$93 Million to Fund Universal Legal Access in Housing Court

The Mayor’s Administration and City Council move to create universal access for tenants facing eviction in Housing Court. On February 12, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito jointly announced that the City government will now fund universal access to legal services for tenants facing eviction in Housing Court. The City will allocate an additional $93 million to this effort—effectively doubling the existing fund for Housing Court legal services. This announcement … <Read More>


Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces Deepening of Affordable Housing for Seniors, Veterans and Lowest-Income Families

The Mayor’s Administration moves to deepen affordability of housing for lowest-income families and to aid more senior citizens. On February 10, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced two new housing initiatives to help seniors, veterans and families who are suffering the most from the housing crisis. The Mayor intends to increase by 10,000 the number of apartments in Housing New York serving households earning less than $40,000 a year. Of those additional 10,000, the Mayor … <Read More>


City Commits $1 Billion to Fix NYCHA Roofs

City to slate $1 billion in City capital for the replacement of over 700 deteriorating roofs in next decade. On January 24, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Housing Authority Chair Shola Olatoye announced a capital commitment of $1 billion to replace deteriorating roofs on buildings owned by the NYCHA over the next 10 years. The Mayor had previously committed $300 million in 2015 over three years. The $1.3 billion is expected … <Read More>


City Housing Commissioner Steps Down After Three Years of Progress

Vicki Been stepped down as Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to return to academia. On January 17, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that Commissioner Vicki Been would step down to return to teaching at New York University as the Boxer Family Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Furman Center. Prior to her appointment, Been served as the Director of NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, … <Read More>


City Moves Forward with New School in East New York

The Mayor’s Office announced the public review period for the construction of a new 1,000 seat school in East New York. On January 3, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined by City Council Member Rafael Espinal, announced the start of the public review process for a new 1,000 seat school in the East New York section of Brooklyn. The proposed school comes as part of the larger East New York Neighborhood Plan which was adopted<Read More>


Conversion of Pier 3 to Parkland Begins

City enters final stretch for the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. On October 19, 2016, the conversion of Pier 3 in Brooklyn Bridge Park began. Currently ninety percent of the park, which opened in 2010, is either under construction or completed. When opened, Pier 3 will offer a central lawn, a recreation and programming area, and a play “labyrinth” which will highlight historic elements salvaged from the reconstruction—namely salvaged rail ties and bollards.

Mayor … <Read More>