Policy

New York lawmakers propose new state agency to build affordable ‘social housing’

Photo courtesy of edwardhblake on Flickr

February 7, 2024

New York lawmakers propose new state agency to build affordable ‘social housing’

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York lawmakers want to create a new publicly-funded agency to address the state's ongoing affordable housing crisis. State Sen. Cordell Cleare and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher on Tuesday introduced a bill proposing the creation of the Social Housing Development Authority (SHDA), a new agency that would use state money to finance the creation of permanently affordable, 100 percent union-built housing, instead of relying on private developers. According to City Limits, SHDA would create "social housing," a term used to describe developments typically owned by public entities, non-profits, or the residents themselves.
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70 NYCHA workers charged with bribery and extortion

NYCHA LaGuardia Houses; Photo via Wikimedia

February 6, 2024

70 NYCHA workers charged with bribery and extortion

By Aaron Ginsburg

Dozens of current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) were charged on Tuesday with bribery and extortion offenses. As many as 70 superintendents and assistant superintendents at nearly 100 NYCHA buildings allegedly demanded over $2 million in bribery money from contractors collectively in exchange for $13 million in work, according to charges unsealed by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, the action marks the largest single-day bribery takedown in the history of the Justice Department. Williams said 66 of the 70 defendants were arrested this morning.
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Policy

NYC reveals automated, side-loading garbage truck

Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 5, 2024

NYC reveals automated, side-loading garbage truck

By Aaron Ginsburg

A revolutionary garbage truck is hitting New York City streets, four years ahead of schedule. Mayor Eric Adams last week revealed a new automated side-loading garbage truck that will allow Department of Sanitation workers to easily collect trash from large containerized bins at high-density residential buildings. With the use of the new trucks and a data-driven containerization model, Manhattan Community Board 9 will be the first district to have 100 percent of its garbage containerized next year.
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Policy

Open gangway subway cars are now in service on the C line

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

February 2, 2024

Open gangway subway cars are now in service on the C line

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City subway system's new open gangway cars have officially hit the rails. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday participated in an inaugural ride of the open gangway subway cars which are in service on the C line between Washington Heights and East New York. The ride marked the first time in modern history that an open gangway train, already used in major European and Asian cities, has operated in the United States.
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Staten Island Ferry to offer food and drinks for the first time since Covid

Photo by Scarlet Sappho on Flickr

January 30, 2024

Staten Island Ferry to offer food and drinks for the first time since Covid

By Aaron Ginsburg

Staten Island Ferry riders will be able to enjoy food and drinks on board for the first time since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Tuesday announced a request for proposals (RFP) for vendors interested in selling food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, on the Staten Island Ferry. Proposals are due by March 7, with the new concessions expected to be in operation by the fall.
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NYC unveils plan to develop 570 affordable homes on Inwood parking lot

All images courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 30, 2024

NYC unveils plan to develop 570 affordable homes on Inwood parking lot

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is moving forward with an ambitious plan to advance two dozen affordable housing projects on public land this year. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Monday began the public outreach process for the redevelopment of an unused city-owned parking lot in Inwood with roughly 570 affordable homes, public green space, and a STEM facility. The Inwood Waterfront project falls under Mayor Eric Adams' "24 in 24" plan, which pushes for 24 affordable housing developments on 24 publicly-owned sites to ultimately create or preserve more than 12,000 housing units.
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NYC brokerage to pay state $260K after allegedly charging excessive broker fees

Photo by Tomas Anton Escobar on Unsplash

January 26, 2024

NYC brokerage to pay state $260K after allegedly charging excessive broker fees

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Manhattan real estate brokerage accused of scamming tenants with excessive broker fees has agreed to pay the state $260,000 in penalties. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a settlement with brokerage firm City Wide Apartments, Inc. after an investigation by the New York Department of State, which licenses real estate agents, found the firm charged exorbitant brokerage fees, in one case charging more than $20,000 in added fees to tenants searching for housing.
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Chinatown’s Kimlau Square to receive $56M revamp

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

January 25, 2024

Chinatown’s Kimlau Square to receive $56M revamp

By Aaron Ginsburg

Chinatown's chaotic Kimlau Square is set to receive a $55.8 million redesign, as first reported by amNewYork. During his State of the City address on Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced Kimlau Square will be renovated in three phases: an expansion of the square into a pedestrian plaza with shortened street crossings, the beautification of Park Row between the plaza and the Brooklyn Bridge, and the creation of an archway that welcomes people into the neighborhood. The project aims to straighten out the confusing six-way intersection that surrounds the plaza and increase the size of the space from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet.
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Adams looks to develop 24 affordable housing projects on public sites across NYC

