Kathy Hochul

Booze-to-go is back on the menu in New York

Photo of New Yorkers drinking on St. Mark’s Place by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

April 8, 2022

Booze-to-go is back on the menu in New York

As part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's state budget negotiations, restaurants will once again be able to add alcoholic drinks to delivery and takeout orders. To keep restaurants afloat at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, to-go cocktail, wine, and beer service was given the green light for 15 months. When public health precautions were scaled back, customers returned to the city's eateries, and alcoholic drink delivery was 86'd. The law, which will take effect when the budget is passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, will allow restaurants to offer to-go booze for the next three years, Gothamist reports.
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Members of the #GasFreeNY campaign protested outside of Speaker Carl Heastie’s office on Thursday; Photo credit: Pete Sikora of NYCC

April 7, 2022

Landmark legislation banning natural gas in new buildings in New York cut from state budget

By Devin Gannon

Landmark legislation that would have banned the use of natural gas in new buildings across New York was cut from this year's state budget, according to Hudson Valley-based news site The River. While it looked like the legislation, dubbed the All-Electric Buildings Act, would make it into the final budget, which is already a week late, a staffer close to negotiations told The River "the gas ban is officially dead in the budget."
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Policy

New York to distribute 20M at-home Covid tests statewide to prepare for potential surges

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

March 18, 2022

New York to distribute 20M at-home Covid tests statewide to prepare for potential surges

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced New York will distribute more than 20 million over-the-counter Covid-19 tests to bolster New York's ongoing preparation efforts and as virus cases rise in other parts of the world. The tests will be sent to nursing homes, adult care facilities, and schools across the state. Over 1.7 million tests will be reserved for NYCHA tenants, according to the governor. The state will also create new distribution points for tests and partner with local officials to improve public access to kits.
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Policy

Brooklyn Point in Downtown Brooklyn offers 421-a benefits through 2045; Rendering by Williams New York

March 17, 2022

NYC Comptroller calls for end of 421-a tax break, estimated to cost city $1.8B in revenue this year

By Devin Gannon

The controversial 421-a tax abatement program that provides a tax break to developers who set aside affordable housing at new developments should not be replaced when it expires in June, says New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. According to an analysis released Wednesday by Lander's office, the tax program will cost the city $1.77 billion in forgone tax revenue in 2022, without creating homes that are affordable to most New Yorkers. While Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a replacement plan as part of her budget, the comptroller, along with other elected officials, called the governor's proposal too "modest" and instead wants deeper structural reform of the property tax system.
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New York receives just $119M of the $1.6B requested for rent relief

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash

March 16, 2022

New York receives just $119M of the $1.6B requested for rent relief

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York on Tuesday received an additional $119 million in rent-relief funds from the U.S. Treasury Department, a fraction of the $1.6 billion requested by Gov. Kathy Hochul in January. Hochul's office estimated 8,500 pending applications for rent relief will be fulfilled with this new funding, as Crain's reported.
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Policy

Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

Photo showing storefront stands on Ninth Ave. looking south from just north of West 40th St., 1936.(Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library.

March 14, 2022

Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced 21 nominations for possible placement on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The list of nominations includes a diverse set of locations that are intricate to the history of New York. Nominations include early automobile manufacturing sites in Buffalo and Syracuse, a Mohawk Valley cemetery home to the author of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the only remaining 19-century textile mile in Troy. Of the total nominated places, five are located in New York City, including an abandoned Bronx train station designed by Cass Gilbert and an area in Hell's Kitchen once home to a famed open-air market.
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Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

All images courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA

March 9, 2022

Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

By Aaron Ginsburg

A major step in the transformation of Penn Station has begun. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday announced they would begin the removal of seven massive low-hanging beams known as "head knockers," dated structural beams that have limited the height of passageways in Penn Station's Long Island Rail Road Concourse to under 7 feet. The removal of these beams will help project crews reach their goal of increasing the ceiling height to 18 feet across the entire concourse, doubling the width of the 33rd Street corridor to 57 feet, and improving lighting.
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Port Authority releases mass transit options as possible alternatives to LaGuardia AirTrain project

Rendering courtesy of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

March 3, 2022

Port Authority releases mass transit options as possible alternatives to LaGuardia AirTrain project

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday released a set of alternative options to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $2.1 billion LaGuardia AirTrain project, a 1.5-mile elevated rail that would connect the airport with the subway system at Willets Point and link to the Long Island Rail Road. After Gov. Kathy Hochul halted the project last October and urged developers to look for alternate options, Port Authority has come up with 14 alternatives including two subway extensions, five light rail routes, five bus options, a ferry service, and options utilizing "emerging technologies."
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Manhattan borough president calls for seizure of Russian oligarchs’ NYC properties

