City Honors Shirley Chisholm, First Black Woman to Serve in Congress, with Monument

Nominations sought to honor a woman committed to social reform and justice. On November 30, 2018, First Lady Chirlane McCray, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, and the Department of Cultural Affairs announced the selection of U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first black Congresswoman and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, for a City-funded monument at the Parkside entrance to Prospect Park. Rep. Chisholm’s monument will be the first monument under the She Built <Read More>


Mayor Announces Repairs To 62,000 NYCHA Apartments

The repairs will be made possible through public-private partnerships. On November 18, 2018, Mayor de Blasio announced that NYCHA has committed to $13 billion in repairs to 62,000 of its units. The renovations include new kitchens and bathrooms,  replacement of windows, elevators, boilers, and roofs, and improvements to common areas. The repairs will affect approximately 140,000 residents, who will “retain all their rights as public housing residents, pay rent limited to 30 percent of their … <Read More>


Mayor Announces Long Island City Chosen to House New Amazon Headquarters

The project will bring tens of thousands of new jobs, billions in tax revenue, and investment in infrastructure, City says. On November 13, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Amazon has selected Long Island City, Queens for one of its two new corporate headquarters. The City has been steadily increasing investment into Long Island City, with more than $2.4 billion of planned infrastructure investments and a recently announced $180 … <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>


“Love Your Block” Initiative Launched To Support Local Change Through Community

The NYC Service and Citizens Committee have launched program to provide grants to support 25 community groups in improving their neighborhood. On September 24, 2018, the NYC Service and Citizens Committee for New York City announced the launch of the 2019 “Love Your Block” Program which will provide $1,000 grants to 25 different community groups. The application requires community groups and leaders to provide a detailed action plan for engaging local residents in participating in … <Read More>


De Blasio Administration Announces Brooklyn-Queens Connector Streetcar

New light rail will bring much-needed connectivity to other existing modes of transportation. On August 30, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced plans to move forward with the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar project. The emissions-free light rail system will help serve the continuously growing Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront communities that are underserved by existing transportation.