Policy

Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC

Credit: Igor Wang on Unsplash

November 17, 2025

Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

A City Council bill to phase out New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry has stalled after a committee voted against advancing it to a full Council vote. On Friday, the Council’s Committee on Health voted 1–4, with two abstentions, to block Ryder’s Law, sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden. The bill would end the city’s carriage horse industry by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs. Opponents, siding with the Transport Workers Union International (TWU), which represents carriage drivers, called the bill “ill-conceived and silly.”
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PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029

Credit: LunchboxLarry on Flickr

November 14, 2025

PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time in 25 years, all PATH lines will operate seven days a week, one of the largest service increases in its history. To help pay for the system improvements, fares are expected to rise to $4 by 2029. On Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released its proposed $45 billion 2026–2035 Capital Plan, which outlines major service upgrades between Manhattan and New Jersey. Improvements include eliminating transfers between Hoboken and the World Trade Center by mid-2026 and increasing weekend service. To fund the plan, the agency is proposing a 33 percent fare increase from the current $3 base fare, rising in 25-cent increments starting next summer and reaching $4 in 2029.
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Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC

SoMA at 25 Water Street is the largest office-to-residential conversion in the U.S. to date. Rendering courtesy of Streetsense

November 13, 2025

Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC

Across New York City’s five boroughs, office space occupies 730 million square feet (600 million of which is in Manhattan), according to CoStar data obtained by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. This is the most of any North American city; runner-up Los Angeles has only 432 million square feet of office space. So, it’s no wonder that the conversation around post-Covid commercial real estate vacancies is such a hot-button issue, especially considering that Manhattan’s residential vacancy rate is just 1.2 percent.
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14,700 homes planned for Long Island City after Council approves largest rezoning in 25 years

Credit: Ruoyu Li on Unsplash

November 13, 2025

14,700 homes planned for Long Island City after Council approves largest rezoning in 25 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the city’s largest neighborhood rezoning in 25 years. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan rezones 54 blocks of a largely industrial area of Long Island City to allow for 14,700 new homes, including 4,350 permanently affordable units. The plan will create a continuous public waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Park and includes $2 billion in city commitments, unlocking more than 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space and significant public-realm upgrades.
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Adams to designate Elizabeth Street Garden as official NYC park to block housing project

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft.

November 13, 2025

Adams to designate Elizabeth Street Garden as official NYC park to block housing project

By Devin Gannon

To prevent Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani from turning Nolita's Elizabeth Street Garden into senior housing as first intended over a decade ago, Mayor Eric Adams is designating the one-acre green space as official city parkland. As first reported by Gothamist, Adams is transferring ownership of the lot to the Parks Department, which would require any development on the site to be approved by the state legislature. The move comes less than two months before Mamdani, who said he would build affordable housing at the site, takes office.
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Policy

New legislation would pave the way for more affordable artist housing in NYC

Credit: Jeffrey Blum on Unsplash

November 12, 2025

New legislation would pave the way for more affordable artist housing in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Legislation introduced this week would pave the way for more affordable artist housing in New York City. Announced on Wednesday by Manhattan Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, the legislation would amend the city’s administrative code to clarify that housing programs offering preference to artists do not violate human rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on occupation. The legislation aims to create more housing opportunities for artists, many of whom earn well below the city’s average rent thresholds, in the nation's cultural capital, as first reported by Gothamist.
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NYC releases rules for legalizing basement and cellar apartments

Heavy rains caused flooding in Sept. 2023. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 12, 2025

NYC releases rules for legalizing basement and cellar apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has released proposed rules to legalize the thousands of illegal basement and cellar apartments found across the five boroughs. The Department of Buildings and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Monday published draft guidelines to launch a basement apartment legalization pilot program for qualifying one- and two-family homes citywide. The initiative would allow eligible tenants to remain in their basement or cellar units while landlords bring the spaces up to code, helping small homeowners convert illegal dwellings into legal accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
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Policy

NYC Ferry unveils new routes, including connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island

Credit: PunkToad on Flickr

November 11, 2025

NYC Ferry unveils new routes, including connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

Next month, New York City ferry riders will be able to take new direct routes between the Bronx and the Rockaways, and Staten Island and Brooklyn. On Monday, the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced that the new service will launch on December 8, addressing long-standing gaps in the ferry network after years of advocacy from Brooklyn and Staten Island officials for direct service between the two boroughs. Another new route will link Throgs Neck to the Rockaways, offering a two-hour trip from the Bronx to the beach.
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Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

Credit: Fifth Avenue Association

November 10, 2025

Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

By Aaron Ginsburg

A large stretch of Fifth Avenue will once again be closed to vehicles for the holidays—but just for one day. The Fifth Avenue Association announced that Holiday Open Streets will return on Sunday, December 14, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., turning the iconic corridor between 47th and 57th Streets into a pedestrian-centric, holiday-themed promenade. The event, held across three Sundays in 2022 and 2023, was reduced to a single day in 2024, and will remain so in 2025 due to “logistical challenges” tied to increased security at Trump Tower, according to Gothamist.
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JFK, LaGuardia, Newark airports affected by FAA cuts

