Policy

NYC Comptroller proposes framework to legalize basement apartments

September 3, 2021: Gov. Kathy Hochul toured several homes in East Elmhurst, Queens that flooded from torrential rains brought on by Hurricane Ida. Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of the Governor on Flickr

September 1, 2022

NYC Comptroller proposes framework to legalize basement apartments

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Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, Comptroller Brad Lander on Tuesday released a new report that lays the groundwork for legalizing New York City's basement apartments. On September 1, 2021, the hurricane hit the city with record rainfall and historic flooding that ultimately killed more than a dozen New Yorkers, a majority of whom lived in basement units, many of them unregulated. Modeled after New York's Loft Law, Lander's proposed "Basement Resident Protection Law" temporarily legalizes existing basement apartments, requires owners to provide basic safety measures, like smoke detectors and backflow preventers, and creates a "Basement Board" to oversee rights.
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NYC to give $150 property tax rebate to low- and middle-income homeowners

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash 

August 25, 2022

NYC to give $150 property tax rebate to low- and middle-income homeowners

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Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday signed legislation that will give hundreds of thousands of New York City homeowners a one-time property tax rebate of up to $150. Those eligible for the rebate are owners of one, two, or three-family residences with annual incomes less than or equal to $250,000 in the tax year 2020. The property must also be the primary residence of the owner.
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NYC receives $7M federal grant to expand greenway network in underserved communities

Image courtesy of Elvert Barnes on Flickr

August 23, 2022

NYC receives $7M federal grant to expand greenway network in underserved communities

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New York City received a $7.25 million federal grant that will be put towards the expansion of the city's greenway network, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday. The expansion aims to improve the greenway network's reach in historically underserved, lower-income neighborhoods that lack access to public transportation and jobs by filling in "critical gaps" in the network, improving cyclist and pedestrian safety, and enhancing green transportation alternatives and waterfront access.
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Landmarks launches digital photo archive of NYC landmarks and historic districts

Photo of the scenic landmark Central Park, courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

August 19, 2022

Landmarks launches digital photo archive of NYC landmarks and historic districts

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The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Thursday launched the LPC Designation Photo Collection, a digital photo archive with high-resolution images of designated landmarks and historic districts. Now the public can easily search, explore, and download photos of landmarked properties and neighborhoods without requesting them from the commission first. The service will also be helpful for property owners, architects, and contractors who work on historic properties.
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NYC will tear down abandoned outdoor dining sheds under new program

Image courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 19, 2022

NYC will tear down abandoned outdoor dining sheds under new program

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The city has razed and removed two dozen abanonded dining sheds this week, under a new program announced by Mayor Eric Adams. The mayor on Thursday introduced a multi-agency initiative that will highlight open and active outdoor dining sheds in the city's Open Restaurants program and remove neglected structures of shuttered restaurants. The city launched the Open Restaurants program in 2020 to keep businesses open during the pandemic, ultimately saving 100,000 jobs, according to Adams. While the majority of restaurants with outdoor dining follow the guidelines, the abandoned sheds have become eyesores.
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New bill would give non-profits priority to develop NYC-owned land over for-profit groups

Rendering of 40 Quay Street; Image: FXCollaborative courtesy of MTA.

August 15, 2022

New bill would give non-profits priority to develop NYC-owned land over for-profit groups

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A bill requiring the city to sell public land to non-profit developers ahead of for-profit organizations was introduced in the City Council last week. Sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, the legislation prioritizes the selection of community land trusts (CLT), community development corporations, or other non-profit groups during the bidding process for city-owned land, which the supporters say will ensure truly affordable housing will be built on the site.
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NYC may ban tenant criminal background checks by landlords and brokers

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

August 11, 2022

NYC may ban tenant criminal background checks by landlords and brokers

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Legislation prohibiting landlords from denying tenants housing based on criminal history will be introduced in the New York City Council on Thursday. The "Fair Chance for Housing" bill, sponsored by Council Member Keith Powers, bans "landlords, owners, agents, employees, and real estate brokers" from obtaining arrest or criminal record information at any point in the housing process.
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Manhattan congestion pricing toll could cost up to $23 for drivers

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 10, 2022

Manhattan congestion pricing toll could cost up to $23 for drivers

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MTA officials on Wednesday released the highly-anticipated environmental assessment of the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program, known as congestion pricing. The analysis says that the program could cut traffic congestion in Manhattan's busiest areas by nearly 20 percent while raising $1 billion a year to fund mass transit improvements. Under the proposal, the plan could cost drivers who enter the borough south of 60th Street anywhere between $5 and $23, depending on the time of day and type of vehicle.
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Flatbush block with distinctive homes designed by famous Brooklyn architects may be landmarked

Photo of Parkside Avenue courtesy of LPC

August 9, 2022

Flatbush block with distinctive homes designed by famous Brooklyn architects may be landmarked

