DOT Releases Final Rules for Permanent Outdoor Dining Program

Almost two years after the City Planning Commission’s zoning text changes, applications for the permanent program are expected to open next month. On February 2, 2024, the Department of Transportation released the final rules for the permanent outdoor dining program, “Dining Out NYC.”  Through the new program, outdoor dining will be expanded citywide on sidewalks year-round and in roadways seasonally from April through November. 


HPD Fines Landlord $150K for Failure to Comply With Lead Laws

On January 10, 2024, the New York City Department Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced that they obtained civil penalties amounting to $150,000 against Ezriel Weinberger and affiliates for their failure to comply with lead-based paint laws across ten properties. These penalties concern lead-based paint offenses in over 790 units located across the Bronx and Manhattan. Each property incurred fines of $15,000.



DOT Begins Enforcement for Overweight Trucks on BQE

On November 9, 2023, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced that the City will start to issue violations for its weigh-in-motion enforcement program that targets overweight trucks on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE). In August, a 90-day warning period about the violations was launched. The program’s goal is largely to limit the wear and tear on the Expressway’s cantilever.