Department of Investigation Faults NYCHA and NYPD Actions

DOI faulted the failure of NYCHA and the NYPD to enforce lease conditions against criminals and criminal activities at NYCHA projects. In 1996, the NYPD and New York City Housing Authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding designed to prevent crime and create a safer environment for residents of NYCHA’s public housing developments. NYPD agreed to provide NYCHA with all arrest and complaint reports concerning serious criminal activity committed by NYCHA residents within NYCHA developments. … <Read More>


Free Lunch For All Students

New data matching system identifies children eligible for free lunch. On September 7, 2017, the NYC Department of Education rolled out a new initiative: Free School Lunch for All. In New York City, almost 800,000 students out of 1.1 million were estimated to have qualified for free school lunch. The new program will provide free school lunches to more than 200,000 additional New York City students, so that all students will receive a nutritional meal … <Read More>


Delaware Aqueduct Repairs Begin

The DEP commences the largest repair project in the history of the New York City’s water system. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has since 1992 been monitoring two leaking sections of the Delaware Aqueduct—one in the Orange County town of Newburgh, and the other in the Ulster County town of Wawarsing. The leaks release an estimated 20-30 million gallons of water per day.  All of the data gathered shows that the leak … <Read More>


421-a Property Tax Process Renewed

The revised Section 421-a offers new opportunities for affordable housing. The 421-a property tax exemption began in 1971 as an incentive for developers to develop badly needed housing in New York City. When the real estate market rebounded in the 80s, the program was amended to condition tax abatements on the construction of affordable housing units. The program expired in June 2016. In its place, the State Legislature passed the “Affordable New York” program in … <Read More>



Law Bans Employers From Asking Candidates About Salary History

New local law bans employers from asking applicants about past salaries. On October 31, 2017, the new city-wide Salary History Law took effect. Public Advocate Letitia James, introduced the legislation in August 2017 in response to a report that women in the City earned $5.8 billion less than men in annual wages. Women in City government suffered a wage gap two-to-three times larger than women working in the private sector, with women of color … <Read More>