Council Passes Bill for More Data on Families With Children in Shelters

On February 2, 2023, the New York City Council approved Local Law 26, which would more closely monitor the status of the City’s most vulnerable families—those who live in shelters. The new law was originally introduced in 2022 by Council Member Kevin C. Riley as Introduction 421. Local Law 26 now requires the NYC Department of Homeless Services to report more regularly on the status of families with children living in shelters.




Mayor Eric Adams Releases Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness

Mayor Adams Addresses the Issue of Affordable Housing and Works Towards Building More Affordable Housing. On June 14, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams released Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, his administration’s plan to address New York City’s affordable housing crisis. The Blueprint discusses making the City a welcoming and homely place where people can stay and grow together as a family by creating housing that is available and affordable for people … <Read More>


Changes to Open Meetings Law Enable Hybrid Meetings But Present Ongoing Challenges

Community boards often do not have the same resources as City agencies to have hybrid hearings. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many changes on how state and city governments conducted business, including public hearings. New York’s Open Meetings Law was originally designed to promote transparency, requiring hearings to be held in person and open to the public, with notice about how to participate. After meetings went virtual due to the pandemic, discussions began about <Read More>