lincoln Center, the Irish Arts Center, and more. On Friday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the festival will offer 1,500 free tickets to New Yorkers, as the festival aligns with the administration’s push for greater accessibility and affordability in the arts.
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City blocked from halting sale of neglectful landlord’s rent-stabilized apartments

Mayor Zohran Mamdani touring a unit in a Pinnacle Flatbush building last week. Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 9, 2026

City blocked from halting sale of neglectful landlord’s rent-stabilized apartments

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A federal bankruptcy judge has denied Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s bid to halt the sale of thousands of rent-stabilized apartments owned by a notorious landlord, a move aimed at preventing the buildings from falling into the hands of another negligent owner. On Monday, Mamdani asked the court to delay a bankruptcy auction scheduled for Thursday, arguing the city needed more time to evaluate a deal that would give ownership to Summit Properties USA. Despite the mayor's claim that the city is a major creditor in the case—Pinnacle owes the city millions in unpaid fines—the judge rejected the request, likely ensuring Summit's potential purchase of nearly 90 buildings, pending court approval at a January 15 hearing.
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Mamdani restarts bike lane redesign on Astoria’s 31st Street

Credit: DOT

January 8, 2026

Mamdani restarts bike lane redesign on Astoria’s 31st Street

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reviving another street safety plan delayed or scrapped under his predecessor. The mayor announced the city will restart the redesign process for Astoria's 31st Street, which had briefly seen construction on a partially-protected bike lane before a Queens judge ruled the city had failed to follow proper protocols and ordered its removal. The Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to address the legal issues that previously stalled the project and ensure improved safety on the notoriously dangerous corridor, which ranks among the top 10 most dangerous streets in Queens.
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MTA is looking into using AI to monitor transit system cameras

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 8, 2026

MTA is looking into using AI to monitor transit system cameras

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has started exploring how artificial intelligence could be used to monitor the system's more than 15,000 cameras to detect and predict unsafe behaviors, identify weapons or other dangerous objects, and recognize unattended items. As first reported by The City, the MTA said there's been "interest across the board" from tech firms following a request for information issued by the agency in early December.
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Andy Cohen honored with a corner and trash can in Hudson Square

Photos by Emma Milligan

January 7, 2026

Andy Cohen honored with a corner and trash can in Hudson Square

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New York City has long honored notable residents with street co-namings. Hudson Square is taking a different approach for TV personality Andy Cohen by commemorating the Bravo host with a trash can. The Hudson Square Business Improvement District paid tribute to Cohen, whose long-running show "Watch What Happens Live" has been filmed in the neighborhood since 2009, by renaming a garbage can on the corner of Vandam and Hudson Streets. Cohen attended the ribbon-cutting for the newly dubbed "Andy Cohen’s Corner," where he received a commemorative plaque and a key to the neighborhood that opens nothing.
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NYC paves infamous bike path bump at foot of Williamsburg Bridge

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 7, 2026

NYC paves infamous bike path bump at foot of Williamsburg Bridge

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A small bump on the bike path at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge in Manhattan—notorious for sending cyclists flying over their handlebars—has finally been fixed. On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) paved over the hazard on Delancey Street, which had forced riders to slam on their brakes and risk crashes. The effort joins other transit-related improvements Mamdani has overseen during his first week in office, including the restoration of the full “road-diet” plan for McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, which features expanded protected bike lanes.
bump begone!
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