Policy

February 13, 2026

Love is in the air at Times Square subway station this Valentine’s Day

You can feel the love at the Times Square-42nd Street subway station. On Thursday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) installed heart-shaped decals for the 1, 2, and 3 trains above the station’s fare gates and handed out matching stickers to riders, while also celebrating couples who met on public transit or while working for the agency. To further spread the love, a special Valentine’s Day message from actor Teyana Taylor will play in subway stations across the five boroughs.
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NJ Transit to cut service by 50% for four weeks

The project in 2024. Photo courtesy of Amtrak

February 12, 2026

NJ Transit to cut service by 50% for four weeks

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Jersey Transit riders will have a tough time reaching New York City for the next month. Starting Sunday, February 15, NJ Transit will cut service by 50 percent for four weeks to transfer rail operations from one track on the 115-year-old Portal Bridge to one track on the new $1.5 billion Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River, a major part of the Gateway Program. During construction, trains can only operate on a single track between Newark and Secaucus, resulting in fewer trains serving Penn Station on the North East Corridor and the North Jersey Coast Line. Weekday commuters on Midtown Direct trains along the Gladstone Branch, Morris & Essex, and Montclair-Boonton lines will be diverted to Hoboken, where several options will be available to reach Penn Station.
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Mamdani looks to narrow housing voucher program, reneging on campaign promise

Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to the press during Wednesday’s state budget hearing. Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 12, 2026

Mamdani looks to narrow housing voucher program, reneging on campaign promise

By Aaron Ginsburg

Facing a projected $7 billion budget deficit, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday suggested he no longer intends to support the expansion of CityFHEPS, despite the plan having been passed by the City Council and upheld in court after challenges. His administration is now negotiating with housing advocates to resolve a lawsuit aimed at ensuring the program’s growth. According to the New York Times, city lawyers have asked a judge to adjourn the case while officials work with the Council and the Legal Aid Society, which filed the suit, to find a solution.
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Policy

NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall

NYC Council Members and Speaker Julie Menin hold a protest over the removal of the LGBTQIA+ flag from the Stonewall National Monument. Photo Credit: Will Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

February 11, 2026

NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City officials followed through on their promise to restore the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, re-raising it Thursday after the National Park Service removed it earlier in the week. The flag was first taken down on Monday by the agency, which has overseen the site since it was designated a national monument by former President Barack Obama in 2016. The agency told Gay City News that the removal was required under policy permitting only the U.S. flag and other "congressionally or departmentally authorized flags" to fly on NPS flagpoles, despite the site’s recognition as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, which the Pride flag symbolizes.
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Policy

Hochul moves to reform environmental law to speed up housing construction

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul on Flickr

February 10, 2026

Hochul moves to reform environmental law to speed up housing construction

By Aaron Ginsburg

To accelerate housing development across the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a series of reforms to New York’s environmental laws, which have delayed new projects for years. During an event with several elected officials on Tuesday, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the governor unveiled “common sense” reforms to the state’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), as well as executive actions to accelerate critical projects that, while not posing significant environmental impacts, have been caught in red tape and delays. The reforms also seek to cut bureaucratic hurdles for infrastructure projects, including clean water, green infrastructure, and parks, which are frequently slowed down by lengthy environmental review processes.
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City opens Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Flatbush

All photos © Alexander Severin unless otherwise noted

February 10, 2026

City opens Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Flatbush

By Devin Gannon

Brooklyn's largest recreation center officially opened its doors in East Flatbush this week. Located within Nostrand Playground, the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center measures 74,000 square feet and includes an indoor pool, basketball court, full gym, a media lab, outdoor spaces, and more. Designed by Studio Gang, the firm behind the Gilder Center at the Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn residential tower 11 Hoyt, the building features large arched windows, a curving brick facade, and a green roof.
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Judge allows Trump’s Gateway funding freeze to continue until Thursday

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

February 9, 2026

Judge allows Trump’s Gateway funding freeze to continue until Thursday

By Aaron Ginsburg

After ordering the Trump administration to resume funding for the Gateway project, a federal judge has agreed to temporarily allow the funding freeze to continue while an appeal moves forward. The order, issued Friday by Manhattan Judge Jeannette Vargas, follows a lawsuit filed by NY and NJ seeking emergency relief to stop the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) from withholding funds for the project. However, after the administration filed an appeal Sunday, Vargas agreed to pause the order until February 12 to allow the appeal to proceed, according to New Jersey Monitor.
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Trump said he’d restore Gateway funding if New York renames Penn Station after him

Photo of Penn Station by Don Ramey Logan via WikiCommons

February 6, 2026

Trump said he’d restore Gateway funding if New York renames Penn Station after him

