On July 14, 2022, the City Council voted in favor of creating an Office of the Utility Advocate. The new office will receive communications from utility customers, conduct outreach, and represent customer interests at public hearings like utility rate cases. For CityLand‘s prior coverage of this legislation, click here.
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COMPLETE VIDEO: 181st CityLaw Breakfast with Greg Russ, NYCHA Chair and CEO – 7/14 9 AM
Today, July 14, 2022, Greg Russ, the Chair and CEO of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), spoke at the 181st CityLaw Breakfast. Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law provided opening remarks. Dean and President of New York Law School Anthony W. Crowell had a closing discussion with Chair Russ. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the fifteenth virtual CityLaw Breakfast as … <Read More>
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>
Assault Rifles and The Impact of New York State’s SAFE Act (REPRINTED FROM 2018)
***THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY RAN FOUR YEARS AGO IN CITYLAW*** The SAFE Act, the acronym for the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act – New York State’s January, 2013 omnibus gun control law – provides an excellent opportunity to assess the potential impact of maximally politically feasible gun control, an exercise all the more relevant in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas. The SAFE Act did not have to be negotiated or compromised. … <Read More>
LPC Celebrates LGBTQ+ Landmarks with Interactive Story Map
Released in honor of pride month, the story map features significant places like the Stonewall Inn. On June 16, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced the launch of “Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Landmarks”. This interactive story map highlights individual landmarks designated by LPC for their significant contributions to LGBTQ+ cultural and civil rights movements.
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>