LaGuardia Terminal B. Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

November 7, 2025

JFK, LaGuardia, Newark airports affected by FAA cuts

By Aaron Ginsburg

Flights at New York City and New Jersey’s major airports will be reduced starting Friday due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This week, President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to cut air traffic at 40 of the country's busiest airports, including New York City's John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, as well as at Newark Liberty and Teterboro airports in New Jersey, by 10 percent. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive, airlines will be required to cut scheduled flights by 4 percent starting Friday, increasing to 6 percent by Tuesday, 8 percent by Thursday, and the full 10 percent by Friday, November 14.
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Popular Articles

15 NYC food banks and soup kitchens accepting donations this holiday season

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

November 7, 2025

15 NYC food banks and soup kitchens accepting donations this holiday season

Throughout the day, I’ll think about what I’m going to have for my next meal. Maybe I’ll step out and grab a salad for lunch, and then choose a fun recipe to make for dinner. And I’m the first to admit that I can easily lose sight of the number of people who don’t have that luxury. Instead of arguing with their partner about whether to order pizza or Thai, they’re worrying if they can afford to buy food for their family's dinner. To put this in perspective, the New York City Council reports that New York City’s poverty rate is nearly twice the national average—23 percent compared to 12 percent. The most recent data shows that 20 percent of NYC residents are enrolled in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), a number that jumps to over 40 percent in the Bronx. This means that nearly 1.8 million residents of the five boroughs were affected by the Trump Administration’s refusal to release federal SNAP funds last month. If you’re wondering how you can help, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest NYC food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens accepting donations to support New Yorkers now, as well as throughout the holiday season.
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New Yorkers vote to pass housing ballot proposals

Credit: Open Journalism Network by InOldNews on Flickr

November 5, 2025

New Yorkers vote to pass housing ballot proposals

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers voted to approve several housing ballot questions as part of this year’s general election. After turning out in record numbers on Tuesday, voters elected Zohran Mamdani as the city’s next mayor and voted yes on four proposals aimed at redesigning the process for building more housing across the five boroughs, as the city faces a housing shortage and affordability crisis.
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MTA boosts weekday service on A and L subway lines

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 4, 2025

MTA boosts weekday service on A and L subway lines

By Aaron Ginsburg

A and L line riders should see shorter wait times as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority boosted weekday service on Monday. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the upgraded service, providing more frequent trains and shorter waits for the more than 100,000 weekday riders of both lines.
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MTA to spend $1.5B on new fleet of modern subway cars

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 3, 2025

MTA to spend $1.5B on new fleet of modern subway cars

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will buy nearly 400 new subway cars as part of its ongoing effort to modernize New York City’s fleet and signal system. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that the MTA Board approved a $1.5 billion contract for 378 R268 subway cars for the system’s "B" Division, featuring signals compatible with the agency’s transition to Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology. Funded through the MTA’s 2025–2029 Capital Plan, the new trains are expected to begin arriving in fall 2028.
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NYC to install seating at nearly 9K bus stops over the next decade

Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

October 31, 2025

NYC to install seating at nearly 9K bus stops over the next decade

By Aaron Ginsburg

More New Yorkers will soon have a place to sit while waiting for the bus, as the city expands seating at nearly 9,000 bus stops. On Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced a $40 million investment to install benches at roughly 8,750 bus stops across the city that currently lack seating. Starting in November, the city will add benches at about 875 stops per year for the next decade, offering seating at a vastly larger number of bus stops citywide.
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NYC Council approves Jamaica rezoning, paving the way for 12,000 new homes

All images courtesy of DCP

October 31, 2025

NYC Council approves Jamaica rezoning, paving the way for 12,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 12,000 new homes are coming to Jamaica, Queens, following the City Council’s approval of the neighborhood’s transformative rezoning on Wednesday. The Jamaica Neighborhood Plan updates zoning rules across 230 blocks of the transit-rich area, paving the way for thousands of new homes—roughly 4,000 of which would be permanently affordable. The plan, which includes the largest mapping of Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) in the city, will also add two million square feet of commercial space, create more than 7,000 jobs, and deliver $400 million in infrastructure upgrades.
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Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment approved by City Council

All images courtesy of NYCEDC, unless noted otherwise

October 30, 2025

Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment approved by City Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

The City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a plan to transform the Bronx’s long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory into a mixed-use community hub with roughly 500 affordable homes. Led by the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the El Centro Kingsbridge project will convert the historic armory into a vibrant facility featuring an event venue, recreation center, sports fields, and a public plaza, with a new affordable housing building next door. The approval marks a major milestone for the long-stalled site, following two failed redevelopment attempts that collapsed amid community opposition.
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City Council committees approve Long Island City neighborhood rezoning

