Mayor Announces Successful Enforcement Action and Agreement with Four Landlords Over Lead Safety Violations

On August 1, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the successful enforcement against safety violations found in over 5,000 apartments through an agreement between the city and four landlords that have resulted in almost $500,000 in civil penalties, and required the landlords to resolve all outstanding violations and comply with Local Law 1, the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. 


Changes to Trash Set-Out Times Show Early Positive Impact on Rat Activity

On July 25, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams, Sanitation Department (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch, and Director of Citywide Rodent Mitigation Kathleen Corradi announced that changing to later trash set-out times have had a positive impact on reducing rat activity citywide. Compared to the same period in 2022, the number of 311 calls made about rat activity citywide decreased by 20 percent from May to mid-July 2023, and the City’s four rat mitigation zones—Bronx Grand Concourse, Harlem, … <Read More>


Mayor Appoints Lisa Zornberg as New City Hall Chief Counsel

Lisa Zornberg speaks at her appointment as the incoming City Hall Chief Counsel. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.On July 26, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Lisa Zornberg as the new City Hall chief counsel. Zornberg will serve as chief counsel to both Mayor Adams and City Hall, and will oversee the following agencies: he Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Mayor’s Office of Risk Management and Compliance, the New <Read More>


Mayor and DOB Announce Overhaul of Sidewalk Construction Shed Rules

Sidewalk sheds stay up for an average of over 500 days, but some stay up for several years. On July 24, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo announced “Get Sheds Down,” an overhaul of the rules relating to sidewalk construction sheds (scaffolding). While the sheds are required for construction, facade inspections, and repairs, existing laws often enable property owners to leave up the construction sheds for a long time, and <Read More>