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    Council Committees Consider Two COVID-19 Tenant Protection Bills

    Housing  •  Citywide

    Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Member Robert Cornegy, and Council Member Andrew Cohen at the April 28th Committee public hearing held through Zoom./Image Credit: City Council

    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 marshals and sheriffs from enforcing evictions and collecting debt for one month after the federal and state moratoriums on evictions are lifted. Introduction 1936, sponsored by Council Member Ritchie Torres, will make it illegal to harass a tenant based on how they were impacted by COVID-19. The bills were proposed to provide financial relief to tenants who have faced COVID-19 related economic losses and to prevent an increase of homelessness and displacement after eviction moratoriums are lifted.

    (read more…)

    Tags : City Council, Council Member Andrew Cohen, Council Member Corey Johnson, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Council Member Robert Cornegy, COVID-19, housing, New York City Commission on Human Rights, tenants
    Date:05/06/2020
    Category : City Council
    (1) Comment

    City Council Holds Hearing on Hotel-to-Condo Conversion Moratorium [UPDATE: CITY COUNCIL APPROVES EXTENSION]

    Hotel-to-Condo Conversions  •  Borough of Manhattan

    Council Member Ritchie Torres. Image credit: NYCC/William Alatriste

    UPDATE: On May 10, 2017, the City Council voted 45-4 to approve the extension of the moratorium on hotel-to-condo conversions within the Borough of Manhattan. Council Members Daniel Garodnick, David Greenfield, Steven Matteo, and Paul Vallone all voted in the negative. The Committee on Housing and Buildings previously voted 11-0 on May 8, 2017. The bill will now go to the Mayor’s desk for his signature.

    City Council Committee heard testimony in considering an extension on the Manhattan moratorium on hotel-to-condo conversions. On May 2, 2017, the Committee on Housing and Buildings held a hearing on a bill to continue for two years a limitation on conversions of hotels to condominiums. The Manhattan hotel industry alone generates about $11.8 billion in economic activity and generates more than 65,000 jobs throughout the City. The industry contributed $1.8 billion in tax revenue to the City in fiscal year 2015. (read more…)

    Tags : Council Member Eric Ulrich, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
    Date:05/11/2017
    Category : City Council
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    Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces Deepening of Affordable Housing for Seniors, Veterans and Lowest-Income Families

    Affordable Housing  •  Citywide

    Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand

    The Mayor’s Administration moves to deepen affordability of housing for lowest-income families and to aid more senior citizens. On February 10, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced two new housing initiatives to help seniors, veterans and families who are suffering the most from the housing crisis. The Mayor intends to increase by 10,000 the number of apartments in Housing New York serving households earning less than $40,000 a year. Of those additional 10,000, the Mayor will dedicate 5,000 to senior citizens and 500 to veterans. The Mayor will dedicate $1.9 billion to the expansion of this housing. The second initiative is an Elder Rent Assistance program to serve more than 25,000 seniors with monthly rental assistance up to $1,300. The new program is expected to be funded by the Mayor’s proposed ‘Mansion Tax.’ (read more…)

    Tags : AARP New York, Chris Widelo, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Mayor Bill de Blasio
    Date:02/14/2017
    Category : Office of the Mayor
    (1) Comment

    Subcommittee Criticizes City’s Lack of Planning at Lambert Houses [UPDATE: City Council Approves with Modifications]

    ULURP  •  West Farms, Bronx
    Lambert Houses

    Lambert Houses. Image Credit: Google Maps.

    UPDATE: On November 29, 2016, the City Council voted 49-0 to approve the Lambert Houses application with modification. The approved application now includes the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing option with deep affordability—half of the apartments will now be affordable for those making 30 percent or less of the average median income. The City has committed $12.3 million for infrastructure improvements in the West Farms area, including the construction of two new schools in the area—adding at least 500 new school seats to the school district. Of the project, City Council Member Ritchie Torres said, “It will offer deeper affordability, significant infrastructure improvements and community upgrades that will benefit all of the residents of the West Farms neighborhood in the Bronx.” (read more…)

    Tags : Adam Weinstein, Chair Richard Donovan, Council Member David G. Greenfield, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Lambert Houses, Phipps Houses
    Date:12/02/2016
    Category : City Council
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    New Law Reduces Building Costs for Small Homeowners

    Building Permit Fees  •  Citywide
    Mayor De Blasio and DOB Commissioner Chander at Bill signing.

    Mayor de Blasio and DOB Commissioner Chandler at Bill signing. Image Credit: Ed Reed, Office of the Mayor.

    Costs for new developments and alterations are adjusted for the first time since 1991 to reflect equitable fee structure. On May 10, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Local Law 56, which will alter building construction permit filing fees. Local Law 56, previously City Council Introduction 831, was introduced by Council Member Jumaane Williams at the request of the Mayor in June of 2015, and passed on April 20, 2016, to provide for a more equitable fee structure. (read more…)

    Tags : Building One City Plan, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Department of Buildings’ filing fees, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Paul Vallone, Rick Chandler
    Date:06/06/2016
    Category : Office of the Mayor
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    City Council Subcommittee Hears Testimony on the Rezoning of Water Street’s Privately Owned Public Space

    POPS  •  Lower Manhattan
    Proposed rezoning of the Water Street POPS. Image credit: Department of City Planning

    Proposed rezoning of the Water Street POPS. Image credit: Department of City Planning

    Council Members voiced concerns over the proposal’s provisions stripping the City Council of its review over future applications brought pursuant to the proposal. On May 4, 2016, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing on an application submitted by the Alliance for Downtown New York, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and the Department of City Planning to amend the zoning text controlling the Water Street corridor in lower Manhattan. For CityLand’s previous coverage on the proposed rezoning of the Water Street POPS, click here.

    (read more…)

    Tags : Alliance for Downtown New York, Council Member Daniel Garodnick, Council Member David G. Greenfield, Council Member Donovan Richards, Council Member Margaret Chin, Council Member Ritchie Torres, Jessica Lappin, Manhattan Community Board 1, Manhattan Community District 1, NYCEDC, POPS, Privately Owned Public Space, public plaza, Special Lower Manhattan District, the Department of City Planning, Water Street
    Date:05/27/2016
    Category : City Council
    Leave a Comment
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