Appellate Division Upholds Homeless Shelter Siting

Court agreed DHS met their burden under the Fair Share Criteria.  In 2012 the Department of Homeless Services opened Freedom House, a 200-family homeless shelter at 316-330 West 95th Street in Manhattan’s Upper West Side on an emergency contract.  When the emergency contract expired, then-Comptroller John C. Liu declined to register the permanent contract.  A community group, Neighborhood In The Nineties, filed an Article 78 petition to enjoin the Comptroller from registering the … <Read More>



Mayor de Blasio Delivers State of the City Address

Affordable housing issues, including rent-regulation, mandatory inclusionary zoning, and more were highlighted in the speech.  On February 3, 2015 Mayor Bill de Blasio delivered his second State Of The City address from Baruch College.  The Mayor spoke at length about the affordable housing crisis facing New York City and the programs his administration has begun or will propose to address the problem.


The Williams: Single Room Occupancy Housing Rights in New York City

The City of New York experienced a massive influx of unmarried immigrants prior to World War II. For many of these men and women, hotel-style accommodations were more convenient and affordable than rental apartments. Such units generally did not include kitchens, but some included bathrooms. Many City newcomers preferred the old-world comforts of a communal kitchen.

For many New Yorkers without the physical or socio-economic resources necessary to maintain their own homes, single-room occupancy accommodations … <Read More>


East River Ferry Sailing Passed Pilot Program

NYCEDC seeks less cumbersome process to meet the needs of increasing ridership on the East River Ferry. On March 4, 2014, the City Council’s Land Use Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted 7-0 to approve an application submitted by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to amend portions of the Zoning Resolution regulating ferry and water taxi facilities along the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn. The proposed zoning text amendment makes way for increased … <Read More>


Three New Rules Ease New York City Contract Process

The procurement policy board, which makes the contracting rules for the City of New York, recently adopted rules that will make it easier for the City to manage how it purchases goods and services. The most important rule in terms of large purchases will allow the City to award competitively-bid contracts for goods and services based on price plus previously announced best value considerations. Before, contracts for goods and services had to be awarded … <Read More>