Image credit: New York City Council.

The increased voucher amounts help take advantage of decreased rents. On May 27, 2021, the New York City Council passed legislation that increases the number of apartments available to homeless New Yorkers and helps move more New Yorkers out of shelters and into permanent housing.  The legislation, titled Int. 146-C, requires the City to pay higher rates to homeless New Yorkers receiving rental assistance vouchers and eliminates the program’s previous five-year cap for vouchers. The bill was sponsored by Council Member Stephen Levin. (more…)

Council Member Antonio Reynoso. Image credit: William Alatriste, New York City Council

Council backs not-for-profit sector with new legislation. On March 29, 2020, Local Law 42 of 2020 was adopted by the City without the Mayor signing it following unanimous City Council approval.  Local Law 42 was originally introduced as Int. No 245-of 2018 by Council Member Antonio Reynoso and was later amended twice. The new law creates an exemption for City tax lien sales of properties owned by not-for-profit organizations. The law also creates a not-for-profit ombudsperson within the City’s Department of Finance.

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Image Credit: William Alatriste

Intro 30-A gives HPD liens a stronger position. On August 14, 2019, City Council passed Intro 30-A providing that the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (“HPD”) orders to vacate the premises, and the subsequent costs to relocate the displaced tenant would now be considered high status tax liens on the property. The law is intended to discourage the negligence of building owners and give HPD an ability to recover relocation expenses of those tenants that were forced to vacate. These liens will have a first position over all other liens and encumbrances on the building and lot except for other tax liens and assessments.

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Council Member Rafael Espinal sponsored the bill to halt sign violation fees. Image Credit: Official NYC Council Photo by John McCarten

Small business owners faced fines upwards of $15,000. In response to public outcry and community concerns on the hardships imposed on local businesses, on January 9, 2019, the New York City Council passed new legislation that would temporarily stop fines from violations issued to small businesses for failing to conform to their sign permits or those who did not have the proper permits at all. The Department usually gets 900 complaints a year, but that number doubled in 2018. By law, when the Department of Buildings is referred complaints through 311, they have to send an inspector out to the property. (more…)

Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer (left), Jumaane D. Williams (center) and Brad Lander (right). Image credit: City Council of New York, Office of Council Member Jumanee Williams.

Following the announcement of New York City’s selection for Amazon HQ2, council members move forward with legislation to bring transparency to business deals. On November 30, 2018, Council Members Jumaane D. Williams, Brad Lander, and Jimmy Van Bramer announced their plan to introduce legislation aimed at preventing City officials from signing non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, with corporations doing business with the City. The legislation is a response to deals similar to the Amazon HQ2 where Amazon required an NDA from Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to keep the bid for New York City to house Amazon’s second headquarters quiet. Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo announced on November 13, 2018 that Amazon had selected Long Island City, Queens for one of its two new corporate headquarters. The Council Members will co-sponsor and introduce the bill as expeditiously as possible. (more…)