Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gather to protest nuclear arms, on the Great Lawn of Central Park in New York, June 12, 1982. Since the election of President Donald Trump, New York City has been host to many protests hostile to his agenda, with the women’s march drawing about 400,000 participants on Jan. 21, 2017. (Keith Meyers/The New York Times)

Corey Kilgannon of the New York Times wrote about the use of the Great Lawn in Central Park for OZYFEST, “a splashy weekend long event on July 20 and 21 with multiple stages and top tickets selling for $400.” (NY Times, 7/13/19) Portions of the Great Lawn will be closed to the public for nine days in order to accommodate the festival.  The use of the Great Lawn to facilitate a commercial venture raises the following questions:  What and who is the Great Lawn intended to serve?  The first amendment to the U.S.  Constitution provides for first amendment protest rallies on the Great Lawn.  Have such rallies been permitted in recent years: If not, why not?

Stanley Brezenoff speaking at the CityLaw 2019 Civic Fame Awards Breakfast. Image Credit: Center for CityLaw.

New York Law School presented Stanley Brezenoff with the Civic Fame award at the Fifth Annual Civic Fame Breakfast held at New York Law School on April 26, 2019. The certificate of award acknowledged Brezenoff‘s 40-year career in managing governmental institutions with unequaled persistence, skill and determination from the days of the fiscal crisis to today’s thriving City, and for his relentless efforts to preserve and enhance the social mission of the City of New York. Over the 40 years Brezenoff had served as First Deputy Mayor, Executive Director of the Port Authority, President of the Health & Hospitals Corporation, Administrator of the Human Resources Administration, and Acting Chair of the New York Housing Authority. In accepting the Civic Fame Award Brezenoff reflected on his 40 years in government. The following are his remarks.

Rendering of Sendero Verde. Image Credit: HPD/Handel Architects

The project will be financed under an HPD program that requires low and extremely low-income affordability and set-asides for the formerly homeless. On June 27, 2019, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the Housing Development Corporation (HDC,) L+M Development Partners, Jonathan Rose Companies, and Acacia Network announced finalized plans for the first stage of development of Sendero Verde in East Harlem in Manhattan. The site is located on 111^th Street, bounded by 112^th Street, Park Avenue, and Madison Avenue. The $223 million first phase of the project will be 100 percent affordable and will include 361 residential units, a new school, and an 18,000 square-foot publicly accessible courtyard featuring a children’s play area, seating areas, adult outdoor exercise equipment, and a stage for community events.

A Chevron oil tanker. Chevron was one of five companies sued by the City of New York over climate change. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Lahti213

The City sued major oil companies for flood damage and climate change costs. On January 8, 2018, The City of New York filed a related lawsuit in federal court against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobile Corporation, and Royal Dutch Shell, PC, the five largest fossil fuel producers in the world. The City alleged that the oil companies downplayed the risks of climate change and promoted the use of fossil fuels despite environmental risks. The City sought to hold the oil companies liable for injuries to New York City from sea-level rise.

280 East Burnside Avenue. Image Credit: Google Maps

Landlord attempted to evict tenant who owned a pitbull as an emotional support animal. On December 8, 2017, Javada James moved into a rent-controlled apartment located at 280 East Burnside Avenue in the Bronx.  Ms. James signed a two-year lease which contained a conspicuous provision prohibiting pets on the premises without landlord consent.  In December 2017, in an exchange of emails Ms. James notified the building’s landlord that she owned a female pitbull named “Bella,” and that she was medically in need of an emotional support animal. The landlord took no action with respect to the pet until after Ms. James notified the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development about the building’s lack of hot water and heat.

HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. Image Credit: William Alatriste/NYC Council

HPD launches ShareNYC, a pilot program to help developers finance affordable co-living housing. Co-living housing units supported by the City are headed for New York. On November 1, 2018, the City’s Department of Housing and Preservation and Development announced ShareNYC, an initiative to encourage the development of affordable, shared housing units on privately owned sites with the support of City funds. Developers will be permitted to enter bids for financing which will be provided through a combination of loan programs, tax incentives, and tax credits.