Developers Must Set Aside Affordable Retail Space in City-Funded Developments

The law will help provide more opportunities for small businesses to remain in the City. On February 23, 2020, Introduction 1408-B was enacted into Local Law 35 of 2020. Introduction 1408-B requires developers to set aside affordable retail space for non-chain retailers within large City-funded affordable housing developments. The requirement will apply to certain affordable housing developments of at least 750,000 square feet that receive $15 million or more in City funds. The law, sponsored … <Read More>


New York City Finances Over 25,000 Affordable Homes in 2019

The addition of over 25,000 affordable homes brings the City’s total affordable homes financed since 2014 to over 147,000. On February 3, 2020, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced that the City financed 25,889 homes in 2019. Of this number, 15,692 affordable homes were preserved and another 10,197 new affordable homes were financed.


Tenant Wins Support Dog Claim

NYCHA put the tenant on probation after the tenant’s dog attacked the NYCHA employee. In April 2015, Lerone Washington’s English bulldog, Onyx, jumped and bit NYCHA’s employee who was delivering a hotplate to Washington’s apartment.  A few weeks later NYCHA informed Washington that it considered terminating Washinton’s lease due to his having an unauthorized and dangerous dog in the apartment. Although Washington attempted to register Onyx as a service pet, NYCHA ordered Washington to remove … <Read More>


Mayor’s Office Expands Free Legal Help to Fight Evictions

The expansion provides free legal assistance for tenants in five additional ZIP codes. On December 13, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced an expansion of the Right to Counsel program that provides free legal assistance to New Yorkers fighting eviction. The Right to Counsel program, implemented by a ZIP code by ZIP code approach, will be expanded to five more ZIP codes across the City.


[UPDATE]: Council Approves Modified Plans for East New York Mixed Use Development

The development will bring 503 permanent housing units, both affordable and supportive, to East New York. On December 10, 2019, the City Council approved a land use application for the development of four mixed-use buildings to replace a three-story homeless shelter at 515 Blake Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn. The buildings will be a combination of residential use, commercial use, and community facilities. The land use application, submitted by the Department of Housing Preservation … <Read More>


CityLaw Profile: Caroline Harris – A Woman’s Journey to Land Use

Caroline Harris’s career as a land use attorney stems from an early interest in urban affairs and planning.  Harris was born in New York City and grew up in Peter Cooper Village. As a student at the then all-female Hunter College High School, she started the first student volunteer program for Head Start, earning Mayor Lindsay’s award for “Distinguished Volunteer Supervision.”  Harris spent five months in Israel before entering Trinity College, where she majored in … <Read More>