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 24, 2024

Adams looks to develop 24 affordable housing projects on public sites across NYC

By Devin Gannon

The city will push forward 24 residential developments on city-owned properties across the five boroughs. During his State of the City address on Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams unveiled several proposals addressing the ongoing housing crisis, including a new initiative called "24 in 24." The plan calls for two dozen affordable housing projects on public land, which could create and preserve over 12,000 affordable apartments.
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NYC to curb ‘community preference’ policy in affordable housing lotteries

Rendering of the Peninsula project in the South Bronx, which gave a 50 percent preference for residents of Bronx Community District 2. Courtesy of WXY Studios

January 23, 2024

NYC to curb ‘community preference’ policy in affordable housing lotteries

By Devin Gannon

New York City will restrict the preference it gives to residents applying for an affordable apartment within their community district according to a settlement reached on Monday. Under the current policy, 50 percent of affordable apartments are set aside for New Yorkers who live in the same neighborhood as the development, known as “community preference." After a lawsuit first filed in 2015 challenging the policy as discriminatory, a new order signed Monday caps the preference to 20 percent of units through 2029 and then to 15 percent after that.
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Popular Articles

NYC’s latest film studio is opening in Long Island City this year

Images courtesy of Innovo Property Group

January 22, 2024

NYC’s latest film studio is opening in Long Island City this year

By Devin Gannon

New York City's latest film studio will open in Long Island City this year. Taking up the upper three floors of a five-story development at 23-30 Borden Avenue, Borden Studios includes four sound stages, office and support space, and more than 8,800 square feet of outdoor space, including a rooftop terrace. Developed by Innovo Property Group and operated by The MBS Group, the studio is expected to open this spring.
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MTA installs new subway platform barriers at 191st Street station

January 22, 2024

MTA installs new subway platform barriers at 191st Street station

By Aaron Ginsburg

Commuters should now feel more secure waiting for the 1 train at the 191st Street subway station. This weekend, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority installed new barriers on the edge of the platform at the Washington Heights station, as part of a pilot program aimed at improving safety and preventing people from falling onto the tracks. The station is the first of four to get the barriers under the program.
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City launches initiative to ‘rainproof’ NYC

Heavy rainfall caused major flooding on September 29, 2023. Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 17, 2024

City launches initiative to ‘rainproof’ NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

State and city agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders will join forces to develop ideas aimed at dealing with New York City's heavy rainfall problem. The Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice on Tuesday launched "Rainproof NYC," a collaborative initiative to come up with policies and programs addressing the high frequency of heavy rainfall due to climate change. The initiative will complement ongoing Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) projects that are underway across the state, including sewer upgrades, green infrastructure, cloudburst projects, and Bluebelts.
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Policy

Trump name removed from Bronx golf course

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 12, 2024

Trump name removed from Bronx golf course

By Aaron Ginsburg

A sign bearing Donald Trump's name has been removed from the Bronx golf course previously operated by the former president. New manager Bally's Corporation rebranded the course, previously called the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, Bally's Links, and celebrated with a new sign reveal and ribbon cutting on Thursday. Bally's purchased the lease for the course last September for $60 million and will operate the city-owned site as part of an effort to secure one of the region's three casino licenses.
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Policy

Hochul calls for replacement and extension of 421-a tax abatement in NYC

Photo courtesy of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

January 10, 2024

Hochul calls for replacement and extension of 421-a tax abatement in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

As housing production in New York City hits new lows, Gov. Kathy Hochul is calling once again for a replacement of the 421-a tax abatement program that expired in 2022. During her 2024 State of the State address on Tuesday, the governor said she plans to introduce legislation permitting the city to offer a tax break to developers of new rental construction, as well as an extension of the completion deadline of the expired program. Hochul's previous proposals to replace the program in 2022 and 2023 failed to move forward.
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Hochul wants to extend the Second Avenue Subway west into Harlem

The 96th Street subway station on Second Avenue Subway when it opened in 2017. Photo by Charley Lhasa on Flickr.

January 9, 2024

Hochul wants to extend the Second Avenue Subway west into Harlem

By Devin Gannon

The Q train may go even further. During her State of the State address Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul backed a plan to extend the Second Avenue Subway west along 125th Street with three new stops at Lenox Avenue, St. Nicholas Avenue, and Broadway. The announcement comes as construction prepares to kick off on the second phase of the line, bringing the Q line up to 125th Street in East Harlem.
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NYC seeks feedback on rezoning plan around new Bronx Metro-North stations

Rendering courtesy of DCP. A potential revamp of Morris Park Plaza.