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump told Sen. Chuck Schumer last month that he'd resume funding for the Gateway project, but only if New York's Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport are renamed after him. Trump said he would release $16 billion in previously allocated federal funds for the critical infrastructure project on that condition, as CNN reported. Funding, which had been secured under the Biden administration, was frozen during October’s government shutdown. Construction on the project will stop at 5 p.m. on Friday if the funding does not resume.
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Advocates push for restoration of weekend G train service to Forest Hills

Credit: Adam Moss on Flickr

February 5, 2026

Advocates push for restoration of weekend G train service to Forest Hills

By Aaron Ginsburg

A coalition of public transit advocates is pushing the MTA to extend the G train to Forest Hills, bringing the line to central Queens for the first time since 2010. In a letter sent Thursday, more than 30 advocacy organizations and business leaders, including the New York Mets, urged city and state officials to bring back weekend G train service to Forest Hills–71st Avenue, arguing it would be a transformative improvement for outer-borough riders long underserved by a Manhattan-centric transit system. The group also noted that G train ridership has surged since service to Forest Hills was cut, with an increase of roughly 50,000 riders—one of the fastest growth rates in the subway system.
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NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 5, 2026

NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is investing nearly $40 million to bring clean heating and cooling to more than 700 homes at a public housing complex in the Rockaways. Announced on Wednesday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the $38.4 million investment will install clean, reliable heat pumps in 712 apartments at NYCHA’s Beach 41st Houses in Edgemere, among the first NYCHA residences to receive custom-designed heat pumps under the agency’s “Clean Heat for All” initiative. The initiative aims to expand clean heat pump installations to more than 10,000 NYCHA apartments by 2030.
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Policy

NYC Council will bring back year-round outdoor dining

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council will make outdoor dining year-round again. During a speech at A Better New York's (ABNY) Power Breakfast on Wednesday, City Council Speaker Julie Menin said she plans to advance legislation introduced last year that would bring back the pandemic-era program, allowing for roadway dining in winter and reducing the cost to businesses.
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February 4, 2026

NYC opens low-barrier shelter with 100+ units in Lower Manhattan

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has opened a new safe haven shelter in the South Street Seaport, offering secure temporary housing to more than 100 unhoused New Yorkers, as deaths linked to the city’s ongoing stretch of extreme cold continue to rise. On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the opening of a long-stalled shelter at 320 Pearl Street, offering 106 beds, on-site services, and no curfews or similar restrictions in an effort to encourage more homeless New Yorkers to come in from the cold, according to Gothamist. The new shelter is part of a series of measures Mamdani has enacted since the city entered this historic cold snap, including the opening of 50 additional shelter units in Upper Manhattan on Monday.
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Policy

NY and NJ sue Trump administration for withholding Gateway funding

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

February 4, 2026

NY and NJ sue Trump administration for withholding Gateway funding

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York and New Jersey are suing the Trump administration for withholding $15 billion in federal funding previously set aside for the transformative Gateway project. Announced Tuesday, the lawsuit seeks emergency relief to prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) from continuing to withhold critical funding for the project, which is building a new rail tunnel and rehabilitating a dilapidated one. The legal action follows the Gateway Development Commission’s announcement last week that work would stop on February 6 unless federal funding is restored.
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NYC passes landmark street vendor reform, including expanding permit cap

Credit: Hiroko Nishimura on Unsplash

January 30, 2026

NYC passes landmark street vendor reform, including expanding permit cap

By Aaron Ginsburg

Legislation to reform New York City street vending officially passed this week, after the City Council overrode Mayor Eric Adams' vetoes. One of the bills, Intro. 0431, sponsored by Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez, makes an additional 2,200 supervisory license applications available annually from 2026 through 2031 and creates 10,500 new general vending licenses in 2027. The legislation package was part of 19 bills vetoed by former Mayor Eric Adams on his last day in office, despite Council approval in December. This week, the Council overrode 17 of the 19 vetoes.
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Policy

Full Amtrak service from NYC to Albany resumes in March, Metro-North expansion scrapped

Credit: Phil Richards on Flickr

January 29, 2026

Full Amtrak service from NYC to Albany resumes in March, Metro-North expansion scrapped

By Aaron Ginsburg

Full Amtrak service between New York City and Albany will resume in March, ending plans for a more affordable Metro-North expansion. In response to reduced service between the city and Albany due to ongoing repair work on the East River Tunnel, Gov. Kathy Hochul last October announced plans to run Metro-North service between Grand Central and Albany starting this spring. But with the full restoration of Empire service, Amtrak has walked back plans for added Metro-North service.
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Work on Gateway project will stop next week unless Trump restores funding

