Anchor Parks Initiative Reconstruction Begins at Brownsville’s Betsy Head Park

The $30 million reconstruction project brings brand new amenities to the historically underserved Brownsville park. On March 19, 2019, Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Brooklyn Community Board 16, and local students and residents broke ground on the reconstruction of Betsy Head Park in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Betsy Head Park’s reconstruction is one of the five projects of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Anchor Parks Initiative, a $150 million … <Read More>


City Planning Commission Proposes Zoning Changes to Limit Overuse of Excessive Mechanical Voids

The proposal discourages clustering mechanical voids in a way that inflates building heights. On January 28, 2019, the CPC announced the beginning of public review of the proposed rezoning plan to limit the use of excessive voids that artificially inflate tower heights in residential buildings. Currently, these voids, or multiple floors of empty space, are not counted as zoning floor area in the Zoning Resolution.



Comptroller Study Finds Majority of Lobbies in NYCHA Buildings Have Unsecured Doors

NYCHA residences throughout the five boroughs have serious security lapses from propped open and broken doors. On October 12, 2018, the City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released the results of an investigative survey on the exterior door security at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments. Between July and August 2018, auditors visited 299 NYCHA developments and observed the conditions of exterior doors. The auditors observed 4,551 doors in development in the five boroughs.


How to Enjoy Fireworks in NYC Legally this Summer

All types of fireworks are illegal throughout New York City and any person who violates the law could be subject to fines and/or jail time. There is something special when a firework is lit and sent into the sky, exploding with a beautiful array of colors. Each firework is unpredictable. The noise can be too much to bear for some, but for others it is like you are a kid again when you see fireworks … <Read More>


Report Looks At Threats To Affordable Housing In City Neighborhoods

City neighborhoods report threats to affordable housing. The Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development released its 2018 report on “How Is Affordable Housing Threatened in Your Neighborhood?” The report provided its findings in a chart on all neighborhoods in the five boroughs and indicators of threats to affordable housing. The Association is the umbrella organization of 100 non-profit affordable housing development groups, which serves low- and moderate-income residents in all five boroughs.