Policy

Photo via Flickr

May 28, 2021

NYC Council votes to boost value of housing vouchers for homeless New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

Under legislation approved by the New York City Council on Thursday, the value of rental assistance vouchers provided to homeless New Yorkers will increase, a major step in moving people out of shelters into permanent housing. Sponsored by Council Member Stephen Levin, the bill raises the city's rental subsidy, called CityFHEPS, from a maximum of $1,580/month to $2,217/month for a two-bedroom apartment for a family of three. Homeless advocates say this could help thousands more homeless families find permanent housing each year.
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New York officially gives real estate agents the go-ahead to collect broker fees

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash

May 27, 2021

New York officially gives real estate agents the go-ahead to collect broker fees

By Devin Gannon

The state of New York this week walked back the broker fee ban that was never really a ban. Last year, the Department of State issued guidance related to the sweeping rent reform laws from 2019 that said brokers hired by landlords would not be allowed to charge prospective tenants a fee. Following several legal challenges, a judge ruled last month that a ban on broker fees was an "error of law" and struck down the law. The state on Tuesday officially updated the guidance to fall in line with the court ruling.
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Policy

In 2020, NYC subway saw a billion fewer total trips than year prior

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 26, 2021

In 2020, NYC subway saw a billion fewer total trips than year prior

By Devin Gannon

Roughly a billion fewer passengers entered the New York City subway system in 2020 than in 2019, according to new data released this week by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The annual total ridership on the subway in 2019 was 1,697,787,002 passengers and 639,541,029 passengers in 2020. When the coronavirus pandemic hit last spring and Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all nonessential businesses to close, both city subway and bus ridership hit record lows. In April 2020, subway ridership hit just 8 percent of what it was in 2019.
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Starting this weekend, you can get a Covid vaccine at a NYC beach

Rockaway Beach. Photo by Malaya Sadler on Unsplash

May 25, 2021

Starting this weekend, you can get a Covid vaccine at a NYC beach

Just as it does every year, Memorial Day weekend will officially kick off beach season in New York City. But this year, New Yorkers will be able to enjoy the sun and get a Covid-19 vaccine. Mayor de Blasio announced today that starting this weekend, the city's mobile vaccine buses will be stationed at Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Orchard Beach, and the Rockaways.
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Policy

NYC public schools will fully reopen this fall without a remote option

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 24, 2021

NYC public schools will fully reopen this fall without a remote option

By Devin Gannon

New York City public schools will not offer a remote option for students next school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. Starting on the first day of school on September 13, all students and school staff will return to the buildings full-time. "This is going to be crucial for families," de Blasio said during a press briefing. "So many parents are relieved, I know."
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Policy

Former NAACP headquarters in Greenwich Village is now a New York City landmark

Street View of 70 Fifth Avenue, Map data © 2020 Google; Photo of W.E.B. DuBois in 1918 from Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons

May 18, 2021

Former NAACP headquarters in Greenwich Village is now a New York City landmark

By Devin Gannon

A building in Greenwich Village that once served as the headquarters for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and housed W.E.B. DuBois' trailblazing magazine The Crisis, is now a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate 70 Fifth Avenue, a Neoclassical Beaux-Arts building designed by Charles A. Rich and built between 1912 and 1914. The commission on Tuesday also landmarked the Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz in Washington Heights.
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Policy

NYC’s plan to rezone Soho and Noho moves forward

A rendering of West Broadway in Soho, looking downtown; courtesy of City Planning Commission

May 18, 2021

NYC’s plan to rezone Soho and Noho moves forward

By Devin Gannon

A proposal to bring more affordable housing in two of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods is moving forward. The City Planning Commission on Monday certified the application to rezone Soho and Noho, kicking off the public review process. The plan replaces existing 1970s-era zoning rules with medium- to high-density mixed-use districts that could create as many as 3,500 new homes, with 900 units of permanently affordable housing.
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Policy

The NYC Marathon returns this November at 60% capacity

The lead female runners at 81st Street and 1st Avenue in 2015, photo © 6sqft

May 17, 2021

The NYC Marathon returns this November at 60% capacity

By Devin Gannon

Runners, take your mark. The annual New York City Marathon will be held this fall after last year's event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced the world's largest marathon will take place on November 7, the 50th running of the race. Participation will be limited to 60 percent capacity, or 33,000 runners, according to the governor.
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New York will lift mask mandate in line with CDC guidelines

Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

May 17, 2021

New York will lift mask mandate in line with CDC guidelines

After nearly a week of speculation, Governor Cuomo announced that the state of New York will adopt the CDC's new mask and social distancing guidance for fully vaccinated people. Effective May 19, those who have received the Covid-19 vaccine will not have to wear masks or maintain a six-foot distance indoors. However, consistent with the CDC, everyone will still be required to wear a mask on public transportation, in nursing homes, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, schools, and health care facilities.
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Policy

