Housing Law and Policy in the Time of COVID-19 CLE Recap

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On June 1, 2020, the Center for New York City Law, the Center for Real Estate Studies and the Impact Center for Public Interest Law at New York Law School hosted a virtual CLE. The topic was “Housing Law and Policy in the Time of COVID-19.” The CLE was led by Professor Andrew Scherer. Anthony Crowell, Dean and President of New York Law School gave opening remarks.


Council Committee Holds Hearing on COVID-19 Relief Bills

Committee hearing calls into question the amount of loans and protections for small businesses during COVID outbreak. On April 29, 2020, the City Council’s Committee on Small Business and Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing held a joint public hearing on the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in New York City.  Of the thirteen proposed bills, three were specifically labeled as part of a COVID-19 Relief Package. The bills address personal liability for … <Read More>


Council Committees Consider Two COVID-19 Tenant Protection Bills

Testimonies at the public hearing revealed concerns about the two bills and their impact on the City’s tenants and landlords. On April 28, 2020, the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings, and Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing held a joint public hearing on two bills that will provide protection to residential and commercial tenants who are financially impacted by COVID-19. Introduction 1912, sponsored by Council Speaker Corey Johnson, will prohibit court … <Read More>


Non-Essential Construction in the City is Suspended Due to COVID-19 Emergency

All construction permits will need to be active and renewed during the suspension period.  On March 30, 2020, the Department of Buildings announced that all work on non-essential construction and demolition sites is suspended for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Buildings made the decision to suspend such construction and demolition following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s amended executive order and the Empire State Development Corporation’s guidelines. The executive order, which required non-essential businesses <Read More>


City Announces Investment of New Skate Parks for City’s Youth

On April 30, 2024, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue announced a partnership with The Skatepark Project and an investment of $24.8 million in skate parks in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The Skatepark Project is a nonprofit organization with a goal of providing safe and inclusive public skateparks for the youth and the City’s partnership with them will be in furtherance of Mayor Adams’ … <Read More>


HPD Announces Historically Low Rental Vacancy Rate

On February 8, 2024, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the initial results of the latest New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS). The survey is the official source of the net rental vacancy rate which is used to show the ongoing need for rent control and rent stabilization. The survey is run approximately every three years and done in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau since 1965. It is the longest-running <Read More>