Photo © Ondel Hylton

October 30, 2025

City Council committees approve Long Island City neighborhood rezoning

By Aaron Ginsburg

The proposed rezoning of Long Island City — which could deliver the most homes created by a neighborhood rezoning in 25 years — took another step toward reality this week. On Wednesday, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use approved the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, expected to bring nearly 15,000 new homes, including 4,350 permanently affordable units, to a 54-block stretch of the Queens neighborhood. The vote followed Council Member Julie Won’s last-minute deal securing nearly $2 billion in city commitments, according to QNS.
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New York sues Trump administration to resume SNAP payments

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 29, 2025

New York sues Trump administration to resume SNAP payments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing the Trump administration to block its plan to halt SNAP payments during the federal government shutdown. On Tuesday, James announced plans to sue the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its intentions to cease SNAP benefits starting Saturday, arguing that the move violates federal law. James says the USDA is legally obligated to continue distributing assistance as long as it has funding, and that billions in contingency funds approved by Congress are available to sustain payments during the lapse.
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Policy

500-unit high-rise coming to Surf Avenue as first phase of Coney Island West plan

All renderings by IMC Architecture unless otherwise noted

October 29, 2025

500-unit high-rise coming to Surf Avenue as first phase of Coney Island West plan

By Devin Gannon

The city this week revealed details for the first housing project under the Coney Island West development plan. Rybak Development will build a $350 million 28-story mixed-use tower with over 500 apartments on a city-owned parking lot on Surf Avenue, between West 21st and West 22nd Streets. The development of "Parcel A" kicks off Mayor Eric Adams' vision for this section of the neighborhood, west of the amusement district, which includes 1,500 new homes, new retail, and upgrades to the boardwalk and streetscape.
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Majority of affordable housing in NYC built in just 10 of 51 NYC Council districts, new report finds

Credit: Nelson Ndongala on Unsplash

October 29, 2025

Majority of affordable housing in NYC built in just 10 of 51 NYC Council districts, new report finds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Just 10 of New York City’s 51 Council districts have produced more than half of all new affordable housing since 2014, according to a new report. Released as a special update to the New York Housing Conference's NYC Housing Tracker Report, the analysis—titled "Why Charter Land Use Reforms Are Needed"—finds that 13 districts have built more than 4,000 affordable homes, while 10 have added fewer than 300, and four have produced under 100. The report comes as New Yorkers are currently voting on four housing-related ballot questions, which would change the city's land use review process and, according to critics, give the mayor more power and remove Council oversight.
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Metro-North Bronx expansion delayed by three years

Photo: Megan Armas / MTA on Flickr

October 28, 2025

Metro-North Bronx expansion delayed by three years

By Aaron Ginsburg

Metro-North's planned Bronx expansion, including four new stations and direct service to Penn Station, has been delayed by at least three years. According to the New York Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) this week said the project will likely not be completed until 2030, and blamed Amtrak for refusing to close its tracks to allow work to proceed on schedule. MTA officials proposed an alternative plan to open three of the four planned stations and deliver roughly half of the anticipated service by 2027, the year the agency originally slated the entire project for completion.
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Adams considers stacking Rent Guidelines Board to block Mamdani’s rent freeze pledge

Credit: NYS Tenant Bloc

October 27, 2025

Adams considers stacking Rent Guidelines Board to block Mamdani’s rent freeze pledge

By Aaron Ginsburg

Before leaving office, Mayor Eric Adams is considering stacking the city’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) with allies in an effort to block mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani’s rent freeze proposal. As first reported by the New York Post, the mayor could appoint at least six new members to the nine-person board, which determines rent changes for the city's one million rent-stabilized apartments. One of the contenders is reportedly Douglas Elliman real estate agent and reality TV star Eleonora Srugo, who has since told the New York Times she intends to decline the offer to focus on her television career.
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Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

Credit: NYC DOT

October 23, 2025

Hillside Avenue in Queens gets first bus lane upgrades in more than 50 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 215,000 daily bus riders who travel on Hillside Avenue in Queens will now benefit from faster and safer commutes. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the completion of nearly eight miles of new and upgraded bus lanes along the corridor, one of the longest bus priority projects in the agency’s history. The project adds offset bus lanes from 139th Street to Springfield Boulevard, improving service for 22 routes that together carry more riders than the entire populations of Yonkers and Rochester.
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Noho block named after Jean-Michel Basquiat

Credit: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

October 23, 2025

Noho block named after Jean-Michel Basquiat

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Noho block has been co-named for artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, officially recognizing the site of his former studio and home. The New York City Council and the estate of the late artist on Tuesday unveiled "Jean-Michel Basquiat Way" on the corner of Great Jones Street and Bowery. Basquiat lived and worked at 57 Great Jones Street, renting a second-floor space from Andy Warhol, from 1983 until his death in 1988 at age 27, according to ARTnews.
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Policy

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