Mayor’s Office Releases Blueprint for Future of Fair Housing

New Fair Housing Litigation Unit will use “secret shoppers” to test the housing market for discrimination and hold bad actors accountable. On January 7, 2020, the Office of the Mayor released the Where We Live NYC Draft Plan for public review. Where We Live NYC is a comprehensive plan to advance opportunity for New Yorkers by promoting fair housing and undo intentional policies and practices of segregation and inequity. The Draft Plan analyzes the state … <Read More>


De Blasio Administration Bans Alcohol Advertisements on City Property

The ban was created to protect the health of New Yorkers. On April 30, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an Executive Order that immediately banned all alcohol advertising on City property, including bus shelters, newsstands, phone booths, recycling kiosks and Wi-Fi LinkNYC kiosks. The administration sought the ban to protect New Yorkers from exposure to alcohol advertisements which can lead to an increased likelihood and quantity of alcohol consumption.


City to Acquire and Convert Nearly 500 Cluster Units into Affordable Housing

The new affordable housing is part of the de Blasio Administration’s efforts to end cluster site program. On December 4, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the progress made by the City for the acquisition and conversion of nearly 500 cluster units across 17 buildings into permanently affordable housing. The City’s plan is part of the administration’s initiative to address the homelessness crisis in New York City and is projected to provide housing for over … <Read More>


Community Advisory Committee Formed to Guide Amazon Headquarters Project

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 … <Read More>


Pilot Program Will Require Certification of No Harassment Before Approval of Construction Permits

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 <Read More>


City To Streamline Rental Assistance Programs

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 … <Read More>