
Mayor de Blasio signs Int. 2317-A into law. Image Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.
The bill bans the use of gas in new buildings by the end of 2027. On December 22, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Int. 2317-A into law, which requires the phasing out of the combustion of fossil fuels in new buildings. The law is the first of its kind for a large cold-weather city like New York. The bill was sponsored by Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel. (more…)

Image Credit: ElectrifyNYC/Mayor’s Office for Climate and Sustainability.
On September 20, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the launch of ElectrifyNYC, a program that will help New Yorkers install solar panels and air source heat pump technology. The program is designed to help the City advance its goals of reducing carbon emissions creating equitable access to green technologies. (more…)

Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand
The report will help shape the City’s Environmental Justice Plan. On August 5, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYC Environmental Justice Advisory Board announced the start of a public comment period for the Environmental Justice for All Report. The Environmental Justice for All Report is a comprehensive study of environmental justice issues that impact New York City in order to develop a citywide Environmental Justice Plan. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the Environmental Justice for All Report, click here. (more…)

Image from the second mayoral debate featuring several of the mayoral candidates. Image Credit: WABC-TV
The Mayoral Election will help shape the City’s land use and housing policymaking decisions. Between now and June 20th, early voting is available for the NYC Primary, in which New Yorkers will help decide who will be the next Mayor of New York City. Over the course of their campaigns, mayoral candidates have developed and shared their positions on a variety of land use and housing issues including developing affordable housing, handling the eviction and homelessness crisis, revising land use review processes, how to develop underutilized space, NYCHA, and building inspections. (more…)

Image credit: NYC Department of Parks & Recreation.
Almeda Playground’s $8.1 million renovation have been completed as a part of the Community Parks Initiative to build a more equitable park system. On May 12, 2021, Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver announced the completion of the renovations to Almeda Playground, located in Rockaway, Queens. The playground is located on the southern half of the block bounded by Thursby Avenue to the north, Beach Channel Drive to the south, Beach 66th Street to the west and Beach 65th Street to the east. The playground was originally named P.S. 42 Playground and opened in 1965. The playground was later renamed as Almeda Playground, named after nearby Almeda Avenue. (more…)