The ribbon cutting at Chestnut Commons. Image Credit: HPD.

The building includes a community center with a variety of programs to promote economic growth and youth development. On October 4, 2022, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) joined other city agencies, MHANY Management, Urban Builders Collaborative and Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation to celebrate the opening of Chestnut Commons Apartments in East New York, Brooklyn. Chestnut Commons Apartments, located at 110 Dinsmore Place, is a new 275-permanently affordable unit building.  (more…)

Image Credit: NYCHA.

The program helps target apartments with lead paint that young children frequent. On July 14, 2021, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) launched the Team for Enhanced Management Planning and Outreach (TEMPO). The TEMPO program is dedicated to outreach, inspection and remediation of lead-based paint in NYCHA apartments where a child under the age of 6 lives or routinely spends ten or more hours a week. (more…)

CPC Chair Marisa Lago speaks during the August 3rd Review Session, the CPC’s first meeting in months. Image Credit: CPC

The full ULURP process will resume on September 14th. On August 3, 2020, the City Planning Commission resumed hearings for the first time since March 16th. Hearings had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic after Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order halting the ULURP process which allowed the City Planning Commission to cancel its meetings. While other agencies started resuming public hearings virtually in June and July, the City Planning Commission has been a notable holdout until now. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the COVID-19 impact on the ULURP process, click here.  (more…)

Council Members Constantinides, Chin, and Levin speak at the Pre-Stated Conference on January 23, 2020, prior to the passage of their lead bills. Council Member Ritchie Torres (not pictured) also sponsored a bill for investigations of lead-based paint hazards. Image Credit: Official NYC Council Photo by John McCarten

One bill would require the results of Department of Education school inspections to be made public and distributed to parents and guardians. On January 23, 2020, the City Council voted to approve legislation to strengthen existing lead laws. While lead paint was banned in the 1960s, its use in buildings constructed prior to the ban still negatively impacts New Yorkers. Particularly, children who are affected by lead paint may have lifelong impairments. In 2018, nearly four thousand children were identified as having elevated lead levels. (more…)

Image Credit: NYC HPD

HPD adopted rules compelling owners to remediate indoor allergen hazards. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development adopted rules to require owners of multiple dwellings to investigate for and remediate indoor allergen hazards such as mold, cockroaches, mice, and rats. The new rules, which implement Local Law 55 of 2018, establish work practices for pest remediation, standards for tenant notifications, and procedures for submitting certifications of remediation and requesting extensions of time to correct violations. (more…)