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A tree-lined block in Brooklyn with architecturally distinctive homes may become the city's newest historic district. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to calendar the Melrose Parkside Historic District, which consists of 38 intact single and two-family row houses built by two of Brooklyn's most renowned architects, Benjamin Driesler and Axel S. Hedman. Located on Parkside Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, the collection of homes has a distinct appearance and sense of place in the surrounding neighborhood due to the use of "neo-Classical vocabulary" in their architectural style, according to the commission.
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NYC to provide every home in Queens with weekly curbside composting

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 9, 2022

NYC to provide every home in Queens with weekly curbside composting

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After previous failed attempts at an effective compost program in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced a new "no frills" system aimed at making it easy and less costly for New Yorkers to dispose of food and yard waste. Under the new program, the city's Department of Sanitation will collect compost and organic waste from every residential building in Queens starting on October 3. New Yorkers can put any food waste, yard waste, and food-soiled paper in a Sanitation compost bin to be picked up weekly. According to the mayor, the program, which will be available to 2.2 million New Yorkers, is the largest curbside composting program in the country.
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NJ Transit wants feedback on its Newark Penn Station revitalization project

Photo of Newark Penn Station by King of Hearts on Wikimedia

August 8, 2022

NJ Transit wants feedback on its Newark Penn Station revitalization project

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Newark Penn Station is set to undergo a major renovation and NJ Transit wants feedback from riders who travel through the historic terminal. The transit agency will host three virtual public meetings about the $191 million restoration, with the first scheduled for August 9. First introduced by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2020, the project includes immediate aesthetic improvements and refurbishment of historic elements, as well as longer-term upgrades to the overall customer experience.
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MTA unveils new 18-foot ceilings at Penn Station’s LIRR concourse

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 3, 2022

MTA unveils new 18-foot ceilings at Penn Station’s LIRR concourse

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Let there be light! The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday unveiled the first section of new 18-foot ceilings at Penn Station's Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) concourse. Installed by Skanska/AECOM, the new soaring ceilings consist of lighted panels supported by an inventive structural framing system that allowed work crews to remove "head knockers," aging structural beams that limited the height of passageways within Penn Station, earlier this year.
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New York will invest $70M to ‘decarbonize’ NYCHA

Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement to install 30,000 new heat pumps at NYCHA buildings at the Woodside Houses in Queens; Photo courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office on Flickr

August 3, 2022

New York will invest $70M to ‘decarbonize’ NYCHA

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A new investment by the state aims to make New York City public housing more environmentally friendly and effective for tenants. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced an initial investment of $70 million in a clean energy initiative to install 30,000 new heat pumps, considered more eco-friendly than traditional units, at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings across the city. The investment is part of the state's Clean Heat for All Challenge, which launched in 2021 to spur ideas on how to revamp the way NYCHA units are heated and cooled.
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NYC speed cameras now operate 24/7

Image courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 2, 2022

NYC speed cameras now operate 24/7

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As of Monday, New York City's system of 2,000 speed cameras is now operating 24 hours a day for the first time. Previously the cameras were authorized by the state to operate only on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., missing "59 percent of traffic fatalities" that occurred when the cameras were inactive, according to Mayor Eric Adams' office. The activation of the round-the-clock cameras aims to reduce speeding and prevent dangerous driving. Drivers going more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit will be fined $50.
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New York officials declare monkeypox a public health emergency

Image courtesy of Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

August 1, 2022

New York officials declare monkeypox a public health emergency

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New York City officials declared monkeypox a public health emergency on Saturday, a move that will open up more resources to fight the spread of the disease. Mayor Eric Adams and Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan called New York City the "epicenter" of the outbreak, with the total cases reaching more than 1,400 as of August 1, roughly 25 percent of cases reported nationally, according to the city's health department. Gov. Kathy Hochul this weekend also issued an executive order declaring a state disaster emergency in response to the monkeypox outbreak, which makes more public health workers eligible to administer monkeypox vaccines and requires providers to send vaccine data to the state.
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As rents increase in New York City, so do evictions

Photo courtesy of CityRealty

July 28, 2022

As rents increase in New York City, so do evictions

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The number of evictions in New York City has increased every month from January to June, according to new city data. The state's eviction moratorium expired on January 15 after officials extended it several times after it first took effect in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic. The data comes as more bad news for renters, who are facing record-high rents after prices fell early on in the pandemic.
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MTA proposal would expand cell phone service and Wi-Fi to entire subway system

Photo by Philip Ho on Unsplash

July 27, 2022

MTA proposal would expand cell phone service and Wi-Fi to entire subway system

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Tuesday plans to expand cellular service and Wi-Fi throughout the entire subway system. While commuters have been able to use their mobile devices at all underground subway stations since 2017, the proposed project would bring cell connectivity to all tunnels between stations and in above-ground stations. The MTA estimates it would take 10 years to turn the subway system into a fully digitally connected network.
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Affordable homeownership project will bring 26 new co-ops to a blighted Chelsea corner

