Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 24, 2026

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

By Devin Gannon

The Bureau of Coastal Resilience was established by the Department of Environmental Protection in 2023 to prepare and protect New York City's 520 miles of coastline. Since then, the agency has managed with six staff members and a budget of $1 million. As the threat of climate change, along with rising sea levels and extreme weather, only intensifies, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced he plans to significantly expand the Bureau by investing $43.2 million to hire 69 more staff, which will include engineers, flood experts, city planners, and others, and to fund new studies on a long-term coastal resilience strategy.
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Policy

NYC begins notifying pied-à-terre owners about new tax

Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash

July 24, 2026

NYC begins notifying pied-à-terre owners about new tax

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has begun alerting pied-à-terre owners about a potential surcharge, marking the first step toward implementing the city's new tax on non-primary luxury homes. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Richard Lee this week announced that the city has started notifying property owners by mail that they may be subject to the new tax. The annual tax, approved in May, applies to one- to three-family homes, condominiums, and co-ops valued at $5 million or more whose owners maintain a separate primary residence.
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NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

Photo credit: Denis Ibarra for Tenant Bloc

July 22, 2026

NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

By Devin Gannon

The first legal challenge to the Rent Guidelines Board's (RGB) decision to freeze the rent for New York City's stabilized apartments was filed this week. A group of landlords filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court on Staten Island to annul the board's June 25 approval of 0 percent increases on one- and two-year leases. The suit claims the board manipulated data to overstate property income for owners to meet Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rent freeze promise.
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Policy

Mamdani launches campaign to help tenants organize for safer housing

Credit: Bradley Andrews on Unsplash

July 21, 2026

Mamdani launches campaign to help tenants organize for safer housing

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday launched a new canvassing effort to connect tenants living in buildings with housing code violations with resources and information on organizing for better living conditions. The "Talk to Tenants" campaign will deploy volunteers with the Mayor's Office of Mass Engagement who will inform residents about advocating for safe and well-maintained homes, as well as forming tenant unions. The initiative will begin in East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, and Flatbush before expanding to communities across the five boroughs.
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Policy

Mamdani’s ‘rental rip-off’ report outlines 23 actions to address tenant concerns

Credit: Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

July 16, 2026

Mamdani’s ‘rental rip-off’ report outlines 23 actions to address tenant concerns

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City tenants have spoken. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday released a new report shaped by testimony from thousands of renters who shared their experiences during the "Rental Rip-Off" hearings held across the five boroughs. The 68-page report outlines 23 policy changes aimed at strengthening tenant protections, improving housing quality, and targeting negligent landlords while curbing hazardous conditions and deceptive practices.
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Policy

NYC moves forward with first busway in the Bronx, Central Brooklyn bus upgrades

Work underway on new center-running bus lanes along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 16, 2026

NYC moves forward with first busway in the Bronx, Central Brooklyn bus upgrades

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is advancing four major public transit projects in the Bronx and Brooklyn that are expected to cut commutes by up to six minutes for nearly 200,000 daily riders. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced that the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin construction of the long-delayed Tremont Avenue busway later this year and launch community engagement for improvements along Flatbush, Utica, and Church avenues in Brooklyn, three of the borough’s busiest bus corridors. The projects build on last week's unveiling of the "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service" plan, which aims to speed up service on 50 bus routes across the five boroughs.
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New York unveils plan to speed up NYC buses across 50 priority corridors

Photo by Sal Media on Unsplash

July 8, 2026

New York unveils plan to speed up NYC buses across 50 priority corridors

By Aaron Ginsburg

Riders on 50 bus routes across New York City could see their commutes cut by up to six minutes under a new proposal aimed at boosting bus speeds. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the MTA on Wednesday released "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service," a plan outlining service upgrades that transit officials say will improve speed, reliability, and the rider experience citywide. Through a combination of service changes, traffic enforcement upgrades, and road redesigns, officials say the plan could reduce travel times by 20 percent across at least 50 bus corridors.
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NYC to release addresses of Upper East Side buildings linked to Legionnaires’ disease outbreak

Credit: Clay LeConey on Unsplash

July 8, 2026

NYC to release addresses of Upper East Side buildings linked to Legionnaires’ disease outbreak

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is implementing emergency measures after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease on the Upper East Side sickened at least 76 people and killed four as of Monday, July 20. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday, July 7 directed the city's Department of Health to begin testing cooling towers across the affected area and mobilize more than 100 staff members for community outreach. In an unprecedented move, the administration will publicly release the addresses of buildings whose cooling towers test positive for the bacteria and order property owners to immediately drain, clean, and disinfect the systems to prevent further exposure.
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Policy

NYC expands heat wave protections for 4th of July weekend

Photo by Marco on Flickr

July 1, 2026

NYC expands heat wave protections for 4th of July weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

