Council Passes Bill to Require Reports on Lifeguard Training and Emergency Events at Pools and Beaches

On September 14, 2023, the City Council voted to approve a bill that addresses a national spike in drownings. The bill, effective as of last month, requires all public pools and beaches to submit a lifeguard training and emergency report. Bill 1017-A, sponsored by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, will require the Parks Department to submit an annual report to the Mayor and City Council, detailing lifeguard staffing levels and training for the city’s pools and … <Read More>


City Planning Commission Votes to Approve “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality”

On September 11, 2023, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality zoning text amendment. The amendment is the first of the City’s three proposed City of Yes zoning text amendments to pass the City Planning Commission. The City of Yes amendments aim to remove or change outdated parts of the zoning text that hinder the development of housing, economic growth, or the implementation of green technology and infrastructure. 


Monsignor Kett Playground Reopens After $9.5 Million Renovation

On July 26, 2023, Parks Department Commissioner Sue Donoghue, NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, and Community Board 12 joined community members to cut the ribbon on the renovated Monsignor Kett Playground in Inwood, Manhattan. The project—which required $9.5 million in funding from the Mayor’s Office—is the largest reinvestment the City has made in this open space.


City Planning Hears Application for Supportive Housing Development in East Harlem

On July 12, 2023, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for a new supportive housing development at 244 East 106th Street in East Harlem. The site is currently a vacant lot on the south side of East 106th Street between Second and Third Avenues. The building is part of the ShareNYC pilot program where the city is exploring the creation and implementation of shared housing. Shared housing consists of housing units with two <Read More>


Jackie Robinson Park Playground Tennis Courts Receive a Million Dollar “Green” Makeover

On June 23, 2023, the New York City  Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Parks Department, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced the completion of newly renovated tennis courts at Jackie Robinson Park in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The DEP-funded project necessitated $1,000,000 in capital and involved painting the courts vibrant purple and blue colors, upgrading them with new surfacing and nets, and installing green infrastructure.