Policy

Car-free Earth Day celebration kicks off NYC’s Open Streets season

Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

April 4, 2025

Car-free Earth Day celebration kicks off NYC’s Open Streets season

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New York City's Open Streets season kicks off on April 26 with its largest Car-Free Earth Day celebration ever, turning more than 54 streets across the five boroughs into vibrant public spaces. The Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday announced that the city's annual Car-Free Earth Day will include a record-breaking 54 streets and plazas, along with expanded programming in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
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New York to issue liquor licenses to outdoor dining restaurants amid delays

Credit: Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

April 3, 2025

New York to issue liquor licenses to outdoor dining restaurants amid delays

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New Yorkers no longer have to dread a boozeless outdoor dining experience this season. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced that the State Liquor Authority (SLA) will now accept conditional approvals issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to restaurants participating in the city's Dining Out NYC program, allowing them to serve alcohol in their outdoor dining areas while their applications are being reviewed. ​The processing of liquor license applications has been significantly delayed, with only seven out of roughly 3,000 applicants receiving approval as of Saturday.
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Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

Project rendering courtesy of Aufgang Architects

April 3, 2025

Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

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New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is enhancing his bid to build a casino by pledging 450 affordable housing units. Queens Future LLC, a joint venture between Cohen and Hard Rock International, and Slate Property Group announced on Wednesday plans to develop a 100 percent affordable building on a parking lot at 54-19 100th Street in Corona, Queens. The development will only be built if Cohen is awarded one of three gaming licenses to build "Metropolitan Park," a proposed $8 billion sports and entertainment complex next to Citi Field.
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Hochul backs city’s broker fee ban set to take effect this June

Council Member Chi Ossé held a press conference before the City Council voted on the FARE Act. Photo credit: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

April 3, 2025

Hochul backs city’s broker fee ban set to take effect this June

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Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday came out in support of a law banning forced broker fees amid a legal challenge from a real estate lobbying group. In a video posted online, the governor backed Council Member Chi Ossé's Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act, which shifts the payment of broker fees from renters to landlords. Soon after the bill became law last year, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) sued the city to stop it from taking effect in June, claiming it preempts New York State law.
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NYC’s outdoor dining season kicks off

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

April 1, 2025

NYC’s outdoor dining season kicks off

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The sun is finally out, and the tables are, too—outdoor dining is officially back in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the start of Dining Out NYC, a program allowing certain restaurants to offer outdoor seating on streets and sidewalks across the five boroughs from April 1 through November 29. At the program's peak during the pandemic, more than 12,500 restaurants participated. As of Tuesday, just 2,450 outdoor dining setups, including 600 on the street, have been approved by the city, although more are expected to open in the coming weeks.
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Gowanus Canal cleanup advances with excavation for Red Hook tank

Credit: NYC Water on X

March 31, 2025

Gowanus Canal cleanup advances with excavation for Red Hook tank

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New York City is finally making headway in its long-delayed effort to clean up the Gowanus Canal. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced last week the completion of excavation for the Red Hook tank, an eight-million-gallon underground facility designed to capture sewage overflow that would otherwise spill into the canal during rainstorms. Construction on the tank, along with a smaller tank called Owls Head, began in March 2023. Work was expedited in December following complaints from residents about foul odors coming from the project site, as reported by Brooklyn Paper; the excavation was completed six months ahead of schedule.
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Interactive map reveals the famous New Yorkers behind 2,500 co-named streets

Images courtesy of DORIS

March 27, 2025

Interactive map reveals the famous New Yorkers behind 2,500 co-named streets

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Ever wonder about the history behind some of New York City's co-named streets? The city's Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) on Tuesday announced upgrades to its interactive map, which provides information about the 2,500 streets, parks, and other locations across the five boroughs named for notable people. The upgrades include enhanced search features and an easier-to-remember website address.
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Council passes legislation to reduce NYC’s 400 miles of scaffolding

Photo by William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

March 27, 2025

Council passes legislation to reduce NYC’s 400 miles of scaffolding

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Scaffolding may soon have less of a ubiquitous presence in New York City. The City Council on Wednesday passed a series of bills reforming sidewalk shed rules to shorten how long the barriers can remain up and allow for new, more appealing designs. The city currently has over 8,400 sidewalk sheds that take up roughly 400 miles of sidewalk. On average, the structures remain in place for over 500 days; over 300 sheds have stood for over five years.
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Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

