City Council Members and Citywide Officials formally endorse Home Stability Support legislation. On November 22, 2016, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James and thirty members of the City Council formally endorsed the promulgation of the Home Stability Support program. The announcement was made at an afternoon press conference and rally on the steps of City Hall. The event was co-hosted by the Public Advocate and Council Member Grodenchick, and included speeches by Council Members … <Read More>
Search Results for: Legislation
Council Members Denounce HPD Efforts Against Predatory Equity
City Council Members seek to strengthen tenant protections from predatory equity landlords. On October 31, 2016, City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings held a five-hour public hearing on a complement of five bills, two of which related to predatory equity.
Since the mid-2000s and largely due to the housing bubble, predatory equity has become a metastasis on the New York City housing market. The predatory equity get-rich-scheme works as thus: private investment money is … <Read More>
City Council Committee Searches for Green Roof Standards and Impetus
City Council’s good faith attempt to provide standards for green roofs falls short. On October 28, 2016, the City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection held a hearing regarding Introduction 0835-2015, which would amend the building code to establish standards for the selection, installation and maintenance of plants for green roof systems. The proposed legislation would incorporate into the building code a manual by the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM E 2400, which … <Read More>
City Council Member Seeks End-Run Around Lawsuit Against Mayor de Blasio
A City Council Member submitted legislation to enact the very relief he is currently seeking from the courts. On October 13, 2016, City Council Member Rory I. Lancman, representative for the 24th council district in Queens, introduced legislation which would amend the City’s Administrative Code regarding local representation on park conservancy boards. The proposed law would require that every non-profit conservancy entity have a voting member on its board of directors designated by each council … <Read More>
City Council Subcommittee Hears Testimony on East Houston Street Rezoning
The proposal seeks to re-zone two and a half residential blocks from solely residential to mixed-use with ground floor commercial space. On August 9, 2016, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises heard testimony on an application to re-zone residential space to provide for mixed residential and commercial space for two-and-a-half blocks on the south side of Houston Street, spanning from Norfolk Street to halfway between Clinton Street and Attorney Street, located on the … <Read More>
New Bill by Council Member Gentile Takes Aim at Illegal Home Conversions
Proposal imposes steep fines on bad actors, and helps Buildings inspectors gain premises access. On June 21, 2016, New York City Council Members Vincent J. Gentile, Jumaane D. Williams, and Barry S. Grodenchik introduced legislation that would impose high penalties on bad actor landlords and equip the Department of Buildings with means to gain entry into suspected illegal conversion sites. This bill was developed with the support of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, after a … <Read More>