Policy

NYC helicopter company shuts down after deadly Hudson River crash

The National Transportation Safety Board team surveyed the wreckage recovered from the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on April 10 near Jersey City. Photo via NTSB on Flickr

April 14, 2025

NYC helicopter company shuts down after deadly Hudson River crash

By Devin Gannon

The New York City helicopter company involved in the deadly crash on the Hudson River last week is shutting down immediately. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Sunday announced that New York Helicopter Tours will cease operations after a helicopter operated by the company rapidly descended into the river on Thursday, killing all six people on board.
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Policy

NYPD to launch unit targeting ‘quality-of-life’ issues

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 11, 2025

NYPD to launch unit targeting ‘quality-of-life’ issues

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new NYPD division focused on quality-of-life issues like illegal parking, noise complaints, and homeless encampments will begin work across New York City next week. Starting Monday, the new units, called "Q Teams," will begin work in five precincts and a public housing development, covering neighborhoods like the South Bronx, Far Rockaway, Coney Island, Union Square, and East New York. Officers will respond to a growing number of 311 complaints, even as major crime declines. Some New Yorkers fear the units will unfairly target low-income communities, drawing comparisons to Giuliani-era street crime squads that harassed Black and Latino men, as the New York Times reported.
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Policy

Saks Fifth Avenue drops casino proposal

Image courtesy of Warren LeMay on Flickr

April 11, 2025

Saks Fifth Avenue drops casino proposal

By Aaron Ginsburg

Saks Fifth Avenue has folded its bid for a gaming license, ending the company's plan of adding a casino atop its Midtown flagship store. As first reported by Crain's, the department store withdrew its bid for one of three coveted downstate gaming licenses expected to be awarded by the end of the year, with a Saks spokesperson saying the company is now "focused on other strategic priorities." In recent months, minimal communication between Saks’ parent company, Saks Global, and those involved in the casino process had suggested that the retailer was abandoning its proposal.
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Policy

Council approves bill to double number of public bathrooms in NYC

The Beaux Arts-style public bathroom in Bryant Park is one of the city’s nicest. Photo by SnowFire via Wikimedia Commons.

April 11, 2025

Council approves bill to double number of public bathrooms in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Finding a public bathroom in New York City may get a bit easier, thanks to new legislation passed this week. The City Council on Thursday voted to approve a bill expanding public restroom access across the five boroughs by doubling the current number of facilities from roughly 1,100 to 2,120 over the next decade. NYC currently has among the fewest public restrooms per capita in the country, with around one bathroom for every 7,800 residents. Proponents of the legislation aim to raise that number to one restroom for every 2,000 residents.
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Policy

Tenant group pushes for rent freeze for NYC’s stabilized apartments

New York State Tenant Bloc launched in January to counter the real estate lobby. Photo courtesy of New York State Tenant Bloc

April 10, 2025

Tenant group pushes for rent freeze for NYC’s stabilized apartments

By Devin Gannon

Tenant advocates are pushing for a rent freeze for New York City's one million stabilized apartments as new data shows that landlords' income has increased as renters continue to struggle with the rising cost of living. The Rent Guidelines Board officially kicked off its annual review of economic conditions for both landlords and tenants to determine adjustments for rent-stabilized apartments. In 2024, the board voted to raise rent for the third consecutive year.
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Policy

NYC seizes building from negligent landlord for first time in seven years

Streetview of 2205 Davidson Avenue, Map data © 2024 Google

April 10, 2025

NYC seizes building from negligent landlord for first time in seven years

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has taken ownership of a building from a negligent landlord for the first time in over seven years. After a decade of organizing by tenants against landlord David Kornitzer, the city has foreclosed on the 49-unit building at 2201–2205 Davidson Avenue in the University Heights section of the Bronx, as first reported by Gothamist. Kornitzer had racked up numerous housing violations and financial penalties, owing the city $28 million in back taxes, emergency repairs, and other fees as of February.
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Policy

Trump cancels $325M in disaster prevention funds for New York

East Elmhurst, Queens, was flooded by torrential rains brought on by Hurricane Ida in 2021. Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of the Governor on Flickr

April 8, 2025

Trump cancels $325M in disaster prevention funds for New York

By Devin Gannon

Projects that would protect vulnerable New York City neighborhoods from flooding and intense storms are at risk after President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to cut federal funding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) canceled more than $325 million in grants to New York State that would go toward critical infrastructure and community resilience projects, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul. A majority of the projects impacted are designed to help New York City prepare for weather disasters like flooding and extreme rainfall.
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Policy

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

Credit: Jorge Ramírez on Unsplash

April 8, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump's administration and New York transit officials reached a deal to allow the city’s congestion pricing program to continue until at least mid-summer and likely through the fall, according to new court filings. Both parties will present their arguments under a newly determined timeline expected to extend until at least October as part of a lawsuit filed by the MTA against the federal government. The Trump administration originally gave the state until March 21 to end the program but granted a 30-day extension one day before the deadline.
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NYC metro area could lose 80,000 homes to flooding by 2040

