Policy

NYC removed 80 basketball hoops from parks

Rimless basketball hoops at Riverside Park and 74th Street on Friday, March 27. Photo © Dana Schulz for 6sqft.

March 27, 2020

NYC removed 80 basketball hoops from parks

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In the recent weeks, Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo have taken different approaches when it comes to social distancing measures in public spaces, but one thing they've agreed on is that basketball games need to stop. In his press conference on Wednesday, the Mayor spoke about the specific problem related to basketball courts and announced that he'd received reports from the Parks Department and the NYPD that 80 courts around the city, out of a total of 1,700, were an ongoing issue. He went on to say that the basketball hoops at these locations would be removed, which they were yesterday.
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MTA cuts subway service by 25 percent in response to coronavirus

Photo by Billie Grace Ward on Flickr 

March 25, 2020

MTA cuts subway service by 25 percent in response to coronavirus

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In response to a "never-before-seen ridership low" during the coronavirus outbreak, three subway lines will not run during the week and some express trains will run local, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The reduced schedule is part of the agency's "NY Essential Service Plan" to provide service to first responders and essential workers as it deals with the devastating financial consequences of a nearly 90 percent drop in ridership across subway and buses, the Long Island Railroad, and Metro-North.
More details here
NYC is asking community spaces to sign up as possible emergency management centers

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

March 24, 2020

NYC is asking community spaces to sign up as possible emergency management centers

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With four sites already identified as temporary hospitals--and construction underway on the largest, the Javits Center--the city is now looking for additional spaces that can be used to support NYC Emergency Management. The call is for community spaces with a large interior room such as community centers, places of worship, or campus facilities that can be utilized for outreach, training, or gathering during an emergency or as a disaster recovery center. Though it's not explicitly stated, NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson noted on Twitter that some of these spaces could be "suitable for converting to temporary hospital rooms."
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The Wing is donating its NYC spaces for coronavirus relief efforts

The Wing’s Bryant Park location; Photo credit: Tory Williams for The Wing

March 23, 2020

The Wing is donating its NYC spaces for coronavirus relief efforts

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Co-working women's club The Wing has offered to donate its empty spaces for coronavirus relief efforts in New York. Audrey Gelman, the company's co-founder, said on Monday that the Wing had been in contact with the administrations of both Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio regarding its 70,000-square-feet of available space in New York City.
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Work starts to turn Javits Center into a 1,000-bed temporary hospital

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo tours construction of temporary FEMA hospital at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on March 20, 2020. Photo courtesy of Governor Cuomo/Flickr.

March 23, 2020

Work starts to turn Javits Center into a 1,000-bed temporary hospital

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"Time matters, minutes count, and this is literally a matter of life and death," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference Sunday, during which he requested and subsequently received funding from the federal government to move ahead with the Army Corps of Engineers on erecting temporary hospitals at the Javits Center, Westchester County Center, SUNY Stony Brook, and SUNY Old Westbury. As of Monday morning, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in New York State was nearly 21,000, with more than 12,000 in New York City. Supplies and materials have already arrived at the Javits Center, and it's expected to be complete within a week to 10 days.
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Lawmakers, advocates demand rent freeze for New Yorkers affected by coronavirus

Photo by Paulo O on Flickr

March 23, 2020

Lawmakers, advocates demand rent freeze for New Yorkers affected by coronavirus

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Evictions have been halted. Mortgage payments have been suspended. What about rents? New York renters, elected officials, and tenant advocacy groups are calling for a temporary rent freeze to provide financial relief to both workers and businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. State Sen. Michael Gianaris, who represents parts of Queens, will introduce a measure on Monday that would suspend rent payments for 90 days for tenants and small businesses, as the Daily News first reported.
More here
Governor Cuomo says NYC must develop an immediate plan to address density issues in parks

Photo of Central Park North on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Photo © Dana Schulz for 6sqft

March 22, 2020

Governor Cuomo says NYC must develop an immediate plan to address density issues in parks

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Within 24 hours from Sunday morning, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson must come up with a plan to address continued density issues in the city, especially in parks. "It has to be done quickly, and it's going to have to be dramatic action," said the Governor in a press conference, following a personal visit to the city on Saturday during which he observed a major lack of social distancing in places like Central Park and the Grand Army Plaza Farmer's Market.
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The full list of New York’s essential services

