City Council Holds Public Hearing on Greenway Master Plan

The City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure heard testimony regarding creation of a citywide Greenway Master Plan, the first such plan since 1993. On Wednesday, June 28th, the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing on oversight and management of the city’s public space. The hearing included consideration of Int. 0291-2022, a bill which would require the Department of Transportation to partner with the Departments of Parks and Recreation, City Planning, … <Read More>


Council Committee Holds Hearing for Utility Advocate Legislation

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 … <Read More>


City Council Holds Hearing to Address Deed Fraud Crisis

Proposed legislation would include requirements to provide information about how to respond to suspected deed fraud. On October 13, 2020, the City Council Committee of Housing and Buildings and the Committee on Finance held an oversight hearing examining the City’s deed theft and deed fraud crisis, and discussed two bills and a resolution aimed at combatting deed theft: Int 1913, Int 1919, and Res 1427.


City Council Hearing Reveals Inadequate COVID-19 Response from NYCHA

Residents voiced concerns about mold, ventilation and lack of signage. On June 29, 2020, the New York City Council’s Committee on Public Housing and the Committee on Housing and Buildings held a joint hearing to discuss the steps that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) are taking to protect residents from the spread of COVID-19.


City Council Holds Another Hearing on the Parks Capital Process

Other agencies still missing from Council’s hearing on Park’s capital process. On November 12, 2019, the City Council’s Committee on Parks, Committee on Contracts, and Subcommittee on Capital Budget held a joint oversight hearing titled “Improving the Efficiency of Parks Department Capital Projects.” The hearing was chaired respectively by Council Members Peter Koo, Ben Kallos and Vanessa L. Gibson. This hearing was held in order to create a dialogue about the state of the capital … <Read More>


Council Hears Testimony from BSA on New Oversight Legislation

Executive Director of the Board of Standards and Appeals voices support for some proposed reforms, but states concern about financial and personnel burden to the agency. On December 14, 2016, the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations heard testimony on ten proposed bills designed to provide more oversight of the Board of Standards and Appeals. The BSA, which was originally created to be an independent board tasked with granting “relief” from the zoning code, is … <Read More>