New York City Council Member Inez Barron. Image credit: NYCC/William Alatriste

If enacted, the bills would mandate the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to provide legal assistance information to susceptible tenants. On May 4, 2016, the City Council Subcommittee on Housing and Buildings held a public hearing on two bills introduced to ensure seniors and disabled persons facing eviction have access to information about the legal services available to help them. The bills would mandate the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to provide such tenants with referrals to legal services organizations upon being notified of the initiation of eviction proceedings.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio signing legislation into law with Council Member Jumaane Williams standing to his right. Image credit: The Office of Council Member Jumaane Williams

New York City Council Member and Deputy Leader Jumaane Williams sponsored both bills, which were signed alongside a green building construction bill sponsored by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.  On March 28, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law two major pieces of legislation, sponsored by New York City Council Member and Deputy Leader Jumaane Williams, respectively titled the Domestic Violence Housing Discrimination Ban and the Green Construction bills. City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito sponsored a bill aimed at increasing eco-friendly, City-owned buildings, which was signed on the same day at Council Member Williams’ bills.

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Councilmember Corey Johnson at a Stated Meeting of the New York City Council. Image credit: William Alatriste/New York City Council

Bill would prohibit restricting affordable unit tenants’ access to residential building amenities.  On March 31, 2015, Councilmember Corey Johnson introduced Intro 731 at the stated meeting of the New York City Council.  The bill would amend the New York City administrative code to prohibit discriminating against “any person or group of persons” in the use of amenities in their building because they occupy an affordable housing unit in the building.  The bill would also extend the prohibition to grounds of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, partnership status, alienage or citizenship status, actual or potential presence of children, or of any lawful source of income.

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Current view of Brinckerhoff Cemetery lot. Credit: John Weiss (2012).

Owner of the vacant former cemetery site claimed she purchased the lot to build a home for herself, not knowing of the property’s history, and was not competently represented throughout the landmarking process. On December 6, 2012, the New York City Council’s Land Use Committee voted to recommend approval of the designation of the Brinckerhoff Cemetery as a New York City Landmark.  The property, at 69-65 182nd Street in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of Queens, was designated by Landmarks on August 14, 2012. The full City Council is expected to vote on December 10, 2012 to approve. (more…)