
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie visit a residence in the Bronx where tree roots have damaged the sidewalk. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
The City will stop issuing violations to homeowners for damage caused by street trees. On September 10, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the City will stop issuing violations to homeowners for damage caused by city street trees. Over the next three years, the Department of Transportation and Parks Department plans to boost sidewalk repairs under the Trees and Sidewalks program to address approximately 5,500 priority sites throughout the City. (more…)

Street Trees in Brooklyn. Image credit: thecityatlas.org
Trees are planted right into the backdrop of New York City. While there are only about 600,000 trees in the City, many of them occupy the sidewalks and streets in front of our homes. Given the dense population of the City, apartment buildings and houses are built right on top of each other. The trees planted on City streets and sidewalks need to be cared for otherwise, they can cause damage and problems for the surrounding residents and property owners. The Department of Parks and Recreation has procedures and guidelines for the care and maintenance of City trees. (more…)

Image Credit: CityLand.
On June 23, 2022, the City Council Committee on Parks and Recreation held an oversight hearing to discuss improving the city’s tree canopy. Chaired by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, representatives from both the Parks Department and local community organizations testified before the committee. (more…)

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine speaks at the 179th CityLaw Breakfast. Image Credit: CityLand.
Today, May 13, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine spoke at the 179th CityLaw Breakfast. Borough President Levine spoke on “Manhattan’s Recovery.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law provided opening remarks. Matt Gewolb, Associate Dean and Vice President for Institutional Strategy and General Counsel at New York Law School, led a closing discussion with Borough President Levine. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the thirteenth virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

Mayor Eric Adams and Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue announce over 100 parks improvement projects set to start construction this spring. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.
On March 13, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced that 104 park projects that were previously paused due to the pandemic will break ground this spring. The shift marks a 142 percent increase in parks construction projects over 2021.
(more…)