Policy

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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Policy

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

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

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

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

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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Policy

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’

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

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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Policy

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

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

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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Policy

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

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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Policy

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

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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Policy

Flood zone maps & inflatable dams: NYC’s plan to prepare New Yorkers for extreme rainfall

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

July 12, 2022

Flood zone maps & inflatable dams: NYC’s plan to prepare New Yorkers for extreme rainfall

Almost a year after severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ida left more than a dozen New Yorkers dead, the city has released a plan to prepare for extreme rainfall. With hurricane season well underway, Mayor Eric Adams last week unveiled the new action plan "Rainfall Ready NYC," which outlines steps New Yorkers should take during extreme rainfall. The city also updated its flood zone maps that help residents identify if they live in an area at risk of flooding.
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Policy

City underreported NYC Ferry costs by $224M, according to audit

The inaugural NYC Ferry ride with Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017; Photo © 6sqft

July 7, 2022

City underreported NYC Ferry costs by $224M, according to audit

The city agency that operates New York City's ferry system failed to report nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in expenditures during Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, according to a new audit released by City Comptroller Brad Lander on Wednesday. The 50-page audit says the Economic Development Corporation spent $758 million on ferry operations from July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2021, but only reported $534 million. The report also details tens of millions in unnecessary expenses as a result of the agency's "poor financial management."
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Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

Photo courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

July 6, 2022

Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey announced Tuesday that they've agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding that they would split the local portion of the cost of the long-stalled Gateway Project's Hudson River tunnels, the New York Times reports. The agreement on who would pay the $14 billion tab for the project's first phase is a step ahead in one of the nation's most ambitious infrastructure plans.
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NYC launches nation’s first mobile test-to-treat Covid program, with free antiviral pills at testing sites

Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 5, 2022

NYC launches nation’s first mobile test-to-treat Covid program, with free antiviral pills at testing sites

New York City will provide antiviral medication for New Yorkers who test positive for Covid at certain mobile testing sites, Mayor Eric Adams announced last week. Clinicians at participating mobile testing units will be able to write prescriptions for those who test positive--and are eligible for-- Paxlovid, an oral antiviral treatment that reduces the chance of severe illness caused by the virus. The new test-to-treat program is the first of its kind in the United States.
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Policy

Two tudor-filled areas in Queens’ Cambria Heights designated as historic districts

Image courtesy of the Landmark Preservation Commission

June 29, 2022

Two tudor-filled areas in Queens’ Cambria Heights designated as historic districts

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate two districts in the Queens neighborhood of Cambria Heights as historic districts. The two areas, known as the 222nd Street and 227th Street Historic Districts, contain 96 well-maintained Tudor-style rowhouses that incorporate Storybook design elements. Both historic districts have been deemed by the LPC to be extraordinarily well-preserved and give the area a "highly distinctive sense of place."
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Policy

June 23, 2022

MTA pledges to make 95 percent of subway stations accessible by 2055

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a class action settlement agreement to make 95 percent of currently inaccessible subway stations accessible to those with disabilities over the next three decades, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday. Currently, just 27 percent of the New York City subway system, including Staten Island Railway stations, are fully accessible to riders with disabilities. Under the agreement, which still requires court approval, the MTA will make accessible 81 stations by 2025, another 85 stations by 2035, another 90 stations by 2045, and the last 90 stations by 2055.
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Broadway will drop mask mandate for month of July

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

June 22, 2022

Broadway will drop mask mandate for month of July

Masks will no longer be required at all of Broadway's 41 theaters next month, the Broadway League announced Tuesday. Starting July 1, masks will be optional for audiences at shows. The League said masking protocols for August and beyond will be reviewed on a monthly basis, with an updated decision made in mid-July. While masks will not be required, audience members are still encouraged to wear them.
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NYC’s stabilized apartments will see rent increases of 3.25% and 5%

Photo by Avi Werde on Unsplash

June 22, 2022

NYC’s stabilized apartments will see rent increases of 3.25% and 5%

More than two million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments could see their rent increase by the largest percentage in a decade. The Rent Guidelines Board on Tuesday voted to approve a 3.25 percent increase for one-year leases and 5 percent for two-year leases that start on or after October 1. For the roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments, the rent hikes are the highest seen in the city since 2013.
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Policy

New map highlights NYC landmarks related to LGBTQ+ history

Image courtesy of the National Parks Conservation Association on Flickr

June 20, 2022

New map highlights NYC landmarks related to LGBTQ+ history

In celebration of Pride Month, the Landmarks Preservation Commission last week released an interactive story map that highlights important landmarks in New York City known for their significance within the LGBTQ+ community's cultural and civil rights movement. The project highlights seven individual landmarks throughout the city, including James Baldwin's Upper West Side apartment and the Stonewall Inn, one of the most important sites associated with LGBTQ+ history in the United States. The story map focuses solely on individual landmarks designated primarily for their LGBTQ+ significance, not just sites that have ties to individuals and groups.
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Adams outlines long-awaited plan to tackle NYC’s housing crisis

Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 16, 2022

Adams outlines long-awaited plan to tackle NYC’s housing crisis

Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday finally released a plan to confront New York City's housing crisis. The plan, titled Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, addresses the city's range of housing problems with a focus on reforming NYCHA, expanding affordable homeownership opportunities, creating more units of supportive and affordable housing, and eliminating unnecessary administrative barriers to housing for homeless New Yorkers. But unlike many of the affordable housing plans released in recent years, Adams' plan does not set a clear goal for the number of new affordable housing units created.
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NYC’s outdoor swim programs won’t return this summer due to ‘lifeguard shortage’

Photo by Danny Avila for NYC Parks

June 15, 2022

NYC’s outdoor swim programs won’t return this summer due to ‘lifeguard shortage’

The New York City Parks Department on Tuesday announced that a number of the city's outdoor swim programs would not be returning for the summer season due to a "national shortage of lifeguards." Lap swim, senior swim, water aerobics, swim team and day camp, and Learn to Swim are among the programs that will not be returning for a third consecutive year.
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New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

All renderings courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

June 9, 2022

New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

The plan to modernize Penn Station has officially entered the design phase. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the state is now requesting proposals from architecture and engineering firms to redevelop the dark and crowded Midtown transit hub into a light-filled train station "worthy of being the epicenter of the most vibrant city on the planet," according to the governor. Proposals are due July 28 and a winning bid could be selected by late summer or early fall.
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Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing

Governor Kathy Hochul signs hotel conversion bill; photo credit: Darren McGee–Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

June 8, 2022

Hochul signs law that unlocks New York’s underused hotel space for use as affordable housing