The latest
Declining school enrollment: it's not all doom and gloom
Widespread school enrollment declines undoubtedly come with challenges, but that’s not the whole story.
Why aren’t bus lanes a fully integrated part of New York City’s emergency response toolkit?
None of the needed planning, protocols, data collection, adaptations, or enforcement appear to be in place.
Will HPD resist the zombie calls to narrow the housing lottery door based on “preferences”?
Several proposed changes to the rules of New York City's housing lottery could make the system work more smoothly and efficiently for everyone, but a fetish to uncover what applicants "really" want is a fairness-defeating dead end.
Revolving loan funds: The hottest trend in housing finance
A housing policy tool is gaining momentum that could stimulate lots of mixed-income homes for a relatively small investment. Will partisan ideology stand in the way of its spread?
Dissecting Mayor Mamdani’s veto message on legislation relating to protests at educational institutions
Both parts that ring true and parts that ring false raise issues of concern. At the same time, any claims on the Council side that the legislation would materially change police procedure are without basis. Did Speaker Menin have a more subtle, supplemental motive in pushing the legislation?
A regular assault
This is not a story of a “horrific murder.” It is not even the story of an “especially vicious” assault. It didn’t happen in the subway; there was no “gunplay” involved.
It’s just what I guess you would call a regular assault on a 75-year-old woman, apparently for having told two people to clean up after their (unleashed) dogs.
It’s just what I guess you would call a regular assault on a 75-year-old woman, apparently for having told two people to clean up after their (unleashed) dogs.
Social housing coming to Seattle this year
Seattle is the only city in America attempting to recreate a Vienna-style social housing program. In an extended interview, Seattle Social Housing Developer's interim CEO discusses the authority's acquisition and construction plans, as well as many unresolved governance and financial questions.
The budget fight that is not being had
Neither side of City Hall appears willing to engage in serious exploration of triage despite a federal administration unrelentingly hostile to cities (especially blue ones), let alone willing to take the politically difficult steps necessary to achieve excellence in delivery of city services.
With IRS enforcement down, state and local tax revenues could suffer, too
More cheating on federal tax returns would flow through to state and local returns, but state and local officials don't seem to have the potential problem on their radar. Former Chair of New York City Council Finance Committee: it's "smart to start thinking about it."
NYC DOE: But our deal with the devil will be a good one
Jargon-ridden and light on genuine reflection, NYC Department of Education’s initial guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in the public schools augers a new frontier for strategic failure in a system long plagued by meager vision and reactive leadership.
Renewing the fight for accessibility in NYC: CCHR + DOB + HPD + DOT
Despite having the strongest law in the country, barriers to accessibility for people with mobility impairments have been allowed to persist in New York City for far too long. There's an easy toool that the Mamdani administration can use to help begin a real crackdown.
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From earlier this year
Dissecting Mayor Mamdani’s veto message on legislation relating to protests at educational institutions
Both parts that ring true and parts that ring false raise issues of concern. At the same time, any claims on the Council side that the legislation would materially change police procedure are without basis. Did Speaker Menin have a more subtle, supplemental motive in pushing the legislation?
Major capital improvements in rent-regulated buildings: still landlord-friendly
The element of the system that has not been getting much attention is how landlords of rent-regulated apartments recoup costs for major capital improvements (MCIs) — things like new roofs, boilers, windows, plumbing, and electrical wiring.
Three housing pilots Mamdani should jump on (and be judged by)
Let's put together a wider range of tools and prove that they can work.
From the archives
Market-rate condos as an affordable housing tool?
Legislation recently enacted by New York State as part of its budget process directly offers the prospect of preserving several thousand affordable housing units at risk for losing their tenant protections, and indirectly raises the question of why an obvious set of tools aren’t being used to change the day-to-day reality of luxury condominium buildings being developed with zero percent affordable units included.
Did Paul Clement play it straight?
Assigned by the presiding judge in the Mayor Adams case to grapple with issues raised by alleged improper conduct by DOJ in seeking dismissal, former Solicitor General appears to falsely pretend that "all roads" lead to a dismissal with prejudice (and not denial of leave to dismiss). We annotate the brief and ask you to consider: did Clement fairly make his case?
Federal employment adjusted for population tells a different story
Even before any Trump or GOP Congress cuts this year, overall executive branch civilian employment as adjusted for population is materially down from its peak.
Hochul's "Pro-Housing Community" program so far falling flat
A large percentage of municipalities in Westchester and Nassau Counties — two of the beating hearts of exclusionary zoning in the New York City metropolitan area — are saying in effect, “No, thank you, we like our exclusion just the way we have it.” The lack of progress is especially apparent in municipalities with the lowest percentages of non-Hispanic Black residents.
How white is Medicaid in Trump country?
Medicaid cuts, which could result in millions of Americans across the country losing health coverage, may appear politically palatable to those who subscribe to deeply-held stereotypes about Medicaid recipients (and all recipients of state-administered “welfare” programs): they are mostly Black and generally live largely in urban centers. But look at what the data say.