As New York City enters a dangerous heat wave, officials are rolling out a series of measures to help New Yorkers stay cool. Temperatures over 100 degrees are expected to hit the five boroughs starting Thursday, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to activate the city's emergency heat plan. The mayor announced additional measures, including opening more cooling centers, extending pool hours, intensifying outreach, and encouraging New Yorkers to check on their neighbors.
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Policy

New NYC housing voucher program to be created as part of city budget deal

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 30, 2026

New NYC housing voucher program to be created as part of city budget deal

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City will create a new program for housing vouchers that will expand rental assistance under a handshake budget agreement announced on Tuesday. The mayor and the City Council announced a $125.8 billion budget deal, which invests $300 million over two years in a new voucher program that could reach about 30,000 more New Yorkers. The agreement also requires Mayor Zohran Mamdani to drop his appeal of a court ruling ordering the expansion of the voucher program known as CityFHEPS, ending a legal battle that began under former Mayor Eric Adams over ballooning costs.
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Policy

Popular Articles

NYC to give out 100,000 free tickets to Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show

South Street Seaport. 2019 fireworks. Photo credit: Jane Kratochvil

June 26, 2026

NYC to give out 100,000 free tickets to Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday opened a lottery for 100,000 free tickets to the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show next week. In celebration of its 50th July 4th event, and coinciding with America 250, Macy's will expand the show to the East River, the Hudson River, and the Brooklyn Bridge. The event is free to watch without a ticket, but those who are selected by the lottery will get a front-row seat to the spectacle, which includes more than 85,000 shells and 30 colors. The lottery is open now through Monday, June 29, at 11:59 p.m.
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Events & Things To Do

City to stream World Cup matches on 200 LinkNYC kiosks

Photo by Elvert Barnes on Flickr; map courtesy of NYC Mayor’s Office

June 19, 2026

City to stream World Cup matches on 200 LinkNYC kiosks

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City will stream five key FIFA World Cup matches on LinkNYC kiosks across the city. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced that 200 kiosks will show five marquee matches, including the World Cup Final on July 19, as part of a partnership with Telemundo. The Spanish-language broadcasts will be shown for free on World Cup-branded kiosks; the city released this map highlighting the locations of each kiosk streaming the matches.
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Events & Things To Do

Knicks to celebrate first NBA title in 53 years with ticker-tape parade

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 15, 2026

Knicks to celebrate first NBA title in 53 years with ticker-tape parade

By Aaron Ginsburg

After a half-century drought, the New York Knicks have finally brought an NBA championship back to the five boroughs. To celebrate, as is tradition in New York City, a ticker-tape parade will be held for the team on Thursday, the first time in franchise history. The parade will take place at 10 a.m. on June 18 along the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan and end outside City Hall, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani will present the team with keys to the city.
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Events & Things To Do

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

Global Citizen Festival in 2014. Photo by Anthony Quintano on Wikimedia Commons

June 8, 2026

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

By Devin Gannon

One of the largest FIFA World Cup 2026 Final watch parties in the world will take place in Central Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced that a watch party for 50,000 people will be held on the famous Great Lawn on July 19. The event, which will include giant LED screens, food vendors, and live performances, will be free to attend, but tickets are required.
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Events & Things To Do

Free rooftop tours open at Manhattan Municipal Building

Photos courtesy of NYC DCAS

June 5, 2026

Free rooftop tours open at Manhattan Municipal Building

By Devin Gannon

The 36th-floor cupola of New York City's historic David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building will open to the public for the first time next week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services on Thursday opened reservations for the "Centre 360" experience, a free rooftop tour of the century-old Beaux-Arts government building at 1 Centre Street. The cupola offers 360-degree views nearly 600 feet above the city, with many iconic landmarks in full view. Originally intended to be accessible to the public when the building opened in 1914, the cupola has been off-limits for nearly 100 years. Tours begin June 11, with tickets becoming available on the first day of each month.
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Mamdani restarts plan for 34th Street busway that Trump halted

Credit: NYC DOT

June 2, 2026

Mamdani restarts plan for 34th Street busway that Trump halted

By Devin Gannon

Plans to turn Manhattan's 34th Street into a dedicated busway are back on. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday announced that work will restart on the busway, which will cover just over a mile of the corridor from Third to Ninth Avenues. Plans for the busway, which aims to increase speeds for buses that currently move as slowly as 3 miles per hour, were first announced by former Mayor Eric Adams last May, but were halted a few months later after threats from President Trump's administration.
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42nd Street to become dedicated ‘bus corridor’ during World Cup matches

Credit: Taton Moïse on Unsplash

May 29, 2026

42nd Street to become dedicated ‘bus corridor’ during World Cup matches

By Aaron Ginsburg

Manhattan's 42nd Street and several other major thoroughfares will become temporary bus and shuttle corridors for use on World Cup match days this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced a Midtown transportation plan to ensure smooth travel to and from MetLife Stadium during the tournament, including converting 42nd Street, portions of Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and West 40th Street into dedicated transit lanes. The streets will be limited to shuttle buses, official World Cup affiliate vehicles, MTA buses, and emergency vehicles beginning six hours before kickoff and continuing until three hours after each match.
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New York passes pied-à-terre tax for luxury NYC second homes

