The Aftermath of Shelby County v. Holder: Will Voting Rights Be Diminished?

The United States Supreme Court’s June 25, 2013 decision, Shelby County v. Holder, struck down Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, eliminating a “preclearance” coverage formula that had subjected numerous jurisdictions with checkered voting rights histories to the U.S. Department of Justice’s oversight.  Although the decision allows Congress to create a new coverage formula, in today’s political climate that appears unlikely.   While the preclearance system was often associated with deep Southern states … <Read More>


Louise Carroll Appointed Commissioner of HPD

Carroll previously worked with HPD on housing incentives. On May 2, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Louise Carroll as the new Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Carroll, whose career in public service includes prior work with HPD to protect tenants, will work on preservation to avoid tenant displacement and work with the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.


Council Approves Bill Requiring NYCHA PACT Program Transparency Report

On May 16, 2024, the City Council passed Int. 110-A, which requires the creation of a report about the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together Program (PACT). The PACT program allows the New York City Housing Authority to change its traditional Section 9 public housing funding to project-based Section 8 funding. The change allows NYCHA to access debt to finance renovation and repairs projects and requires NYCHA to transfer the daily management of buildings to private management <Read More>




City Releases Details for “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” Zoning Text Amendment

On September 21, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams released the details for his “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal. The proposal aims to increase the development of and access to affordable housing throughout New York City through changes to the City’s zoning code. The Mayor’s Office touts that the initiative could add 10,000 homes to expected housing production over the next 15 years, create 260,000 temporary and 6,300 permanent jobs, and provide $58.2 billion in … <Read More>