Photo courtesy of HPD

July 27, 2022

Affordable homeownership project will bring 26 new co-ops to a blighted Chelsea corner

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A new affordable homeownership project, decades in the making, is underway at 201-207 7th Avenue in Chelsea. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Council Member Erik Bottcher, and Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) on Tuesday joined community leaders and residents in a groundbreaking celebration for a project that will turn a neglected corner site located in one of Manhattan's most expensive neighborhoods into co-ops for low and moderate-income households.
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Bed-Stuy’s historic Jacob Dangler House has been demolished

Photo credit: Willoughby General (@willoughbygeneral) on Instagram

July 25, 2022

Bed-Stuy’s historic Jacob Dangler House has been demolished

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The Jacob Dangler House, the historic French Gothic mansion that has sat on the corner of Willoughby and Nostrand Avenues in Bed-Stuy for 120 years, was demolished last week. Despite a campaign led by local residents and public officials to landmark the building, the city's Department of Buildings issued a permit for a full demolition on Tuesday, according to Brownstoner. The developer plans to build apartments on the site, as 6sqft previously reported.
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NYC approves renaming Lower East Side intersection ‘Beastie Boys Square’

The intersection of Ludlow and Rivington Streets on the LEs; Photo courtesy of Simon O’Brien on Flickr

July 20, 2022

NYC approves renaming Lower East Side intersection ‘Beastie Boys Square’

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The New York City Council last week voted to rename the intersection of Ludlow and Rivington Streets on the Lower East Side to "Beastie Boys Square," an ode to the NYC hip-hop trio who immortalized the corner of the two streets on the cover of their 1989 album, Paul's Boutique. The bill is currently awaiting the signature of Mayor Eric Adams.
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Hochul, Adams reach agreement on financing for Penn Station rebuild

Photo by Danazar on Wikimedia

July 19, 2022

Hochul, Adams reach agreement on financing for Penn Station rebuild

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Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that they have reached an agreement on who will pick up the tab for the planned reconstruction and expansion of Penn Station and the redevelopment of the surrounding area. The financial agreement between city and state assures that a consistent level of property tax revenue is maintained and underscores a commitment to not raising taxes or transit fares by using funds from privately financed development to help pay for the project.
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NYC increases ferry fare, but offers discounted rides for low-income New Yorkers

Image courtesy of NYC Ferry

July 15, 2022

NYC increases ferry fare, but offers discounted rides for low-income New Yorkers

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New York City's ferry system will soon be cheaper to ride for some New Yorkers, but more expensive for less frequent riders. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday revealed phase one of the city's new "NYC Ferry Forward" plan—a new fare system aimed at making the ferry more equitable and reducing the system's huge public subsidy. Beginning in September, low-income New Yorkers, seniors, and people with disabilities can purchase a single ferry ride for $1.35. The price of a single trip will increase from $2.75 to $4.
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NYC parks, pools, and rec centers will distribute free at-home Covid tests

Image courtesy of Gerardo Romo/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

July 13, 2022

NYC parks, pools, and rec centers will distribute free at-home Covid tests

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As New York City faces a sixth Covid wave, Mayor Eric Adams is expanding the city's network of at-home test distribution sites. Starting Wednesday, New Yorkers will be able to pick up a free rapid Covid test from 57 NYC Parks locations, including parks, pools, nature centers, and recreation centers. With these new NYC Parks distribution sites, the city's at-home test distribution program includes 1,220 sites.
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NYC sues illegal Airbnb operator who earned $2M and deceived thousands of guests since 2018

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 13, 2022

NYC sues illegal Airbnb operator who earned $2M and deceived thousands of guests since 2018

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New York City is suing an operator of an illegal short-term rental in Midtown East who officials say ran more than 78 Airbnb listings and "deceived more than 6,500 guests." According to the lawsuit, announced on Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams, Arron Latimer, a licensed broker, Apex Management, and Esther Yip, used several limited liability corporations to run a short-term rental operation at 344 East 51st Street in Turtle Bay. The lawsuit is the first under a new city law that requires short-term rental platforms to regularly report data on listings and their hosts.
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Bed-Stuy residents urge city to landmark 120-year-old mansion facing demolition

Streetview of the Jacob Dangler House © Google 2022

July 13, 2022

Bed-Stuy residents urge city to landmark 120-year-old mansion facing demolition

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Bed-Stuy residents and public officials are urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to designate a historic mansion as a city landmark to save it from demolition. Known as the Jacob Dangler House, the property, located at 441 Willoughby Avenue, was built at the turn of the 20th century and features a striking French Gothic architectural style. After a developer filed demolition permits, the LPC added the property to its agenda last minute and voted last month to calendar the property, temporarily protecting the mansion. During a hearing on Tuesday, a majority of public testimony was in favor of designation.
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