The City’s Planning Department withdraws its proposal to increase contributions to the Theater Fund, which supports local, off-Broadway theater productions. On February 27, 2017, the Department of Planning withdrew its application to raise the contribution rate for air rights sales within Manhattan’s Special Theater Subdistrict right before the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee was set to vote on the issue. The proposed text amendment would have instituted a higher contribution rate, established a floor sale price, … <Read More>
City Council
Committee Hears Testimony from DOB on 21 Pieces of Construction Safety Legislation
Housing Committee hears testimony on 21 pieces of legislation to address 30 deaths at construction sites in past two years, including requiring apprenticeship training citywide. On January 31, 2017, the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings heard testimony on a large package of bills concerning construction safety in New York City. Chair Jumaane Williams began the eight-hour long hearing by reading the names of the 30 workers that lost their lives in construction accidents … <Read More>
City Council to Hear Testimony on Three New Harlem Developments
The City Planning Commission approved three new affordable housing projects; City Council schedules hearing. On February 1, 2017, the City Planning Commission adopted favorable reports for three Department of Housing Preservation and Development applications to dispose of city-owned properties in order to facilitate three new housing developments in Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood. Each development will contain varying levels of affordability under HPD loan structures. The City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning has scheduled a public hearing on … <Read More>
Three-Quarter Housing: Council Seeks to Address Blight [UPDATE: City Council Approves Legislation]
UPDATE: On February 1, 2017, the City Council voted 47-0 to approve four bills that would help protect tenants of three-quarter houses in New York City. During the vote, Council Member Donovan Richards called three-quarter houses a wide spread problem that would not be cured by the bills and that the City would need to track progress on the issue to determine future responses. Council Member Ritchie Torres called predatory operators of three-quarter houses the … <Read More>
Property Tax Lien Sale Program Extended by City Council
The City’s Lien Sale Program has been extended another four years with some minor modifications. A lien is a legal claim against a property for unpaid property taxes, water, sewer or other property charges. When the property owner has been delinquent for a specified period of time, the City is allowed to sell the liens to an authorized third party. The new purchaser then has the authority to collect the money that was previously owed … <Read More>
Roosevelt Tramway Refranchised After Twenty-Two Years Without Contract
The Franchises Subcommittee voted to approve a new franchise agreement for the Roosevelt Island Tram at the request of the Mayor’s Office. On January 5, 2017, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted 5-0 to approve a resolution granting a new franchise for the Roosevelt Island Aerial Tramway to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. The tramway is an icon of New York City tourism and has been featured in several films such as … <Read More>