Photo by Bianca Jordan on Unsplash

March 20, 2020

The full list of New York’s essential services

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Earlier today, Governor Cuomo announced "New York State on Pause," a new executive order aimed at flattening the curve of the coronavirus spread across the state. A big part of this order is a 100 percent closure of non-essential businesses statewide, (effective 8pm Sunday), meaning that all non-essential employees must either work from home or not work. Outside of the obvious answers like healthcare and grocery stores, many have been wondering what exactly the essential services are. Ahead, we've compiled the full list from the state to make this difficult time a bit easier.
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New York State expands 90-day eviction moratorium to commercial tenants

Photo by Krisztina Papp on Unsplash

March 20, 2020

New York State expands 90-day eviction moratorium to commercial tenants

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In a press conference this morning in which Governor Cuomo issued the tightest shut-down measures yet, he announced that the State of New York would be expanding its 90-day moratorium on evictions to commercial tenants. After New York City took the step last week to stop eviction proceedings for 90 days, the State of New York on Monday halted residential eviction proceedings indefinitely. With this now expanded to commercial tenants for 90 days, there is a bit more hope for the city's struggling small businesses and restaurants.
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1,000-bed hospital ship coming to New York Harbor

U.S. Navy photo by Bill Mesta/Released

March 18, 2020

1,000-bed hospital ship coming to New York Harbor

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In a press conference on Wednesday, Governor Cuomo announced that he'd reached an agreement with the federal government for the USNS Comfort hospital ship to be dispatched to New York Harbor to help with the growing need for hospital beds, in particular ICU, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow in New York City and New York at large.
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Amidst massive ridership declines, MTA seeks $4B+ in federal aid

Photo credit: Billie Grace Ward via Flickr

March 18, 2020

Amidst massive ridership declines, MTA seeks $4B+ in federal aid

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Facing a 60 percent decline in subway ridership and a 90 percent decline on commuter rails, the already-cash-strapped MTA is seeking more than $4 billion in federal aid, according to a letter the agency sent yesterday to the New York Congressional Delegation. "Assuming ridership trends this week continue for six months," they wrote, the anticipated revenue losses to the MTA are $3.7 billion, along with $300 million in annualized COVID-19 expenses.
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As NYC suspends land use and rezoning actions, some officials want to also ban construction

Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash

March 17, 2020

As NYC suspends land use and rezoning actions, some officials want to also ban construction

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All city land use and rezoning processes have been temporarily suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. In an executive order, the mayor directed procedures "applicable to the city planning and land use processes" to freeze for the duration of New York's state of emergency.
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NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash

March 17, 2020

NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

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To stop the spread of coronavirus, New York officials on Monday closed all restaurants and bars, with the exception of takeout and delivery services. The new rules, as mandated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Liquor Authority, allow businesses to sell to-go alcoholic beverages, including wine and liquor for the first time, as long as it is with a food purchase. This change in liquor laws will continue until April 15 but could be extended.
Details here
How the coronavirus is affecting New York City real estate

Image courtesy of 6sqft.

March 16, 2020

How the coronavirus is affecting New York City real estate

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FaceTime video tours, virtual open houses, and plunging interest rates; the real estate business in New York City in the time of COVID-19 isn’t business as usual. But as impactful and uncertain as the global pandemic is, it may not be bad for business. An important and unique attribute of this particular crisis, though, is uncertainty. There are new developments each day, and new answers–for public health and welfare, of course, but also for businesses affected by the virus.
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What you need to know about NYC’s school closures

Photo via Pixabay

March 16, 2020

What you need to know about NYC’s school closures

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All New York City public schools will be closed for at least four weeks in response to the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday. "This is a decision that I have taken with no joy whatsoever, with a lot of pain, honestly, because it's something I could not in a million years have imagined having to do," the mayor said. Starting Monday, the city's nearly 1,800 schools will be closed until April 20 at the earliest. The city, which is the largest public school system in the country with 1.1 million students, has pledged to provide grab-and-go meals to students, open enrichment centers to serve children of first responders and healthcare workers, and supply 300,000 iPads to students without access to devices.
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New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut impose tri-state set of coronavirus rules

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

March 16, 2020

New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut impose tri-state set of coronavirus rules

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The only region in the country so far to come together in such a coordinated way in the lack of federal uniformity, Governor Murphy of New Jersey, Governor Cuomo of New York, and Governor Lamont of Connecticut announced on a conference call this morning an overarching set of rules to "flatten the curve" of the coronavirus spread. This includes no gatherings of 50 or more people, no dine-in at restaurants and bars, and the closing of movie theaters, casinos, and gyms. Any non-essential travel between 8pm and 5am every day is also strongly discouraged.
More details available here
City alleges Chelsea Hotel owners harassed tenants during renovation

