By Michelle Cohen, Tue, December 6, 2022 Image via WikiCommons
Nearly three years ago, Bill de Blasio’s administration announced the Internet Master Plan, which would build municipal broadband infrastructure in poor neighborhoods. Under the plan, a collection of internet service providers would make use of the city’s own infrastructure–rooftops and utility poles, for example–to offer fiber optic networks to underserved zones. NYCHA buildings would also get wired under the plan, guaranteeing residents of the city’s public housing developments affordable high-speed internet access. The city was prepared to spend $157 million on the plan. Now, after being put on hold when Mayor Eric Adams took office, the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) has confirmed that the plan is officially off the table, Gothamist reports.
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By Aaron Ginsburg, Tue, September 20, 2022 Image via WikiCommons
Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the launch of “Big Apple Connect,” a program that will provide free high-speed internet and cable television to roughly 300,000 New Yorkers living in more than 200 of the city’s public housing developments by the end of next year. The program is the result of a partnership between the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation and Optimum.
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By Aaron Ginsburg, Mon, September 12, 2022 Photo courtesy of edenpictures on Flickr
Positive test results showing dangerous levels of arsenic in an East Village public housing complex were false. Environmental Monitoring and Technologies Inc., the testing firm that originally reported unsafe levels of arsenic at the Jacob Riis Houses, said there had been “trace levels” of arsenic introduced into the original testing samples analyzed on August 26, resulting in a false positive test, as Gothamist reported. The city on Saturday announced the tap water was cleared for drinking following new tests of the original water sample.
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By Aaron Ginsburg, Tue, September 6, 2022 Image courtesy of edenpictures on Flickr
Residents of the Jacob Riis Houses in the East Village may have been exposed to water with dangerous levels of arsenic for more than a week without being notified by the city’s public housing authority (NYCHA) until last Friday, as first reported by the non-profit news site, The City. While recent tests indicate there are no longer high levels of arsenic in the water, the public housing complex’s roughly 2,600 residents still lack clean water. The federal monitor overseeing NYCHA opened an investigation this past weekend into the agency’s actions surrounding the test results.
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By Aaron Ginsburg, Wed, August 3, 2022 Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement to install 30,000 new heat pumps at NYCHA buildings at the Woodside Houses in Queens; Photo courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office on Flickr
A new investment by the state aims to make New York City public housing more environmentally friendly and effective for tenants. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced an initial investment of $70 million in a clean energy initiative to install 30,000 new heat pumps, considered more eco-friendly than traditional units, at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings across the city. The investment is part of the state’s Clean Heat for All Challenge, which launched in 2021 to spur ideas on how to revamp the way NYCHA units are heated and cooled.
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By Michelle Cohen, Mon, June 6, 2022 photo via Wikimedia
New York state legislators last week passed legislation that would allow the New York City Housing Authority to raise billions of dollars for desperately needed repairs at 25,000 apartments in the system. Championed by Mayor Eric Adams and proposed by public housing authority chair Gregory Russ, the Public Housing Preservation Trust is seen as a rescue measure for funding needed for the NYCHA system–by far the nation’s largest public housing authority. The new public trust could raise billions of dollars to upgrade thousands of units, The City reports.
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By Michelle Cohen, Mon, February 14, 2022 Mayor Eric Adams announces his housing leadership team in the rotunda at City Hall on Sunday, January 30, 2022. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via Flickr.
Shortly after taking office last month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams introduced the team that will take the lead on affordable housing strategy, headed by Jessica Katz as the city’s chief housing officer. The announcement came not a moment too soon; rents and home prices continue to rise beyond the reach of many, while homelessness and eviction threats are a growing concern. In a city where the topic of housing is never far from view every day, New Yorkers are looking to the new mayor to address the issues they feel must change. 6sqft asked individuals and organizations involved in the city’s housing and real estate sectors to offer an important “wish list” item they would like to see Adams address during his time in office.
A housing wish list from NYC to Mayor Adams, this way
By Dana Schulz, Thu, July 15, 2021 Photo by mari small on Unsplash
Affordable housing has long been a topic at the forefront of NYC politics, but it gained even more attention with Mayor de Blasio’s plan to preserve or build 300,000 affordable units by 2026, which has resulted in a slew of new lotteries, a new more user-friendly web portal, and an update to ease the process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers. But the topic is not without its issues, especially with the city reeling in the wake of the pandemic. Many still wonder if the city is doing enough for affordability and if some of the available units are really affordable. Ahead, we break down the different types of affordable housing programs, how you can qualify and apply, and what happens if and when you get in.
Everything you need to know about affordable housing
By Devin Gannon, Wed, January 20, 2021 Photo by Gage Skidmore on Flickr
After Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, his immediate focus will be getting the coronavirus pandemic under control and providing direct relief to Americans. In addition to immediate actions related to COVID-19, Biden’s Day 1 housing priorities include extending the federal nationwide moratorium on residential evictions through the end of September and sending an additional $25 billion in rental assistance to states. Down the road, Biden has proposed fewer developer-friendly policies than his predecessor, including a repeal of the 1031 exchange and reform of the Opportunity Zone tax program. But overall, there is optimism among New York City real estate industry experts who see a Biden Administration as a way to restore stability and consumer confidence. With a pledge to defeat COVID-19 and send federal support to New York City, there’s hope on the horizon for the city’s recovery.
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By Devin Gannon, Wed, April 22, 2020 Photo of the Alfred E. Smith Houses by Ken Lund on Flickr
Six new coronavirus testing sites with a priority for residents of the city’s public housing system will open starting this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. Community testing sites will open on Friday in Fort Greene, Mott Haven, and on the Lower East Side, with three additional sites opening next week at New York City Housing Authority buildings, including Jonathan Williams Houses, Woodside Houses, and St. Nicholas Houses. The news comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier this week a pilot program to bring on-site health services and more testing to NYCHA residents, beginning with eight developments across the five boroughs.
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