Credit: MTA

March 26, 2025

Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

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New York has revealed a $160 million plan to fund the long-awaited expansion of bus service to and from LaGuardia Airport. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday unveiled the proposed upgrades, which includes creating a bus-only lane, installing traffic signals that prioritize the Q70 bus, increasing service during peak hours, adding a dedicated pick-up and drop-off zone at LGA, and improving lighting and signage, and more. Recommended by an expert panel in 2023, the proposal is an alternative to the controversial AirTrain, a 1.5-mile elevated rail line to the airport scrapped by the governor.
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Rising salt levels threaten NYC’s water supply

Credit: rdlimages on Flickr

March 26, 2025

Rising salt levels threaten NYC’s water supply

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New York City's cherished tap water may taste saltier in the future. A study released by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Friday found that the salinity levels in the Croton reservoir system, which provides 10 percent of the city's water supply, have tripled over the past 30 years because of road salt runoff. If this trend continues unchecked, salinity levels are projected to exceed the state's maximum allowable limits by 2108, potentially forcing the city to abandon the reservoir.
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NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

March 25, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

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New York City's congestion pricing program brought in nearly $52 million in revenue last month, keeping it on track to reach its $500 million goal by the end of the year. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Monday released new data on the tolling system showing congestion pricing collected $51.9 million in revenue between February 1 and 28, about $3 million more than January. While the figures are promising, the program’s future remains uncertain due to ongoing tensions between New York State and the Trump administration, which ordered Gov. Kathy Hochul to shut it down.
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Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

Photo by Pat at Juno on Flickr

March 24, 2025

Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

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This season’s concerts at Forest Hills Stadium are at risk of cancellation as tensions between local residents and venue officials escalate over ongoing noise complaints. According to an NYPD Legal Bureau letter, the stadium’s new sound amplification permits were denied last week after the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation (FHGC) blocked the city from accessing the private roads surrounding the venue, as first reported by the New York Post. Unless FHGC and the West Side Tennis Club, which owns the historic stadium, reach an agreement on noise levels before the first scheduled concert on May 31, the shows will not go on.
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Trump administration delays congestion pricing deadline by a month

Credit: Zhen Yao on Unsplash

March 21, 2025

Trump administration delays congestion pricing deadline by a month

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The Trump administration said it would give New York a 30-day extension on its deadline to end congestion pricing. A day before the original March 21 deadline, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the extension in a post on X, calling Gov. Kathy Hochul's refusal to end the tolling program "unacceptable." The governor and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have repeatedly defended the program and pledged to keep it running until a federal judge makes a ruling; the agency filed a lawsuit to protect the program last month.
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Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

Renderings courtesy of OJB Landscape Architecture

March 21, 2025

Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

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Newly released renderings offer a closer look at a public waterfront park planned alongside a proposed casino complex near the United Nations. Unveiled on Thursday, the new video and imagery showcase the nearly 5-acre public park planned as part of Soloviev Group's proposed Freedom Plaza casino project. Designed by OJB Landscape Architects, the green space would feature an 18,000-square-foot central lawn, 1.2 miles of accessible pathways, a children's play area, an amphitheater, scenic overlooks, and more.
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NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street. All images courtesy of DCP

March 20, 2025

NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

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New York City is moving forward with a new rezoning initiative that could bring more than 12,000 new homes to downtown Jamaica, Queens. On Thursday, the Department of City Planning (DCP) began the approval process for the plan, which looks to rezone about 300 blocks in the neighborhood to allow for thousands of new homes, including 4,000 units that would be income-restricted. If approved, the rezoning would create the city's largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area, add two million square feet of commercial space, and generate more than 7,000 new jobs, according to the Queens Eagle.
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MTA to stop selling MetroCards by end of the year

Photo by Mr.TinMD on Flickr

March 20, 2025

MTA to stop selling MetroCards by end of the year

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After more than three decades of service, the MetroCard is nearing its final ride. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the final day for MetroCard sales will be December 31, another step toward the full transition to the OMNY tap-and-go payment system. Retail partners, including bodegas and drugstores, will stop selling MetroCards this fall. Riders will still be able to pay with their MetroCards through 2026, with the MTA set to announce that end date at a later time.
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Atlantic Avenue rezoning approved by City Planning Commission

Atlantic Avenue and Bedford, looking west. 2023. Photo courtesy of NYC DCP

March 19, 2025

Atlantic Avenue rezoning approved by City Planning Commission

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A plan to create thousands of new homes, jobs, and open space along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn is one step closer to becoming reality. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday voted to approve the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a rezoning that could bring 4,600 new homes, 1,440 of which would be permanently affordable, 2,800 permanent jobs, and various public realm enhancements to a 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue. The plan now moves to the City Council for a final vote.
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Trump administration threatens to withhold MTA funds over transit safety