Billionaires’ Row from Harlem. Photo by joiseyshowaa on Wikimedia

May 28, 2026

New York passes pied-à-terre tax for luxury NYC second homes

By Devin Gannon

New York City is getting its pied-à-terre tax. State lawmakers on Wednesday approved the $268.5 billion 2027 state budget, which included a new annual surcharge on second homes in the city valued at $5 million or more. First announced last month by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the new tax will take effect July 1 and could potentially generate $500 million in revenue for the city each year. According to the governor, the tax ensures those who own luxury properties as their second homes are still "fairly contributing towards the funding of essential services," like police and fire departments, sanitations, parks, and more.
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NYC launches interactive website to help young New Yorkers find free summer activities

Photo by Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 28, 2026

NYC launches interactive website to help young New Yorkers find free summer activities

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City wants to make it easier for young people to find free and low-cost activities this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week launched "Summer in N.Y.C.," a website that matches users with activities happening in their neighborhood, ranging from free painting and photography classes to sports leagues, summer jobs, and FIFA World Cup watch parties. The initiative is part of a broader effort by the administration to keep young New Yorkers safe during the summer, when gun violence sees an uptick, as CBS News reported.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC begins redesign of McGuinness Boulevard

Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony. Credit: NYC DOT

May 28, 2026

NYC begins redesign of McGuinness Boulevard

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work on the redesign of Greenpoint’s notorious McGuinness Boulevard finally began this week after several years of delays and project changes. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Transportation on Wednesday broke ground on the street revamp, which includes installing parking-protected bike lanes along the corridor from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge. The start of construction marks a major milestone for the project, which was scaled back under former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration amid allegations of bribery, as 6sqft previously reported.
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Mayor’s audit shows aggressive ICE tactics are on the rise in NYC, with arrests up 71 percent

An ICE arrest in New York in January 2025. Photo by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Flickr

May 28, 2026

Mayor’s audit shows aggressive ICE tactics are on the rise in NYC, with arrests up 71 percent

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office last week released the findings of an audit examining how city agencies adhere to the city's sanctuary laws in the face of growing federal immigration enforcement efforts under the current Trump administration. The report showed that immigration enforcement activity has increased dramatically, with a 71 percent jump in arrests between January 2025 and March 2026 compared to the same number of days under former President Joe Biden. Findings include a sharply escalating number of detainer requests, targeting of city shelters, and a rise in aggressive enforcement tactics.
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Policy

Mamdani releases blueprint to build 200,000 new affordable homes, target bad landlords

Photo by Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 26, 2026

Mamdani releases blueprint to build 200,000 new affordable homes, target bad landlords

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday released a comprehensive plan to address the city's current housing crisis, detailing a goal to build 200,000 new affordable homes over the next decade, the most ambitious target by a New York City mayor ever. The housing plan, dubbed "Block by Block," says $22 billion in capital investments over five years will fund new affordable housing and help preserve another 200,000 existing homes. The report also details the expansion of tenant protections and homeownership opportunities, as well as the largest capital investment in NYCHA in recent history.
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NYC restaurants to offer $26 dining deals during World Cup

Limited-edition World Cup cups. Credit: NYC Tourism + Conventions

May 26, 2026

NYC restaurants to offer $26 dining deals during World Cup

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is launching a series of initiatives to help New Yorkers and visitors support small businesses and explore neighborhoods in every borough during the FIFA World Cup. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday a new $26 dining special at participating restaurants and bars throughout the six-week tournament. According to the city, nearly 600 businesses have signed up to partake in the program, which will run from June 11 through July 19.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC to widen protected bike lane on Sixth Avenue before World Cup

An example of a double-wide bike lane on Second Avenue. Credit: DOT

May 22, 2026

NYC to widen protected bike lane on Sixth Avenue before World Cup

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sixth Avenue’s protected bike lane will be widened along one of its most congested stretches as part of a series of street safety projects launched by the Mamdani administration ahead of the World Cup this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that the corridor’s bike lane will expand from six to 10 feet between 14th Street and West 31st Street, removing one travel lane and allowing for safer passing and side-by-side biking, as first reported by Streetsblog. The project had previously been announced under former Mayor Eric Adams but was never implemented.
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NYC residents can enter lottery for $50 World Cup tickets

Mayor Mamdani announced the initiative in Little Senegal in Harlem. Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 21, 2026

NYC residents can enter lottery for $50 World Cup tickets

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced that his administration had secured 1,000 World Cup tickets, which will be made available to New Yorkers for $50 through a lottery system. As first reported by The Athletic, 150 tickets will be distributed for each of the five group stage matches and two knockout round matches at MetLife. The $50 ticket includes free round-trip bus fare to the stadium. The lottery opens May 25 at 10 a.m. and closes May 30 at 5 p.m., with up to 50,000 entries accepted daily. Winners will be able to purchase up to two tickets each.
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