24/7 subway service resumes in New York City

NYC Transit employees remove overnight closure signs. Courtesy of MTA on Flickr

May 17, 2021

24/7 subway service resumes in New York City

By Devin Gannon

New York City's subway system resumed 24-hour service on Monday for the first time in over a year. Last May, Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed the subway overnight as part of a disinfection plan created in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time the trains closed overnight since the subway first opened 116 years ago. The return of 24/7 service this week comes just two days before most capacity restrictions in New York are lifted and as rates of COVID have fallen across the state.
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Popular Articles

Here are the New York City sites vaccinating kids 12+

Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 13, 2021

Here are the New York City sites vaccinating kids 12+

By Devin Gannon

With approval from an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday, the Pfizer vaccine is now available for children ages 12 to 15. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has authorized all New York providers to open eligibility for the vaccine to this age group. In New York City, there are over 200 sites offering Pfizer, the only vaccine approved for those aged 12 to 17, including at dozens of pharmacies across the five boroughs and some state-run sites.
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Policy

New ‘Open Boulevards’ will bring dining, performances, art and more to NYC streets

Photo courtesy of the Belmont Business Improvement District

May 12, 2021

New ‘Open Boulevards’ will bring dining, performances, art and more to NYC streets

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday announced plans to reimagine New York City streets once again with "Open Boulevards," an expansion of the popular Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs that launched at the start of the pandemic. The mayor said the initiative "supercharges" the existing program with "multiple blocks in a row filled with restaurants, performances, and community activities." The Open Boulevards announcement continues City Hall's "Streets Week!," which so far has included new plans to lower speed limits and add protected bike lanes.
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170-year-old Greenwich Village buildings will be razed and replaced with high-rise condo tower

Rendering courtesy of Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Acheson Doyle Partners, Hill West Architects

May 12, 2021

170-year-old Greenwich Village buildings will be razed and replaced with high-rise condo tower

By Devin Gannon

Two five-story apartment buildings in the Greenwich Village Historic District will be demolished to make way for a 213-foot-tall luxury condo tower. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from Madison Realty Capital and City Urban Realty to raze 14-16 Fifth Avenue, an apartment building that sits just north of Washington Square Park. Preservationists campaigned against the demolition of the building since the project was first announced in 2017, citing the history of the 170-year-old structure as significant enough for protection.
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Policy

New design for Marsha P. Johnson State Park adds more greenery, scraps rainbow-striped mural

All renderings courtesy of NY State Parks/ Starr Whitehouse, unless otherwise noted

May 11, 2021

New design for Marsha P. Johnson State Park adds more greenery, scraps rainbow-striped mural

By Devin Gannon

A new design was unveiled last week for Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg following backlash regarding the state's original proposal. During the local community board's Parks and Waterfront Committee meeting last Thursday, Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners presented a revised plan that incorporates more greenery and plantings to the Brooklyn waterfront site and ditches the rainbow-striped plastic mural that opponents criticized, as first reported by Brooklyn Paper.
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Policy

Vaccines coming to Grand Central, Penn Station, and more subway and train stations

Photo by Stephen H on Unsplash

May 10, 2021

Vaccines coming to Grand Central, Penn Station, and more subway and train stations

With vaccination rates declining, the state is continuing to come up with incentives for New Yorkers to get the shot, from free Yankees and Mets tickets to free admission to museums. The latest is a partnership with the MTA to bring vaccines to busy subway, LIRR, and Metro-North stations, including Grand Central and Penn Station. Those who receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at these locations will receive a free seven-day MetroCard or two free one-way trips on the LIRR or Metro-North.
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Policy

All U.S. residents aged 16+ can get the COVID vaccine in New York

Mayor Bill de Blasio tours the new vaccine site at the American Museum of Natural History on April 23, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 10, 2021

All U.S. residents aged 16+ can get the COVID vaccine in New York

By Devin Gannon

Any resident of the United States who is at least 16 years old is now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine in New York. In vaccination guidance updated last week, the state's Department of Health ditched the work or residency requirement to previously needed to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The policy change comes as Mayor Bill de Blasio said he wants to set up mobile vaccination hubs at popular tourist destinations, like Central Park and Times Square, to vaccinate visitors to the Big Apple.
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Policy

New York City wants to vaccinate tourists in Times Square and Central Park

Photo of Mayor Bill de Blasio at the Empire State Building on May 1, 2021 courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

May 6, 2021

New York City wants to vaccinate tourists in Times Square and Central Park

By Devin Gannon

With tourism expected to ramp up this summer, New York City wants to be able to vaccinate visitors. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to set up mobile coronavirus vaccination sites at tourist hotspots, like Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Central Park. While the mayor said these hubs could be set up as early as this weekend, the state must first approve the plan as well as change a rule to allow non-New Yorkers to receive the vaccine.
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Policy

