City Council Holds Hearing for Creation of “One-Stop Shop NYC Business Portal”

The New York City Council Committee on Small Business held a public hearing on a proposed digital portal to centralize the information and paperwork necessary to open and run a small business. On June 9, 2022,  the New York City Council’s Committee on Small Business held a public hearing on a proposed bill that would require the City to create and maintain the, “One-Stop Shop NYC Business Portal.” The Portal would be an on-line hub … <Read More>



HPD Celebrates Grand Opening of 100 Percent Affordable Housing Development in Cypress Hills

The mixed-use, nine-story “50 Penn” building in Brooklyn will provide both housing and additional supports. On June 9, 2022, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC), developer PennRose, and the Riseboro Community Partnership celebrated the grand opening of the “50 Penn” housing development in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. The 218-unit building addresses key priorities in the East New York Neighborhood Plan, such as affordable housing and access to … <Read More>


Zoning for Housing Opportunity Amendment Aims to Address City’s Housing Shortage

Still in its early stages, Mayor Adams’ proposed zoning text amendment aims to increase affordable housing in the city. On June 1, 2022, Mayor Adams announced his “City of Yes” plan consisting of three citywide zoning text amendments. One of these initiatives, “Zoning for Housing Opportunity,” addresses the city’s housing shortage. Although the text amendment has not yet been drafted, Mayor Adams listed four key housing proposals in his announcement.


Changes to Open Meetings Law Enable Hybrid Meetings But Present Ongoing Challenges

Community boards often do not have the same resources as City agencies to have hybrid hearings. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many changes on how state and city governments conducted business, including public hearings. New York’s Open Meetings Law was originally designed to promote transparency, requiring hearings to be held in person and open to the public, with notice about how to participate. After meetings went virtual due to the pandemic, discussions began about <Read More>


Government Leaders and Key Sponsors Celebrate Rebuilding of Crotona Park Soccer Field in the Bronx

The refurbished field will also be the site of ongoing youth soccer programming supported by the project’s sponsor, the UAE embassy. On Friday, May 20, 2022, the NYC Parks Department celebrated completion of the refurbishment of the Crotona Park soccer field in the Crotona Park East neighborhood of the Bronx. The project was originally announced by NYC Parks and Congress Member Ritchie Torres on December 7, 2021.