Image Credit: City Planning

City continues to increase accessibility to information with online capital budget platform. On October 7, 2019, the Department of City Planning announced the launch of the City’s first digital version of the Ten-Year Capital Strategy. Produced with the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, the new platform highlights the goals, policies, constraints, assumptions and criteria used to assess the City’s capital needs. The platform also lays out anticipated sources of funding. This interactive version of the plan is intended to make the information more accessible to community boards, policy makers, and the public at large. It utilizes interactive project spotlights, illustrative graphs, maps and pictures to achieve this goal. To view the online platform, click here.

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City Council Speaker Corey Johnson at the Council Stated Meeting. Image Credit: John McCarten

The Speaker’s bill looks to change the way the entire city shares the streets. On October 30, 2019, the City Council approved Intro 1557-A, a five-year comprehensive plan for city streets, sidewalks and pedestrian spaces. The bill was approved by a vote of 35 in favor to 9 opposed with two abstentions. The bill was first introduced by Speaker Corey Johnson on May 29, 2019, heard by the Committee on Transportation on June 12, 2019, and later amended and approved by the Committee on October 29, 2019.

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Speaker Corey Johnson Image Credit: CityLand

After modifications and a lengthy Stated Meeting, Borough Based Jails passed despite significant opposition. On October 17, 2019, the City Council voted to approve the City’s Borough Based Jails System application with modifications. The approved plan includes four jail facilities located at 124-125 White Street in Manhattan, 745 East 141st Street in the Bronx, 126-02 82nd Avenue in Queens and at 275 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and closure of the Rikers Island detention facility.

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Council Speaker Corey Johnson speaking at Center for CityLaw Breakfast at New York Law School. Image Credit: CityLaw.

The renovated community centers will provide after-school activities, arts programming, and job skills training. On July 11, 2019, Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Committee on General Welfare Chair Stephen Levin, Committee on Public Housing Chair Alicka Ampry-Samuel, and Council Member Brad Lander announced that the City’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget includes funding to reopen the Gowanus Houses Community Center. Speaker Johnson and Council Member Levin also unveiled capital funding in Fiscal Year 2020 budget for the expansion and renovation of the NYCHA Wyckoff Gardens Community Center. (read more…)