Ten of thirteen items brought to a final disposition were designated by Landmarks and will proceed to City Council for ratification. On December 13, 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission made its final dispositive votes on items prioritized for designation in the commission’s Backlog Initiative, with one exception. The initiative, began in 2015, sought to address the backlog of designation items that had been added to the commission’s calendar before 2001 but never brought to … <Read More>
Search Results for: Rent Regulation
Civil Rights Laws in New York: Strength in a Time of Change
Following the Presidential election and reports of increased discriminatory harassment, many Americans have expressed concerns that the federal government may weaken its enforcement of civil rights laws. For those of us who live, work or attend school in New York, it is important to know and to enforce the strong civil rights protections that exist under New York City and New York State law.
Both New York State and New York City have enacted Human … <Read More>
City Council Members Berate Applicant for Withdrawing MIH Commitment; Deny Application
The proposal would allow for the construction of a new ten-unit, four-story residential development on a vacant Brooklyn lot. On December 12, 2016, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises heard testimony on an application for the rezoning of three lots at 14–18 Carroll Street, in the Columbia Street Waterfront District neighborhood in Brooklyn Community District 6. The developer proposed the construction a ten-unit residential building on three vacant lots, totaling 6,229 square feet … <Read More>
The Impact of the 2016 Amendments to the Ethics Laws
On August 24, 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Chapter 286 of the Laws of 2016 which amends the State’s ethics laws. The legislation is not a transformational game changer in the ethics arena, but does make significant changes in the State’s laws. The new law vests the Attorney General with authority to disclose sources of funding for various not-for-profit entities, expands the disclosure of all sources of funding by those engaging in lobbying, and codifies … <Read More>
City Council Subcommittee Chided EDC over Downtown Brooklyn Development [UPDATE: Committee Approves Application With Conditions]
Subcommittee raised concerns about the aggregate effect the mass development of Downtown Brooklyn will have on school resources. On October 5, 2016, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises heard testimony on an application to construct a new 49-story mixed-use building at 141 Willoughby Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The site is a triangular-shaped zoning lot bounded by Flatbush Avenue Extension, Willoughby Street and Gold Street. Currently the space is occupied by a three-story private … <Read More>
Report Identifies Flaws in DOB’s Auditing of Professionally Certified Applications
Comptroller’s audit found that Buildings generally implemented adequate controls over construction permit applications, but issued three recommendations to ensure public safety. On June 17, 2016, the Officer of the Comptroller Scott Stringer released a report of an audit conducted on the Department of Buildings’ processing of construction permits. The audit determined that Buildings’ controls for the processing of application were implemented consistently, that there were appropriate separation of duties, and an adequate application tracking system. … <Read More>