On February 8, 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park announced the Affordable Housing Services (AHS) initiative that will serve to create 1,500 permanent affordable homes. The homes created under AHS will specifically aid New Yorkers who are exiting the shelter system with City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) vouchers. In addition to the launch of AHS today, DSS has … <Read More>
Search Results for: Eviction
COMMENTARY: Creating Social Housing in the Sky
By Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Senator Cordell Cleare
The next innovation in the pursuit of permanently affordable housing for New Yorkers can be found amongst the glistening luxury high-rise condominiums. These high-rise condominium complexes will also include the next wave of cooperatively-owned and community-controlled affordable homeownership opportunities in New York City — social housing in the sky — if our bill, the recently updated Martin Act amendment (S3566A/A6921A), becomes law.
Council Announces New Committee Appointments
On January 18, 2024, the City Council released the new committee appointments following the start of the new session.
For land use related and adjacent committees, the appointments are as follows:
City Continues Push in Crackdown Against Illegal Smoke Shops
On November 27, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the City’s latest efforts in the push against illegal smoke shops citywide. The New York City Sheriff’s Office Joint Compliance Task Force to Address Illegal Smoke contacts landlords and owners whose tenants have previously received violations for selling tobacco or cannabis products without a proper license. The task force consists of the Sheriff’s Office, the NYPD, and the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement.
City Launches Live Operator Tenant Hotline
The live helpline replaces the former helpline where tenants left messages and received callbacks. On July 17, 2023, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU) launched a live operator Tenant Helpline to better assist tenants experiencing housing crises. The new live call system will be a critical resource for New Yorkers facing eviction, harassment, or unacceptable living conditions and represents PEU’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving tenant support structures established during the pandemic.
Council Passes Bill for More Data on Families With Children in Shelters
On February 2, 2023, the New York City Council approved Local Law 26, which would more closely monitor the status of the City’s most vulnerable families—those who live in shelters. The new law was originally introduced in 2022 by Council Member Kevin C. Riley as Introduction 421. Local Law 26 now requires the NYC Department of Homeless Services to report more regularly on the status of families with children living in shelters.