State Legislature Passes Law to Fund Hotel and Office Conversion to Affordable Housing

The properties will be owned, operated and managed by selected nonprofit organizations. On June 9, 2020, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act. The Bill, sponsored by Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Karines Reyes, allows New York State to partner with nonprofit organizations to finance the acquisition and conversion of distressed hotels and commercial office space into affordable housing.


City Council Passes Legislation in Increase Value of Rental Assistance Vouchers

The increased voucher amounts help take advantage of decreased rents. On May 27, 2021, the New York City Council passed legislation that increases the number of apartments available to homeless New Yorkers and helps move more New Yorkers out of shelters and into permanent housing.  The legislation, titled Int. 146-C, requires the City to pay higher rates to homeless New Yorkers receiving rental assistance vouchers and eliminates the program’s previous five-year cap for vouchers. … <Read More>


Construction Begins on New Manhattan Pet Adoption Center

The Department of Design and Construction is completely renovating an old garage in East Harlem into a new facility for the specific use of providing animals to adopt for the city. On June 4, 2021, the Department of Design and Construction and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the beginning of construction on a new Pet Adoption Center located at 328 East 109th Street in East Harlem. The Center will work with adoptable … <Read More>


NYC Mayoral Candidates Land Use Policy Recap

The Mayoral Election will help shape the City’s land use and housing policymaking decisions. Between now and June 20th, early voting is available for the NYC Primary, in which New Yorkers will help decide who will be the next Mayor of New York City. Over the course of their campaigns, mayoral candidates have developed and shared their positions on a variety of land use and housing issues including developing affordable housing, handling the eviction and <Read More>