$20k fine for crane wind violation

Crane engineer failed to follow procedure for securing cranes during high winds. Matheau Chaudanson was a supervising engineer at a construction site located at 608 West 40th Street, Manhattan. One of Chaudanson’s responsibilities was to monitor wind speeds and direct the out-of-service configuration of crawler cranes in order to ensure safety.  Chaudanson, in anticipation of wind speeds of 60 miles per hour, participated in a meeting to discuss crawler crane configurations on February 25, … <Read More>


City Council Holds Public Hearing on Greenway Master Plan

The City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure heard testimony regarding creation of a citywide Greenway Master Plan, the first such plan since 1993. On Wednesday, June 28th, the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing on oversight and management of the city’s public space. The hearing included consideration of Int. 0291-2022, a bill which would require the Department of Transportation to partner with the Departments of Parks and Recreation, City Planning, … <Read More>


Council Committee Holds Hearing for Utility Advocate Legislation

The new office would advocate for New Yorkers who struggle with utility companies, but some question if another office is necessary. On June 30, 2022, the City Council’s Committee for Consumer and Worker Protection held an oversight hearing to discuss recent utility rate hikes and Int. 372-2022, a bill that would establish an Office of the Utility Advocate within the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). The bill is sponsored by City Council Speaker … <Read More>


Mayor Announces Nominees for City Planning Commission and the Board of Standards and Appeals

The latest move in his “City of Yes” campaign, Adams has nominated career land-use experts Rasmia Kirmani-Frye, David Gold, and Chris Yoon to high-ranking administrative roles. On June 15, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams nominated Rasmia Kirmani-Frye and David Gold to serve on the City Planning Commission and Chris Yoon to serve on the Board of Standards and Appeals. These nominations will now move forward to City Council for an official vote. If City Council approves, … <Read More>


Governor Signs Hotel Conversion Bill to Create More Opportunities for Permanent Housing

The new legislation allows hotels to house residents on a more permanent basis, specifically addressing the lack of available housing in New York City. On June 7, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law New York State Senate Bill S4937C. This affordable housing law allows hotels that are already authorized as Class B hotels to rent rooms for permanent residence purposes. State Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz sponsored this bill.