
James E. Johnson, Corporation Counsel, speaks at the 170th CityLaw Breakfast.
On December 3, 2020 James E. Johnson, Corporation Counsel, spoke at the 170th CityLaw Breakfast. Mr. Johnson spoke on “The Common Good and the Municipal Lawyer: Managing Risk and Building Trust.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law provided opening remarks and Dean Anthony W. Crowell provided closing remarks. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the fourth virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)
Even though the Supreme Court struck down race-based land use controls over a hundred years ago in Buchanan v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60 (1917) it has long been known that zoning continues to create or increase racial and economic segregation. Today communities across the U.S. are reexamining their zoning regulations to create more equal, equitable, inclusive, and resilient communities by removing requirements, limitations, or prohibitions that disproportionately and negatively impact individuals based on race or class. (more…)

The COVID-19 pandemic brings many changes to the NYC holiday season, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, balloons will be operated by specially rigged cars instead of handlers like here at the 2017 parade. Image Credit: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NYC’s holiday season will look different than prior years. Some events have been outright cancelled, and some have been altered, with many opting for a virtual experience to prevent crowds to limit the spread of COVID-19. (more…)

Image Credit: NYC DOB.
The tracker helps members of the public understand expected timelines. On October 14, 2020, the Department of Buildings launched an online Service Levels Tracker which allows New Yorkers to see average wait times for Department of Buildings Services. This tracker centralizes information that had previously been available to New Yorkers while also clearly setting forth the different Department of Buildings metrics allowing the public to better understand expected timelines for projects both citywide and by borough. These metrics are quarterly tunning averages that are updated monthly. As the City continues to rebuild following the COVID-19 pandemic, this Service Level Tracker will help support safe development citywide. (more…)

Image Credit: CityLand
On October 2, 2020, Annette Gordon-Reed, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard Law School, spoke at the 169th CityLaw Breakfast. Professor Gordon-Reed spoke on “Policing in America: Writing a New Chapter?” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law gave opening remarks and Dean Anthony W. Crowell provided closing remarks. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the third virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)