220 Central Park South as seen in May 2020. Photo by Jim.henderson (cropped) via Wikimedia Commons.

February 28, 2022

Manhattan borough president calls for seizure of Russian oligarchs’ NYC properties

By Michelle Cohen

High-profile sales deals with wealthy Russian buyers have made headlines–Dmitry Rybolovlev's $88 million condo buy at 15 Central Park West, for example–and Manhattan's trophy condos have been seen as a safe investment for Russian oligarchs. But since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there have been calls to seize those properties, The Real Deal reports.
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Hochul says 190 homes at Inwood Tower will remain affordable for next 30 years

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

February 25, 2022

Hochul says 190 homes at Inwood Tower will remain affordable for next 30 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced an agreement with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYHCR) to preserve affordability for 30 years for 190 households at Inwood Tower, a Mitchell-Lama cooperative development in Washington Heights. By terms of the agreement, NYHCR will grant the co-op a $7.6 million subsidy loan that the development will use for essential repairs. With this grant, the state has ensured that more than 22,000 Mitchell-Lama apartments remain affordable for low and moderate-income New Yorkers as part of its five-year housing plan.
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Affordable Housing

NYC announces plan to stop homeless New Yorkers from sheltering on the subway

By Devin Gannon

New York City will increase enforcement of certain rules in the subway system as part of a broader safety plan to address homelessness announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the MTA on Friday. The NYPD will boost their enforcement of the "rules of conduct," which includes the prohibition of lying down or sleeping in a way that interferes with others, exhibiting aggressive behavior, spitting, smoking, using drugs, and "using the subway for any purpose other than transportation," according to the 17-page plan. "No more just doing whatever you want," Adams said on Friday. "Those days are over. Swipe your MetroCard, ride the system, and get off at your destination."
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Hochul lifts New York’s indoor mask mandate

Photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

February 9, 2022

Hochul lifts New York’s indoor mask mandate

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced New York will be following in the footsteps of New Jersey and California and dropping its indoor mask mandate. The mandate, which required all businesses to verify proof of full vaccination or require mask-wearing, was set to expire on Thursday. Masks will still be required in schools, childcare centers, health care facilities, and public spaces like subways, trains, buses, and airports.
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Policy

NYC commission withholds support for Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

February 2, 2022

NYC commission withholds support for Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul's massive redevelopment plan of Penn Station hit a roadblock last week. The City Planning Commission said it will withhold support for Hochul's new transit hub due to uncertainties over funding and a lack of improvement to transit and the public realm. Before the city recommends its full support, the project's planners must resolve these issues, as the commission wrote in a letter to the Empire State Development Corporation.
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New York requests additional $1.6B in federal rent assistance

Photo by Jonathan Riley on Unsplash

January 28, 2022

New York requests additional $1.6B in federal rent assistance

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday the state has requested an additional $1.6 billion from the United States Department of Treasury to help fund the state's Emergency Rental Assistance program. Although $1.4 billion has been distributed to New Yorkers struggling to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are nearly 174,000 tenants whose applications to the state's program have not yet been fulfilled, according to the governor.
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Policy

New York’s mask mandate is reinstated, for now

Photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

January 26, 2022

New York’s mask mandate is reinstated, for now

By Devin Gannon

New York's mask mandate has been reinstated after an appeals court judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a ruling from a lower-court judge that struck down the policy. One day prior, Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Thomas Rademaker said Gov. Kathy Hochul's mask requirement, which applies to all indoor public places in the state that do not require proof of vaccination, was unconstitutional.
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Policy

14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

January 21, 2022

14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

A public transportation project that could ease the lives of thousands of New Yorkers is gaining momentum. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the completion of a feasibility study for the Interborough Express, moving the project into its next phase of development. The feasibility study yielded promising results, revealing that the new line could serve anywhere between 74,000 and 88,000 riders a day while connecting to 17 subway stops and the Long Island Rail Road. From its start in Bay Ridge to its final stop in Jackson Heights, the route would take 40 minutes.
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Hochul outlines replacement for New York’s expiring 421-a tax break program

Billionaires’ Row. Photo: © 6sqft

January 20, 2022

Hochul outlines replacement for New York’s expiring 421-a tax break program

By Devin Gannon

As part of her State of the State address delivered earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul promised to replace the 421-a tax abatement program with a new "effective" credit. Set to expire in June, 421-a gives New York real estate developers who construct new residential buildings a property tax exemption in exchange for designating a portion of the homes as affordable. As part of her executive budget, Hochul on Wednesday outlined her plan for a replacement program called "Affordable Neighborhoods for New Yorkers." While the new program calls for the units built to be more affordable, much of the structure of the existing tax abatement remains in place.
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Policy

