The renovated Dugan Playground. Image Credit: Office of Council Member David Carr.

On February 8, 2023, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced the ribbon-cutting of the newly renovated Gerard P. Dugan Playground in New Dorp, Staten Island. The playground is located in the middle of the block with Isernia Avenue to the north, Tysens Lane to the south, Mill Road to the west and Weed Avenue to the east. Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue was joined by Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, Council Member David Carr, community members, and students and representatives from the St. Charles School for the ribbon cutting.  (more…)

Governor Hochul signs legislation to improve clean energy development and efficiency. Image Credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.

On July 5, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package of three bills to further New York’s goal in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and making clean energy accessible, affordable, and efficient. The bills will support the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s goal in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent come year 2030 and 85 percent come year 2050. (more…)

Governor Hochul signs legislation to create the New York City Housing Authority Preservation Trust with elected officials and advocates. Image Credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.

The trust allows NYCHA to access new streams of revenue to help fund the renovations of 25,000 apartments. On Thursday, June 16th, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation which created the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust. The Trust will give the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) access to new streams of revenue and will allow for necessary repairs to 25,000 apartments in NYCHA developments. These repairs have been deferred due to a lack of funds, often attributed to cutbacks in contributions from the federal budget. (more…)

Image credit: New York City Council.

The new office would advocate for New Yorkers who struggle with utility companies, but some question if another office is necessary. On June 30, 2022, the City Council’s Committee for Consumer and Worker Protection held an oversight hearing to discuss recent utility rate hikes and Int. 372-2022, a bill that would establish an Office of the Utility Advocate within the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). The bill is sponsored by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. (more…)

Roadway dining, like at this restaurant in Bay Ridge, will look like this and move away from enclosed sheds under the proposed permanent open restaurant plan. Image Credit: NYC DOT

Many elected officials raised concerns about DOT’s ability to handle the scale and capacity of a citywide permanent open restaurants program. On February 8, 2022, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a joint hearing with the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection on the proposed permanent open restaurant program. The proposed permanent open restaurant program will replace the temporary program and establish a new streamlined program for the creation, management and enforcement of sidewalk and roadway cafes operated by the Department of Transportation.  As of the writing of this article, 12,133 restaurants and cafes are participating in the temporary open restaurant program, which is set to expire at the end of 2022. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the permanent open restaurants program approval process, click here. (more…)