NYC Community Boards Adapt to Virtual Operations

Community Boards working to stay optimistic through adversity. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shut down non-essential business throughout the state. The order effectively hamstrung the physical operation of many governmental and administrative offices. Community Boards, the closest representative body of a City district, have generally completed their many responsibilities through public assembly. Responsibilities include land use and zoning review, and other general community concerns such as traffic or deteriorating … <Read More>


Council Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Grand Ave and Pacific St Rezoning

Council Member Cumbo applauds Community Board for involvement in zoning process. On February 12, 2020, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing on EMP Capital Group’s rezoning on the northeast and southeast corners of Grand Ave and Pacific Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The rezoning would facilitate the construction of a nine-story mixed use development on the northeast corner at 979-985 Pacific Street. Read CityLand’s prior coverage of this rezoning … <Read More>


Landmarks Awards Five Grants to Repair Protected Properties

Recipients in all five boroughs received anywhere from $10,000 to $35,000 to restore, repair or rehabilitate the facades of their buildings. On January 16, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) awarded five grants to low and moderate-income homeowners and nonprofits to offset the cost of repairs to their landmarked properties as part of the Historic Preservation Grant Program. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant … <Read More>



Approval of Alteration – UPDATE: Case on Appeal

The owners of the Dean Sage Mansion in Crown Heights North Historic District sought to build addition to the 1870’s mansion. In the mid-nineteenth century the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn underwent suburban development of freestanding villas. Today, only a few of the Sturgis villas remain, one of which is the Dean Sage Mansion at 839 St. Mark’s Avenue, a rare High Gothic style mansion built in 1870 by architect Russell Sturgis. The Mansion, which … <Read More>


Mayor’s Office Expands Free Legal Help to Fight Evictions

The expansion provides free legal assistance for tenants in five additional ZIP codes. On December 13, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced an expansion of the Right to Counsel program that provides free legal assistance to New Yorkers fighting eviction. The Right to Counsel program, implemented by a ZIP code by ZIP code approach, will be expanded to five more ZIP codes across the City.