Landmarks Calendars Harriet and Thomas Truesdell House for Public Hearing

LPC seeks to honor Brooklyn’s abolitionist history with Downtown Brooklyn landmark. On June 30, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the designation of the Harriet and Thomas Truesdell House located at 227 Duffield Street in Brooklyn. The property is situated in Downtown Brooklyn, between Willoughby Street and Fulton Street. The designation is sought to preserve the historical significance the Truesdells played into the pre-civil war abolitionist movement, having lived in their 227 Duffield … <Read More>


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>


Vicki Been Appointed Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development

The former HPD Commissioner will continue to work on affordability and economic opportunities for the City. On April 4, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the appointment of former Department of Housing and Preservation Commissioner Vicki Been as the new Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. She succeeded Alicia Glen, who served in the position for five years.


Amazon Cancels Plans for Long Island City Headquarters in Sudden Announcement

The new headquarters would have brought at least 25,000 jobs in exchange for nearly $3 billion in tax incentives. On February 14, 2019, Amazon announced the company was canceling its plans to open a new headquarters located in Long Island City, Queens after political pressure from local and state lawmakers.


Mayor Announces Long Island City Chosen to House New Amazon Headquarters

The project will bring tens of thousands of new jobs, billions in tax revenue, and investment in infrastructure, City says. On November 13, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Amazon has selected Long Island City, Queens for one of its two new corporate headquarters. The City has been steadily increasing investment into Long Island City, with more than $2.4 billion of planned infrastructure investments and a recently announced $180 … <Read More>


City Planning Commission Approves Modified Affordable Housing Proposals

Despite expressing broad support for proposals, City Planning calls on City Council to make further modifications.  On February 3, 2016, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposals, which are two of the major programs to be implemented under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York plan.  This was the first opportunity for City Planning to present its modified versions of the MIH and ZQA … <Read More>