Mayor Names New Leadership for Department of City Planning

On January 19, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams named his selections for leadership of the Department of City Planning (DCP); Dan Garodnick will be the new City Planning Commission Chair and Department of City Planning Director, and Edith Hsu-Chen will be the Department of City Planning Executive Director. They will both report to Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer.



Governor Suspends Indoor Dining, Updates COVID Zones as Hospitalization Rates Continue to Rise

Indoor dining will be suspended in New York City while gyms and salons can operate on new guidelines. On December 11, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced changes to COVID restriction guidelines starting Monday, December 14th. Among these changes, indoor dining would be suspended across New York City due to the increase in COVID-19 hospitalization rates. Outdoor dining and takeout/delivery are still permitted. Indoor dining will be allowed to continue at only 25 percent capacity across <Read More>



Industry City Developers Pull Application After Opposition from Elected Officials

Many elected officials questioned whether the developers could follow through on promises of job creation. On September 22, 2020, the developers of the proposed Industry City Rezoning pulled their application after receiving opposition from many elected officials and community members. Industry City is a 5.3 million square foot mixed-use complex with commercial, manufacturing, and community uses in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The complex is located in an area bounded by 32nd Street to the north, 41st … <Read More>


Council Passes Legislation to Protect Not-For-Profits from Tax Lien Sales

Council backs not-for-profit sector with new legislation. On March 29, 2020, Local Law 42 of 2020 was adopted by the City without the Mayor signing it following unanimous City Council approval.  Local Law 42 was originally introduced as Int. No 245-of 2018 by Council Member Antonio Reynoso and was later amended twice. The new law creates an exemption for City tax lien sales of properties owned by not-for-profit organizations. The law also creates a not-for-profit … <Read More>