From left to right: John Schoettler, Vice President for Global Real Estate at Amazon, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and Mayor Bill de Blasio during the November 13, 2018 announcement of LIC’s selection for Amazon HQ2. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

The Committee will advise on issues related to construction and infrastructure priorities, and develop workforce strategies to ensure New Yorkers have access to the 25,000-plus jobs the project is expected to create. On December 11, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the formation of a 45-member Community Advisory Committee to the guide the Amazon Headquarters project. Local elected officials recommended community and citywide stakeholders to be Committee members. A Steering Committee will lead the full Committee and members will work through three subcommittees: Project Plan, Neighborhood Infrastructure, and Workforce. On November 13, 2018, Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo announced Long Island City, Queens as one of two sites selected for Amazon’s second headquarter.

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Building owners denied certification may not significantly alter their buildings for five years. On October 12, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced the application of the Certification of No Harassment (CONH) Pilot Program, which seeks to expand tenant harassment protections. The program will require buildings to meet certain criteria to certify that no previous tenant-harassment has occurred prior to obtaining construction permits for significant alterations to their property. CONH currently applies to more than 1,000 buildings, totaling to approximately 26,000 units protected under the program. (more…)

Image credit: Department of Homeless Services.

Old rental assistance programs will be combined into one. On July 18, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced the new City Fighting Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program, which will replace the Living in Communities, the Special Exit and Prevention Supplement, and the City Family Eviction Prevention and Exit Plan Supplements programs, creating one unified rental assistance program. The new CityFHEPS program will simplify the rental assistance process making it easier for New Yorkers in need to get back on their feet and remain in their homes. The new program will also give landlords a simpler process to participate. The proposed rule was published for public comment on Friday, July 20, 2018. (more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand

The proposed reformations increase transparency and community involvement, and impose new safeguards to protect against systemic abuse. On July 8, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a series of reformations to the procedures used in removing limitations on potential uses, or deed restrictions, from formerly City-owned property. The proposed reformations would require parcels to meet stricter criteria to be deemed eligible for their deeds to be modified, and they would increase the levels of transparency and community engagement in the deed-modification process.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio with Trevor Noah on the Daily Show. Image credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

Following Mayor’s appearance on Daily Show, Deputy Mayor Glen calls on release of names of bad hosts.   On March 7, 2016, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen requested that Airbnb provide the City with the names and addresses of the hosts illegally using its website.  Deputy Mayor Glen’s letter was written in the wake Mayor Bill de Blasio’s March 3rd appearance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, where he discussed the pros and cons of the “sharing economy,” and months after a report was issued, which proves Airbnb’s ability to identify and eliminate illegal hosts on its site. For CityLand’s past coverage on this report, click here.

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