New York’s eviction moratorium will end this week, Hochul confirms

Image courtesy of Mari Small on Unsplash

January 12, 2022

New York’s eviction moratorium will end this week, Hochul confirms

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York's eviction moratorium will not be extended after it expires this weekend, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday. In the meantime, the state’s rent-relief portal will be reopened to give aid to New Yorkers facing eviction. The freeze on evictions was established at the beginning of the Covid pandemic by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to give relief to struggling New Yorkers. Over the past two years, it has been extended multiple times, with Hochul extending it to January 15 during her first week in office.
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Policy

Hochul wants to make to-go cocktails legal again in New York

Photo of New Yorkers drinking on St. Mark’s Place by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

January 5, 2022

Hochul wants to make to-go cocktails legal again in New York

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday plans to introduce legislation permanently allowing the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages. First permitted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to support the restaurant industry during the lockdown, the state ended takeout cocktails last June, coinciding with the lift of Covid-related restrictions. Legalizing the sale of to-go drinks will help local restaurants and bars recover from the pandemic, according to Hochul's proposal. "Cheers, New York," Hochul said Wednesday during her State of the State address.
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Hochul announces Covid ‘surge plan 2.0’ as New York sees record number of daily cases

Photo of Gov. Kathy Hochul announcing the Winter Surge Plan 2.0 by Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

January 3, 2022

Hochul announces Covid ‘surge plan 2.0’ as New York sees record number of daily cases

By Devin Gannon

On Friday, the state of New York recorded over 85,000 new cases of the coronavirus, the highest daily total since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 50,000 of those cases were reported in New York City alone. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced over the holiday weekend a "winter surge plan 2.0," an attempt to strengthen the state's fight against Covid with more testing, additional testing sites, and an increase in access to vaccines.
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Policy

Walk-in Covid testing now available at 7 subway stations across NYC

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

January 3, 2022

Walk-in Covid testing now available at 7 subway stations across NYC

By Devin Gannon

Pop-up coronavirus testing sites are now open at seven subway stations across New York City. After opening two walk-in PCR testing sites at Grand Central and Times Square stations last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority opened additional sites at five subway stations, including Penn Station, Broadway Junction in Brooklyn, East 180th Street in the Bronx, and Roosevelt Avenue and Jamaica-179th Street in Queens. The state is currently experiencing a record surge in new Covid cases, which officials are attributing to the highly contagious Omicron variant.
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Policy

NYC schools will reopen in January with increased Covid testing

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

December 28, 2021

NYC schools will reopen in January with increased Covid testing

By Aaron Ginsburg

Despite a surge in new coronavirus cases, New York City officials said classrooms will reopen after winter break and stay open. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced on Tuesday public schools will reopen as scheduled on January 3 with new health and safety measures in place, moving away from the remote learning model which many schools across the country have shifted to due to the recent surge in cases. Put together by the de Blasio administration and incoming Adams administration, the “Stay Safe and Stay Open" plan utilizes a massive increase in testing that will allow classrooms to stay open even if students test positive.
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Policy

All New York businesses will mandate masks indoors unless there’s a vaccine requirement

Photo courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office on Flickr

December 10, 2021

All New York businesses will mandate masks indoors unless there’s a vaccine requirement

By Devin Gannon

As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rise statewide, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced a new mask requirement for all indoor public places in New York that don't require proof of vaccination for entry. The new measure comes as the state experiences a "winter surge." Since Thanksgiving, the statewide seven-day average case rate has jumped by 43 percent and hospitalizations have increased by 29 percent. "I have warned for weeks that additional steps could be necessary, and now we are at that point based upon three metrics: Increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity, and insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas," Hochul said in a statement.
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Policy

Hochul announces $539M fund to help New York homeowners who are behind on payments

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash

December 7, 2021

Hochul announces $539M fund to help New York homeowners who are behind on payments

By Michelle Cohen

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that New York will be the first state to receive the U.S. Department of the Treasury's approval for its Homeowner Assistance Fund. The program offers up to $539 million to help low- and moderate-income homeowners affected by the Covid-19 pandemic avoid mortgage delinquency, default, foreclosure, and displacement.
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Policy

Hochul declares a state of emergency for New York to prepare for omicron variant

Photo: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

November 29, 2021

Hochul declares a state of emergency for New York to prepare for omicron variant

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday declared a state of emergency for the state of New York to prepare for the new omicron variant of the coronavirus. The order allows the Department of Health to stop non-urgent surgeries at hospitals with less than 10 percent of beds available. While the new variant has not yet been detected in New York, "it's coming," according to Hochul, who in her order said the state is now experiencing Covid transmission rates not seen since April 2020.
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