See restoration plans for the historic Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx

View of the Upper and Lower Promenades, Cafeteria, and South Loggia, Looking South (1936); Images courtesy of Marvel/ NYC Parks/ NYCEDC

May 5, 2021

See restoration plans for the historic Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx

By Devin Gannon

The landmarked bathhouse and pavilion at Orchard Beach in the Bronx will be restored to its original 1930s design and become more accessible to the public. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to approve plans from architecture firm Marvel, the Parks Department, and the city's Economic Development Corporation to reconstruct the deteriorating architectural gem. The project includes reinstalling and restoring limestone cladding, repairing the upper-level loggias, adding an ADA accessible ramp, and building an enclosed restaurant or event space.
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Yankees and Mets opening at full capacity for vaccinated fans, will offer vaccines at games

Photo by Matt Boulton via Wikimedia Commons

May 5, 2021

Yankees and Mets opening at full capacity for vaccinated fans, will offer vaccines at games

Are you a baseball fan who's still not vaccinated? Starting May 19, you can attend a game, get a free ticket, AND receive the Covid vaccine. In a press conference today, Governor Cuomo was joined by Yankees President Randy Levine and Mets President Sandy Alderson to announce the new initiative. He also announced that starting May 19, both New York City baseball stadiums will be able to increase capacity to 100 percent for vaccinated people and 33 percent with six-foot distancing for unvaccinated people. There will be two separate seating sections, both of which will require fans to wear masks.
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Policy

Broadway is coming back on September 14

Photo by Sudan Ouyang on Unsplash

May 5, 2021

Broadway is coming back on September 14

In a press conference today, Governor Cuomo announced that tickets for future Broadway shows will go on sale on May 6, as performances are expected to resume at 100 percent capacity on September 14. All of New York City's 41 Broadway theaters closed on March 12, 2020, due to the Covid pandemic. "Broadway is at the core of our New York identity, and a big part of our economy which employs countless performers and show creators, and beginning this September, the show will go on," the governor said.
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Policy

Landmarks approves scaled-down South Street Seaport mixed-use project

The approved design. All renderings courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill / Howard Hughes Corporation

May 5, 2021

Landmarks approves scaled-down South Street Seaport mixed-use project

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to approve plans for a debated mixed-use project and a new museum in the South Street Seaport. The Howard Hughes Corporation presented a revised proposal for 250 Water Street that includes one 324-foot tower to be built on a parking lot instead of the two 470-foot structures originally proposed in January. The project also involves constructing a new building for the South Street Seaport Museum at 89 South Street.
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Most capacity restrictions to be lifted in New York on May 19

Via Public Domain

May 3, 2021

Most capacity restrictions to be lifted in New York on May 19

By Devin Gannon

Most state-mandated capacity restrictions in New York will be lifted on May 19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday. According to the governor, this means restaurants, stores, gyms, salons, amusement parks, and offices can reopen at 100 percent capacity for the first time in 14 months. The six-foot social distancing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will remain in effect at these places, which could still limit capacity depending on the space available. In anticipation of the reopening, on May 17, 24/7 subway service will resume.
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NYC’s Open Streets program to be made permanent under new legislation

Photo looking south on open West End Avenue, taken by 6sqft on 5.16.20

April 30, 2021

NYC’s Open Streets program to be made permanent under new legislation

By Devin Gannon

The popular program that closed streets to cars for pedestrian use will be made permanent under legislation passed by the New York City Council on Thursday. The "Open Streets" initiative first launched last spring as a way to make social distancing easier and to reduce crowds at parks during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the city. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Carlina Rivera, would provide some funding and resources to the largely volunteer-led program while ensuring the open streets are fairly allocated among communities.
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New York City will fully reopen on July 1 says Mayor de Blasio

Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash

April 29, 2021

New York City will fully reopen on July 1 says Mayor de Blasio

In an appearance on Morning Joe this morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he plans to lift all Covid-related restrictions in New York City by July 1st, arguably the biggest step towards a return to normalcy. According to his timeline, this summer, restaurants, stadiums, and museums will all start operating at 100 percent capacity, schools will fully reopen in the fall, and Broadway will return in September. "We are ready for stores to open, for businesses to open, offices, theaters, full strength," said the mayor.
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Walk-up COVID vaccinations open for all New Yorkers at city- and state-run sites

Photo of NYCHA vaccination site at Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 27, 2021

Walk-up COVID vaccinations open for all New Yorkers at city- and state-run sites

By Devin Gannon

In a press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that starting April 29, all state-operated mass vaccination sites will accept walk-in appointments for anyone age 16 and up. This includes the Javits Center, Medgar Evans College, and the Aqueduct Racetrack. Last Friday, the same rule went into effect for city-run sites. Previously, walk-up shots were restricted by age.
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