City Council Passes Three Bills Aimed at Stopping Income Discrimination and Providing Application Updates

The three bills provide transparency and protections for people seeking rental assistance. On October 29, 2020, the City Council voted to approve three rental assistance bills that would address income discrimination and provide more transparency in the rental assistance application process.


Industry City Developers Pull Application After Opposition from Elected Officials

Many elected officials questioned whether the developers could follow through on promises of job creation. On September 22, 2020, the developers of the proposed Industry City Rezoning pulled their application after receiving opposition from many elected officials and community members. Industry City is a 5.3 million square foot mixed-use complex with commercial, manufacturing, and community uses in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The complex is located in an area bounded by 32nd Street to the north, 41st … <Read More>


Coronavirus Puts Halt to Land Use Review Process

The executive order freezes land use applications so public meetings do not need to occur. On March 16, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Emergency Executive Order #100, which laid out several steps of the City’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. In the interest of limiting public gatherings to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Emergency Executive Order #100 freezes land use applications that have a timed review or vote requirement. This includes applications within <Read More>


Council Subcommittees Hear Four Proposed Bills on Increasing Transparency in Land Use

The four proposed bills would provide the community and elected officials with the tools to make informed decisions about developments in their neighborhoods. On September 26, 2019, the City Council’s Land Use and Governmental Operations Committees held a hearing on four proposed bills that will increase transparency regarding new developments in the City, specifically with the transfer of development rights and testimony at the Board of Standards and Appeals. The four bills are a response … <Read More>


Council Approves Proposal for Three Mixed-Use Buildings in Astoria, Queens

The project will add privately owned public open space and local businesses to service residents and visitors of the neighborhood.  On October 17, 2019, the City Council voted to approve the rezoning of an irregularly-shaped block bounded by Vernon Boulevard and Broadway to the north, 33rd Road to the south, 11th Street to the east, and 10th Street to the west in Astoria, Queens. The applicant proposed to rezone the block from a residential low … <Read More>


Bronx Point Seeks to Use Open Space to Ingrain Development with Community

Council Subcommittee approves Bronx Point after initial concerns on affordable housing and workers compensation. On September 18, 2019, City Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses unanimously approved the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s UDAAP application to facilitate the creation of “Bronx Point.” The project proposes 1,045 housing units, 540 of which dedicated to permanently affordable housing, a waterfront esplanade, and community facilities including a new state-of-the-art movie theater and a Universal … <Read More>