As the initiative’s founding director, Dawson will serve as the primary liaison between SBS, other city agencies, and key stakeholders. On October 12, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams and Small Business Commissioner Kevin Kim announced the appointment of Dasheeda Dawson as founding director of the City’s new Cannabis NYC initiative. For CityLand’s previous coverage of the Cannabis NYC initiative, click here.

Cutting-edge improvements to environmental consciousness and efficiency come only 20 years after New York schools stop burning coal. On October 28, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $4 billion investment in school upgrades, conversions, and retrofits to phase out the use of No. 4 heating oil in more than 200 schools across the five boroughs. The plan, dubbed “Leading the Charge,” will contribute significantly to the City’s goals of 50 percent carbon emission reduction by … <Read More>

Kavanagh is the first woman to serve as Commissioner of the Fire Department. On October 27, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams swore in Laura Kavanagh as commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). With years of prior experience at the FDNY, most recently as acting fire commissioner, Kavanagh will oversee the department’s 17,000 employees and $2 billion budget.

The two City Council measures will create a small business portal and require additional commercial property registration, respectively. On October 18, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams signed two bills, Intro 116 and Intro 383, to promote the city’s economic recovery. Intro 116 will help small business owners with City administrative needs and Intro 383 provides the city with more data about the extent of commercial vacancies citywide.

Through federal grant funding, the City will turn underused existing infrastructure into hubs for food deliveristas. On October 3, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a first-of-its-kind hub program for NYC’s 65,000 food delivery workers. The “Street Deliveristas Hubs” program will create safe places for delivery workers to seek shelter from the elements and charge both their electric bicycles and cell phones.

The Mayor’s office has invested $23 million across three acres of NYCHA open space. On September 14, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams, the Parks Department, and the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced a pilot program to invest in nearly three acres of NYCHA open spaces, including playgrounds, across six housing developments. Three of these developments are located in Queens, two in the Bronx, and one in Brooklyn.