January 9, 2024

NYC seeks feedback on rezoning plan around new Bronx Metro-North stations

By Aaron Ginsburg

City officials want New Yorkers to weigh in on a rezoning plan that proposes 6,000 new homes for the area surrounding four new Metro-North Stations in the East Bronx. The Department of City Planning (DCP) on Wednesday will host an online informational session for the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, a rezoning effort proposed for Morris Park, Parkchester/Van Nest, Hunts Point, and Co-Op City. During the meeting, DCP officials will hear feedback and answer questions given by the community about the proposed land use changes ahead of the start of the official public review process.
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Plans to demolish landmarked West-Park Presbyterian Church on hold

Photo by James Russiello on Wikimedia

January 8, 2024

Plans to demolish landmarked West-Park Presbyterian Church on hold

By Devin Gannon

A historic Upper West Side church lives to fight another day. The West-Park Presbyterian Church on Friday withdrew its request to the Landmarks Preservation Commission to demolish the 19th-century Romanesque Revival building at Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street. The congregation could not afford the estimated $50 million in urgent repairs needed at the 135-year-old property and sought permission from the commission to demolish the landmarked building with the hopes of selling it to a developer. The church’s application was withdrawn ahead of a vote by LPC scheduled for this Tuesday, but the congregation said it will resubmit in the future.
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Policy

Self-filtering floating pool pilot to be installed in NYC this summer

+POOL Rendering, 2024. Designed by Family New York & Playlab, Inc. Image by proto.

January 5, 2024

Self-filtering floating pool pilot to be installed in NYC this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City will test the waters of a self-filtering floating pool this summer. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Friday committed $16 million to the nonprofit +POOL, which has worked for over a decade to build a swimming pool in the East River. The group plans to launch a pilot pool to demonstrate and test +POOL's unique filtration system this summer, with the hopes of opening to swimmers in 2025. The news comes as part of a larger proposal from the governor to expand access to swimming across the state.
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City seeks proposals for sports center at Brooklyn Bridge plaza in Dumbo

Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

January 5, 2024

City seeks proposals for sports center at Brooklyn Bridge plaza in Dumbo

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is looking to reopen nearly 100,000 square feet of open space at the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time in 15 years. As first reported by Streetsblog, NYC Parks this week released a request for proposals (RFP) seeking contractors to operate a seasonal outdoor activity center for up to six years at the two-lot Anchorage Plaza, located on Old Fulton Street and Washington Street and connected by a ramp known as "Ash Alley" underneath the bridge. According to the RFP, the Parks Department seeks proposals for "parks appropriate" activities, including paddle ball, public art or performances, a dog run, and food and drink vendors.
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NYC wants artists to spice up sidewalk sheds and construction fencing

Ebony Bolt “Hope and Humanity” Lenox Hill Hospital, Upper East Side, Manhattan, 2021. Image courtesy of ArtBridge

January 3, 2024

NYC wants artists to spice up sidewalk sheds and construction fencing

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is seeking artists to help beautify sections of unattractive sidewalk sheds and construction fencing throughout the five boroughs. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has issued an open call for artists for 2024 through 2025 as part of its City Canvas program, which installs temporary, large-scale artworks on protective structures to make them more visually appealing.
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Citi Bike prices are increasing this month

Photo courtesy of Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

January 3, 2024

Citi Bike prices are increasing this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Citi Bike is hiking its prices this month. The popular bike-sharing service operated by Lyft is rolling out its new pricing system in phases in January, with the price of an annual membership jumping from $205 to $219.99 a year starting on January 29. Other increases, including unlock fees, e-bike charges, and extra-time fees, take effect Thursday, January 4.
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7 historic places in NYC recommended for state and national designation

William Ulmer Brewery, at the corner of Belvidere Street and Beaver Street, Brooklyn (ca. 1920). Image courtesy of DXA Studio

January 2, 2024

7 historic places in NYC recommended for state and national designation

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced the 36 properties and places in New York nominated for potential placement on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The seven New York City recommendations include Bushwick's historic William Ulmer Brewery, the city's first cast-iron office building, and a new historic district in Central Harlem that illustrates the neighborhood's development as a Black working-class residential neighborhood.
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NYC bans street vendors from all city bridges

Photo courtesy of Gedalya AKA David Gott on Flickr

January 2, 2024

NYC bans street vendors from all city bridges

By Aaron Ginsburg

Starting Wednesday, vendors selling New York City-themed souvenirs and cheap eats will be banned from all 789 of the city's bridges. Mayor Eric Adams last week announced new rules prohibiting vending on pedestrian walkways and bike lanes of bridges, as well as their approaches, will go into effect on January 3. Proposed this fall by the mayor, the vending ban specifically targets the overcrowded Brooklyn Bridge, which has seen a surge in both illegal vendors and pedestrians in recent years, creating safety issues on the jam-packed crossing.
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NYC rental subsidy aims to build more affordable housing in wealthy neighborhoods

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

December 27, 2023

NYC rental subsidy aims to build more affordable housing in wealthy neighborhoods

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city on Tuesday announced plans to subsidize mixed-income rental projects in neighborhoods with few low-cost homes as a way to jumpstart development following the end of the 421-a tax exemption. The new program, called the Mixed Income Market Initiative (MIMI), would make public money available for the first time to projects with both affordable and market-rate units, with the goal of incentivizing developers to build more affordable homes using revenue generated from the market-rate apartments.
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