Council Passes Bill Requiring More Rigorous Customer Service Training for Shelter Personnel

On April 16, 2023, NYC adopted Local Law 49 of 2003. The new law was originally introduced as Int. 431 in 2002 by Council Member Rafael Salamanca. Local Law 49 will require the Department of Homeless Services to provide biannual customer service training to employees working in the city’s homeless shelters. The law was enacted just months after a Venezuelan asylum seeker in a shelter was struck in the face by a DHS officer in … <Read More>


Council Approves Bill to Report on Affordable Housing and Renters with Disabilities

On February 2, 2023, the New York City Council passed Local Law 25 of 2023. The new law was originally introduced by Council Member Diana Ayala as Introduction 375-2022A. The new law will require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to report every three years on how many of their affordable housing units set aside for and rented to persons with disabilities.


Public Advocate Introduces Homeless Bill of Rights Legislation to City Council

On April 14, 2022, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, along with Council Members Rafael Salamanca, Tiffany Cabán, Althea Stevens, Shahana Hanif, Diana Ayala, Julie Won, Lincoln Restler, Shekar Krishnan and Crystal Hudson, introduced a first-of-its-kind Homeless Bill of Rights at the City Council stated hearing. The legislation, called Int. 190, would codify rights of homeless individuals living within and outside of the City’s shelter system in a Homeless Bill of Rights.


Council Land Use Committee Approves New Building for Shelter and Supportive Housing in East Midtown

The new building will replace the existing shelter. On April 4, 2022, the City Council Committee on Land Use voted to approve the New Providence Redevelopment Project at 225 East 45th Street in East Midtown. The project consists of a new 21-story building and an emergency shelter that will replace the existing women’s shelter, which is currently retrofitted into two buildings. The proposed building can be constructed as-of-right, but still requires public review as … <Read More>


City Council Passes Legislation in Increase Value of Rental Assistance Vouchers

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. … <Read More>


Workforce Housing Scrapped From Proposed Astoria Development

City Council Subcommittee announces modification to Mega LLC’s proposed development. On January 30, 2020 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved Mega LLC’s ULURP application to rezone Block 769 in Astoria, Queens with a modification to the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing component. The rezoning would help facilitate the construction of an 8-story, mixed-use development. Block 769 in Queens is bounded by Ditmars Avenue to the north, 23rd Avenue to the south, 46th street to … <Read More>