Credit: Jenna Day on Unsplash

March 19, 2025

Trump administration threatens to withhold MTA funds over transit safety

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President Donald Trump's administration threatened to withhold federal funding for the New York City transit system unless the Metropolitan Transportation Authority submits a plan addressing transit safety. In a letter sent to the MTA on Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged Chair & CEO Janno Lieber to provide a detailed plan to reduce crime, combat violence against transit workers, minimize injuries and fatalities from suicide events and subway surfing, and address fare evasion. In response, transit officials pointed to publicly available data that shows major crimes trending down this year.
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MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

March 18, 2025

MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

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New Yorkers, here's your chance to learn more and ask questions about the Interborough Express (IBX) train line, a proposed project to connect Brooklyn and Queens by public transit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Friday that it will host open houses to share information and answer questions about the IBX project. The first open house takes place at the Queens Public Library in Ridgewood on March 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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NYC proposes allowing mopeds on Brooklyn and Queensboro bridges

Photo by Marcin Wichary on Flickr

March 17, 2025

NYC proposes allowing mopeds on Brooklyn and Queensboro bridges

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Moped riders may soon be allowed to ride alongside cars on the Brooklyn Bridge and the lower level of the Queensboro Bridge. Under a proposed rule by the Department of Transportation, registered mopeds with license plates would be allowed on the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges. The ban would remain on Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, and the upper level of Queensboro. There is currently no legal route for mopeds to travel across the East River, as riders are prohibited from using the motor vehicle lanes and protected bike lanes on all roadways. As first reported by Streetsblog, the city hopes the rule change prevents conflicts between moped riders, pedestrians, and cyclists.
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NYC’s population bounces back after pandemic exodus

Photo by Abhi Verma on Unsplash

March 14, 2025

NYC’s population bounces back after pandemic exodus

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Five years after the pandemic triggered an exodus from New York City, new census data shows the city's population is growing again. According to census data released this week, the city's population grew by 87,184 to 8.48 million people between July 2023 and July 2024, up from 8.39 million the previous year. All five boroughs gained residents, with Manhattan leading the way with a 1.7 percent increase in population.
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$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

Credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations

March 14, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

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New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's $8 billion casino proposal near Citi Field cleared a major hurdle this week. On Tuesday, the City Council voted 41-2 in favor of zoning changes for the Metropolitan Park development, a sports and entertainment complex planned for 50 acres of parking lots around the Mets stadium. While the approval grants Cohen and his partners the ability to make zoning changes on the site, which sits on city parkland, the project still requires approval from several local and state officials.
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Mayoral hopeful Lander proposes 50,000 new homes on NYC golf courses

Van Cortlandt Golf Course. Photo by Shannon McGee on Flickr

March 13, 2025

Mayoral hopeful Lander proposes 50,000 new homes on NYC golf courses

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In a proposal likely to make golf lovers tee off, mayoral candidate Brad Lander wants to turn some of New York City's public golf courses into 50,000 new homes to tackle the housing crisis. The idea, included in the city comptroller's 36-page housing proposal released last week, is a key element of Lander’s vision to create 500,000 new homes across the five boroughs over the next decade, if elected mayor. In order to achieve these ambitious housing goals, Lander said he would declare a housing emergency to speed up construction and triple subsidies for affordable housing.
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NYC added 34,000 new homes in 2024: These neighborhoods built the most

Photo by Harry Gillen on Unsplash

March 12, 2025

NYC added 34,000 new homes in 2024: These neighborhoods built the most

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Nearly 34,000 new homes were completed in New York City in 2024, the most units in a single year since 1965. The increase in housing units, up over 6,000 units from last year, is driven by a surge of permits filed in 2022 before the 421-a tax incentive expired. The Department of City Planning this week released an update to its Housing Database with new tools highlighting housing production across the city. While the data reveals Brooklyn had the highest number of newly constructed units of all the boroughs, Long Island City in Queens led the city with 1,859 new building units in 2024.
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Penn Station proposal moves Madison Square Garden, calls for classical train hall

Renderings courtesy of the Grand Penn Community Alliance, unless noted otherwise

March 11, 2025

Penn Station proposal moves Madison Square Garden, calls for classical train hall

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A new proposal for the long-stalled redesign of Penn Station would move Madison Square Garden across the street and replace the existing station with a new train hall reminiscent of the its original grandeur. Spearheaded by architect and former chief urban designer for New York City Alexandros Washburn, the "Grand Penn" plan would create a public space the size of Bryant Park and a commuter train hall inspired by the original station, while relocating the famous arena across the street. The plan now joins two stalled proposals, including one from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and another from a private developer.
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