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

April 7, 2025

NYC metro area could lose 80,000 homes to flooding by 2040

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 80,000 homes in New York City’s low-lying neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs are at risk of being lost to flooding in the next 15 years, according to a new report. Released Monday by the Regional Plan Association (RPA), the report warns that the region's housing shortage could reach 1.2 million homes by 2040, as heightened flood risks render large portions of land across the five boroughs undevelopable. While Long Island is projected to face the most significant impact overall, waterfront neighborhoods in southeast Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island are among the most vulnerable.
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Car-free Earth Day celebration kicks off NYC’s Open Streets season

Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

April 4, 2025

Car-free Earth Day celebration kicks off NYC’s Open Streets season

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Open Streets season kicks off on April 26 with its largest Car-Free Earth Day celebration ever, turning more than 54 streets across the five boroughs into vibrant public spaces. The Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday announced that the city's annual Car-Free Earth Day will include a record-breaking 54 streets and plazas, along with expanded programming in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
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Popular Articles

New York to issue liquor licenses to outdoor dining restaurants amid delays

Credit: Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

April 3, 2025

New York to issue liquor licenses to outdoor dining restaurants amid delays

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers no longer have to dread a boozeless outdoor dining experience this season. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced that the State Liquor Authority (SLA) will now accept conditional approvals issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to restaurants participating in the city's Dining Out NYC program, allowing them to serve alcohol in their outdoor dining areas while their applications are being reviewed. The processing of liquor license applications has been significantly delayed, with only seven out of roughly 3,000 applicants receiving approval as of Saturday.
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Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

Project rendering courtesy of Aufgang Architects

April 3, 2025

Citi Field casino team throws in 450 units of affordable housing to enhance bid

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is enhancing his bid to build a casino by pledging 450 affordable housing units. Queens Future LLC, a joint venture between Cohen and Hard Rock International, and Slate Property Group announced on Wednesday plans to develop a 100 percent affordable building on a parking lot at 54-19 100th Street in Corona, Queens. The development will only be built if Cohen is awarded one of three gaming licenses to build "Metropolitan Park," a proposed $8 billion sports and entertainment complex next to Citi Field.
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Hochul backs city’s broker fee ban set to take effect this June

Council Member Chi Ossé held a press conference before the City Council voted on the FARE Act. Photo credit: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

April 3, 2025

Hochul backs city’s broker fee ban set to take effect this June

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday came out in support of a law banning forced broker fees amid a legal challenge from a real estate lobbying group. In a video posted online, the governor backed Council Member Chi Ossé's Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses (FARE) Act, which shifts the payment of broker fees from renters to landlords. Soon after the bill became law last year, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) sued the city to stop it from taking effect in June, claiming it preempts New York State law.
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Policy

NYC’s outdoor dining season kicks off

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

April 1, 2025

NYC’s outdoor dining season kicks off

By Aaron Ginsburg

The sun is finally out, and the tables are, too—outdoor dining is officially back in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the start of Dining Out NYC, a program allowing certain restaurants to offer outdoor seating on streets and sidewalks across the five boroughs from April 1 through November 29. At the program's peak during the pandemic, more than 12,500 restaurants participated. As of Tuesday, just 2,450 outdoor dining setups, including 600 on the street, have been approved by the city, although more are expected to open in the coming weeks.
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Gowanus Canal cleanup advances with excavation for Red Hook tank

Credit: NYC Water on X

March 31, 2025

Gowanus Canal cleanup advances with excavation for Red Hook tank

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is finally making headway in its long-delayed effort to clean up the Gowanus Canal. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced last week the completion of excavation for the Red Hook tank, an eight-million-gallon underground facility designed to capture sewage overflow that would otherwise spill into the canal during rainstorms. Construction on the tank, along with a smaller tank called Owls Head, began in March 2023. Work was expedited in December following complaints from residents about foul odors coming from the project site, as reported by Brooklyn Paper; the excavation was completed six months ahead of schedule.
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Policy

Interactive map reveals the famous New Yorkers behind 2,500 co-named streets

Images courtesy of DORIS

March 27, 2025

Interactive map reveals the famous New Yorkers behind 2,500 co-named streets

By Aaron Ginsburg

Ever wonder about the history behind some of New York City's co-named streets? The city's Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) on Tuesday announced upgrades to its interactive map, which provides information about the 2,500 streets, parks, and other locations across the five boroughs named for notable people. The upgrades include enhanced search features and an easier-to-remember website address.
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Council passes legislation to reduce NYC’s 400 miles of scaffolding

