Jamie Torres-Springer Appointed New Commissioner of Design and Construction

Torres-Springer, the former First Deputy Commissioner of the department, will be succeeding Senior Advisor for Recovery and outgoing Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. On March 23, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Jamie Torres-Springer as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction. Torres-Springer will be succeeding Lorraine Grillo. Former Commissioner Grillo left the position earlier in March to serve as the City’s Senior Advisor for Recovery.


New York City Acquisition Fund to Have Exclusive Focus on M/WBEs and Nonprofits

The fund currently has $210 million in lendable proceeds. On January 21, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Housing Development Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and a coalition of public, private and philanthropic partners announced that the New York City Acquisition Fund (NYCAF) will exclusively serve Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs) and nonprofits to support affordable <Read More>



Mayor Announces SoHo-NoHo Neighborhood Plan Will Begin Public Process

On October 7, 2020, Mayor de Blasio announced that the SoHo/NoHo Neighborhood Plan will advance to the City’s public land use review process. The purpose of the Neighborhood Plan is to expand housing opportunities for New Yorkers, support cultural and economic success in the area, and reduce regulatory burdens on residents and workers in the area.


Airbnb and City Settle Lawsuit About Reporting User Information

Questions about transient use and multiple dwelling law linger after City and Airbnb’s settlement. On June 12, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Airbnb announced a settlement of their lawsuit regarding Local Law 146 of 2018. Local Law 146 of 2018 requires users of short-term rental platforms, like Airbnb, to file reports with the City detailing individual host and transaction information. In their initial filings, Airbnb and the other associated parties expressed concern about data … <Read More>


De Blasio Administration Expands Benefits of Rent Freeze Programs

The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act makes it possible to freeze rents at preferential rates for qualifying New Yorkers. On September 18, 2019, the de Blasio administration released guidance regarding renter rights under the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act. This guidance will allow New Yorkers who pay preferential rents in rent stabilized apartments to benefit from the City’s Rent Freeze Programs.