Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School, 240 Jay Street in Brooklyn. Image credit: CityLaw.

City DOE refused to pay costs to renovate charter school’s rental space. The Education Law requires the City Department of Education, upon the request of a charter school, to provide the charter school with a co-location in a New York City public school for no charge, or to reimburse a charter school for its “actual rental cost” if the charter school is required to rent at a new location in New York City.

Loeb Boat House at East 73rd Street in Central Park. Image credit: CityLaw.

Unlicensed owner left pedicab in the “No Standing” area of Central Park. Shakhboz Muzafforov left his pedicab unattended in front of the Loeb Boat House at East 73^rd Street in Central Park at 12:22 p.m. on May 16, 2017.  A Parks officer served Muzafforov a summons for unlawfully leaving a pedicab in a prohibited location.  Later that day at 2:05 p.m., a Parks officer asked Muzafforov for his license and upon review of the license learned that Muzafforov was not included on the list of valid pedicab drivers maintained by the Department of Consumer Affairs.  The Parks officer issued a second summons to Muzafforov for operating a pedicab without a valid license.  At the OATH hearing, both violations were upheld.

Image credit: Department of Homeless Services.

Old rental assistance programs will be combined into one. On July 18, 2018, the de Blasio Administration announced the new City Fighting Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program, which will replace the Living in Communities, the Special Exit and Prevention Supplement, and the City Family Eviction Prevention and Exit Plan Supplements programs, creating one unified rental assistance program. The new CityFHEPS program will simplify the rental assistance process making it easier for New Yorkers in need to get back on their feet and remain in their homes. The new program will also give landlords a simpler process to participate. The proposed rule was published for public comment on Friday, July 20, 2018.

Rendering of development at 119-121 Second Avenue. Image credit: LPC.

Public speakers and commissioners sought to ensure that deaths in 2015 catastrophe suitably memorialized. Landmarks considered an application to build a new development on two lots at 119-121 Second Avenue at its July 10, 2018, meeting. The empty lots are the site of a 2015 explosion, caused by an illegal gas set-up, which killed two people, caused multiple injuries, and destroyed three buildings. The site lies in the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District.  The site’s developers, Nexus Development Group, acquired the property in 2017.

Rendering of new 40th Precinct Station House. Image credit: Mayor’s Office.

New NYPD facility hopes to bring the community and the police department together. On July 10, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the start of construction for the new state-of-the-art facility for the 40^th Precinct Station House. The new precinct will be located at 567 East 149^th Street, at the corner of St. Anne’s Avenue in the South Bronx. The project will cost $68 million and is projected to be completed in spring 2021. The 40th Precinct Station House was designed by a firm in the Department of Design and Construction’s Design and Construction Excellence program.

Rendering of new development on Beach 21st Street. Image credit: HPD.

Project will provide large number of affordable housing to recently rezoned neighborhood. On July 11, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Donovan Richards announced the two projects in the Downtown Far Rockaway area that will create over 670 units of affordable housing following the Downtown Far Rockaway rezoning approval ten months ago. The project is also being led by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Housing Development Corporation.