In December 2025, the Tonnelle Ave bridge structure was completed, opening the passage beneath the highway that will be used to bring the TBM components in for assembly. Credit: Gateway Development Commission

January 28, 2026

Work on Gateway project will stop next week unless Trump restores funding

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction of a crucial rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey will stop next week unless federal funding is restored. The Gateway Development Commission announced on Tuesday that funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project will run out on February 6. President Donald Trump's administration initially paused funding until the project's contracts were reviewed for compliance with new rules governing businesses owned by women and minorities—rules the GDC has pledged to follow—but funding has still not been restored, according to the New York Times.
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NYC Ferry service suspended because of ice in the East and Hudson Rivers

View of the icy East River from Williamsburg on Tuesday. Photo © Karen Palacios

January 28, 2026

NYC Ferry service suspended because of ice in the East and Hudson Rivers

By Aaron Ginsburg

NYC Ferry has suspended service on Wednesday because of ice in the East and Hudson Rivers and across the New York Harbor. The ferry announced the suspension in a post on X, citing "significant, continuing ice build-up" in surrounding waterways. Crews will continue monitoring conditions, but officials warned the shutdown could last several days as freezing temperatures persist.
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During extreme cold, NYC will expand warming centers, homeless outreach

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 27, 2026

During extreme cold, NYC will expand warming centers, homeless outreach

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is stepping up efforts to protect its most vulnerable residents amid this week’s extreme cold. On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced 10 new warming centers, 10 warming buses, and expanded outreach to help connect people experiencing homelessness with shelter. The measures come as at least 10 New Yorkers have been found dead outdoors amid potentially life-threatening cold, with wind chills expected to reach 9 degrees below zero by Wednesday morning, according to NBC New York.
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Policy

NYC landlords must now disclose if buildings have rent-stabilized apartments

Credit: Matthew Moloney on Unsplash

January 27, 2026

NYC landlords must now disclose if buildings have rent-stabilized apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City renters are now legally entitled to clear, accessible information about whether stabilized apartments exist in their buildings. Last week, Local Law 86, aka the Rent Transparency Act, took effect, requiring landlords of buildings with at least one stabilized unit to post notices in common areas informing tenants that units may be rent-stabilized and how to get more information. The law aims to empower renters to know if they are being illegally overcharged.
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Policy

New bill requires air conditioning in most NYC apartments by 2030

Credit: Thomas Layland on Unsplash

January 23, 2026

New bill requires air conditioning in most NYC apartments by 2030

By Aaron Ginsburg

It may seem ludicrous to think about turning on your air conditioner during this bitter cold, but a new bill passed this week will eventually require most New York City apartments to have one—though it will be a few years before it takes effect. Enacted last weekend, the bill requires landlords to provide air conditioning, prompted by hotter summers and rising heat-related illnesses and deaths. The bill gives landlords until 2030 to comply, after which the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will enforce the rule, Council Member Lincoln Restler, the bill’s sponsor, told Gothamist.
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Policy

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Policy

January 22, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Policy

NYC faces $12B budget deficit, new comptroller warns

Credit: Matthew Moloney on Unsplash

January 21, 2026

NYC faces $12B budget deficit, new comptroller warns

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Policy

January 20, 2026

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Policy

Policy

Love is in the air at Times Square subway station this Valentine’s Day

NJ Transit to cut service by 50% for four weeks

Mamdani looks to narrow housing voucher program, reneging on campaign promise

NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall

Hochul moves to reform environmental law to speed up housing construction

City opens Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Flatbush

Judge allows Trump’s Gateway funding freeze to continue until Thursday

Trump said he’d restore Gateway funding if New York renames Penn Station after him

Advocates push for restoration of weekend G train service to Forest Hills

NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

NYC Council will bring back year-round outdoor dining

NYC opens low-barrier shelter with 100+ units in Lower Manhattan

NY and NJ sue Trump administration for withholding Gateway funding

NYC passes landmark street vendor reform, including expanding permit cap

For $9M, a Noho penthouse that captures the spirit of the neighborhood's past, and then some

Full Amtrak service from NYC to Albany resumes in March, Metro-North expansion scrapped

Work on Gateway project will stop next week unless Trump restores funding

NYC Ferry service suspended because of ice in the East and Hudson Rivers

During extreme cold, NYC will expand warming centers, homeless outreach

NYC landlords must now disclose if buildings have rent-stabilized apartments

New bill requires air conditioning in most NYC apartments by 2030

Mamdani bans hidden ‘junk fees’ at NYC hotels

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

NYC faces $12B budget deficit, new comptroller warns

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

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