Photo by William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

March 27, 2025

Council passes legislation to reduce NYC’s 400 miles of scaffolding

By Aaron Ginsburg

Scaffolding may soon have less of a ubiquitous presence in New York City. The City Council on Wednesday passed a series of bills reforming sidewalk shed rules to shorten how long the barriers can remain up and allow for new, more appealing designs. The city currently has over 8,400 sidewalk sheds that take up roughly 400 miles of sidewalk. On average, the structures remain in place for over 500 days; over 300 sheds have stood for over five years.
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Policy

Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

Credit: MTA

March 26, 2025

Q70 bus service to LaGuardia Airport will get $160M upgrade

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York has revealed a $160 million plan to fund the long-awaited expansion of bus service to and from LaGuardia Airport. Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday unveiled the proposed upgrades, which includes creating a bus-only lane, installing traffic signals that prioritize the Q70 bus, increasing service during peak hours, adding a dedicated pick-up and drop-off zone at LGA, and improving lighting and signage, and more. Recommended by an expert panel in 2023, the proposal is an alternative to the controversial AirTrain, a 1.5-mile elevated rail line to the airport scrapped by the governor.
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Rising salt levels threaten NYC’s water supply

Credit: rdlimages on Flickr

March 26, 2025

Rising salt levels threaten NYC’s water supply

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's cherished tap water may taste saltier in the future. A study released by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Friday found that the salinity levels in the Croton reservoir system, which provides 10 percent of the city's water supply, have tripled over the past 30 years because of road salt runoff. If this trend continues unchecked, salinity levels are projected to exceed the state's maximum allowable limits by 2108, potentially forcing the city to abandon the reservoir.
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Policy

NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

March 25, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's congestion pricing program brought in nearly $52 million in revenue last month, keeping it on track to reach its $500 million goal by the end of the year. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Monday released new data on the tolling system showing congestion pricing collected $51.9 million in revenue between February 1 and 28, about $3 million more than January. While the figures are promising, the program’s future remains uncertain due to ongoing tensions between New York State and the Trump administration, which ordered Gov. Kathy Hochul to shut it down.
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Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

Photo by Pat at Juno on Flickr

March 24, 2025

Forest Hills Stadium’s summer concerts at risk amid noise dispute

By Aaron Ginsburg

This season’s concerts at Forest Hills Stadium are at risk of cancellation as tensions between local residents and venue officials escalate over ongoing noise complaints. According to an NYPD Legal Bureau letter, the stadium’s new sound amplification permits were denied last week after the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation (FHGC) blocked the city from accessing the private roads surrounding the venue, as first reported by the New York Post. Unless FHGC and the West Side Tennis Club, which owns the historic stadium, reach an agreement on noise levels before the first scheduled concert on May 31, the shows will not go on.
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Trump administration delays congestion pricing deadline by a month

Credit: Zhen Yao on Unsplash

March 21, 2025

Trump administration delays congestion pricing deadline by a month

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Trump administration said it would give New York a 30-day extension on its deadline to end congestion pricing. A day before the original March 21 deadline, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the extension in a post on X, calling Gov. Kathy Hochul's refusal to end the tolling program "unacceptable." The governor and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have repeatedly defended the program and pledged to keep it running until a federal judge makes a ruling; the agency filed a lawsuit to protect the program last month.
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Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

Renderings courtesy of OJB Landscape Architecture

March 21, 2025

Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

By Aaron Ginsburg

Newly released renderings offer a closer look at a public waterfront park planned alongside a proposed casino complex near the United Nations. Unveiled on Thursday, the new video and imagery showcase the nearly 5-acre public park planned as part of Soloviev Group's proposed Freedom Plaza casino project. Designed by OJB Landscape Architects, the green space would feature an 18,000-square-foot central lawn, 1.2 miles of accessible pathways, a children's play area, an amphitheater, scenic overlooks, and more.
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NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street. All images courtesy of DCP

March 20, 2025

NYC’s plan to rezone Jamaica calls for 12,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is moving forward with a new rezoning initiative that could bring more than 12,000 new homes to downtown Jamaica, Queens. On Thursday, the Department of City Planning (DCP) began the approval process for the plan, which looks to rezone about 300 blocks in the neighborhood to allow for thousands of new homes, including 4,000 units that would be income-restricted. If approved, the rezoning would create the city's largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area, add two million square feet of commercial space, and generate more than 7,000 new jobs, according to the Queens Eagle.
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MTA to stop selling MetroCards by end of the year

Photo by Mr.TinMD on Flickr

March 20, 2025

MTA to stop selling MetroCards by end of the year

By Aaron Ginsburg

After more than three decades of service, the MetroCard is nearing its final ride. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the final day for MetroCard sales will be December 31, another step toward the full transition to the OMNY tap-and-go payment system. Retail partners, including bodegas and drugstores, will stop selling MetroCards this fall. Riders will still be able to pay with their MetroCards through 2026, with the MTA set to announce that end date at a later time.
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