Image: Velvet via Wiki Commons 

March 11, 2020

City alleges Chelsea Hotel owners harassed tenants during renovation

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Lawyers for the city's Department of Housing Preservation announced Friday that the Chelsea Hotel’s owners did not qualify to receive a Certificate of No Harassment (CNH)–the document required for them to continue renovations to convert the dilapidated landmark into a luxury hotel with apartments. The document is required under a decades-old law to protect Single Room Occupancy residences from tenant harassment. As The Real Deal reports, The city's allegations of harassment are the result of tenant complaints that since owners Richard Born and Ira Drukier of BD hotels began work after acquiring a stake in the property in 2016, conditions like leaky ceilings, exposed electrical wires, high lead levels, vermin and lack of heat have made living there unsafe.
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City seeks ideas for two 100 percent affordable senior complexes on NYCHA land

The site of the proposed affordable senior housing building in Morrisania; Map data © 2020 Google

March 10, 2020

City seeks ideas for two 100 percent affordable senior complexes on NYCHA land

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The city is looking to construct two affordable senior complexes with between 150 and 200 housing units each. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Friday released a request for proposals for two underused city-owned sites, one in the Bronx's Morrisania neighborhood and the other in Crown Heights in Brooklyn. The developments fall under Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration's "Seniors First" housing program, which aims to serve 30,000 senior households by 2026 through the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
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Midtown hardware store gets fined for price gouging cleaning products

Map data © 2020 Google

March 9, 2020

Midtown hardware store gets fined for price gouging cleaning products

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$20 for Clorox and Lysol sprays and $40 for a three-pack of disinfectant wipes--that's how much a Midtown hardware store was selling its products for before getting caught and fined by the city. The store, Scheman and Grant on West 39th Street, may also have been trying to sell a bottle of hand sanitizer for $80. According to NBC, they created a list of prices for these hard-to-find products and told customers to check those prices before purchasing because returns would not be accepted.
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With court decision delayed, broker fees live on (for now)

Photo courtesy of CityRealty

March 9, 2020

With court decision delayed, broker fees live on (for now)

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Real estate agents can continue to charge New York renters broker fees until at least June, Crain's reported. Last month, the state department updated a set of guidelines for last year's rent reform laws to prevent brokers who are hired by landlords from charging tenants a fee as part of the application process. Industry groups, including the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and a number of brokerages, filed a petition last month to stop the new rule, which resulted in a temporary restraining order. The office of  State Attorney General Letitia James on Friday asked for a three-month extension to respond to the lawsuit, pushing the court date from this week to June 12.
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New York State is producing its own hand sanitizer, starting at 100,000 gallons per week

Photo via Governor Cuomo/Flickr

March 9, 2020

New York State is producing its own hand sanitizer, starting at 100,000 gallons per week

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At a press conference this morning, Governor Cuomo announced that New York State is beginning to produce 100,000 gallons of its own hand sanitizer every week, with that amount expected to increase. Called New York Clean, the sanitizer was introduced to deal with the incredible price gouging on the product taking place on Amazon and Ebay. It has a higher alcohol content than Purell--75 percent versus 70 (the CDC recommends 60).
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With coronavirus cases expected to surge in NYC, de Blasio urges staggered commute times

Photo via WNYC/Flickr cc

March 9, 2020

With coronavirus cases expected to surge in NYC, de Blasio urges staggered commute times

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Photo via WNYC/Flickr cc The city thus far has said that public transportation will continue to operate normally (with increased cleaning measures, of course), but this weekend, after Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor de Blasio urged NYC residents to stagger their commute times to avoid rush hour. He also promoted biking or walking to work (despite the fact that the latter is not a feasible option for most), telecommuting, and avoiding crowded subway cars.
See what else the Mayor has to say
New York implements ‘cancel for any reason’ travel policies amid coronavirus outbreak

Photo by Philip Morris via Flickr cc

March 7, 2020

New York implements ‘cancel for any reason’ travel policies amid coronavirus outbreak

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The night before declaring a State of Emergency in New York State, Governor Cuomo announced that travel agents and travel insurers will offer "cancel for any reason" travel policies, joined by six global and national insurance companies. According to a press release, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) put in place this action "to provide reassurance to New York businesses and residents who are seeking to make plans that may involve travel to locations that are not currently under travel advisories due to COVID-19."
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