Image credit: Jeff Hopkins.

Peaceful protests, protected by the First Amendment, are fundamental to our constitutional system and to democracy. Peaceful protest marches and rallies have been instrumental in bringing about significant change in racial, gender, LGBTQ and economic equality; reproductive rights; climate policy; capital punishment; housing; criminal justice, and voting rights. Yet in recent years appropriate venues have been unavailable for large peaceful protests, raising the question of whether City practices inappropriately limit the exercise of First Amendment rights. The City needs to review its policies regarding the use of Central Park’s Great Lawn and Times Square for large First Amendment protest marches/rallies. If the City does not re-assess the appropriateness of the Great Lawn and Times Square the issue should be litigated. (more…)

Taxi and Limousine Commission Chair Meera Joshi

At this morning’s 151st CityLaw Breakfast, Taxi and Limousine Commission Chair Meera Joshi spoke on what’s changed and what hasn’t in for-hire vehicles. She acknowledged the biggest change in the industry to be size. The volume of taxis and for-hire vehicles has increased over the years, also increasing the number of daily trips taken in the City. Manhattan sees the largest number of trips.

Commissioner Joshi reflected on TLC’s increasing efforts for taxi safety, accessibility, and regulation of minimum driver earnings. Commissioner Joshi spoke about TLC’s collaboration with Families for Safe Streets, Transportation Alternatives, and the New York City Department of Transportation to produce a video that tell the stories of five families whose lives have been devastated by traffic crashes. The video is being used by driver training programs for taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers.

Commissioner Joshi also announces that the Taxi and Limousine Commission has recently authorized a pilot program that will allow the usage of apps by taxi medallions, which customers will use to hail cabs and receive upfront pricing for their rides.

To watch the complete video, click here.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Council Members Corey Johnson, Donovan Richards, and Jumaane Williams (from left to right) in front of City Hall. Image Credit: mfy.org

UPDATE: On February 1, 2017, the City Council voted 47-0 to approve four bills that would help protect tenants of three-quarter houses in New York City. During the vote, Council Member Donovan Richards called three-quarter houses a wide spread problem that would not be cured by the bills and that the City would need to track progress on the issue to determine future responses. Council Member Ritchie Torres called predatory operators of three-quarter houses the “scum of the earth,” and expressed pride to be involved in the “game changer” legislative package.

Resolution 1035-2016, on which testimony was heard at the same committee hearing, remained in the Committee on General Welfare. The resolution would call on the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to promulgate a rule that would increase public assistance rental allowance levels. (more…)

Image credit: Jeff Hopkins/CityLaw

Rent regulation is not a new issue for New York City. But the headlines in June 2015 were far larger and the reactions more contentious than at any time in recent memory. For the first time in its 46-year history, the Rent Guidelines Board decided that there would be no increase in rents for one-year renewals on rent-stabilized apartments; it also limited increases on two year renewals to two-percent. Not surprisingly, tenants hailed the decision and landlords decried it.

(more…)

Under ordinary circumstances the City may not enter into a contract with a vendor when the City finds that the vendor is not responsible because of tax, criminal, financial, ethical or performance reasons. It may not always be in the City’s interests, however, to refuse to deal with the vendor. One option available to the City that allows the City to continue to do business with such a vendor is an Independent Private Sector Inspector General Agreement, a so-called IPSIG.

(more…)