City Marks Third Anniversary of Hurricane Ida with Updates on Flood and Resiliency Infrastructure Upgrades

On September 9, 2024, Mayor Eric Adams celebrated milestones in public infrastructure projects across the five boroughs, including sewer system upgrades and investments. These projects protect New Yorkers’ property and improve New Yorkers; safety in the face of climate change by implementing flood preparedness. This announcement is timely for the third anniversary of Hurricane Ida which brought the heaviest rainfall in New York City’s recorded history and resulted in thirteen deaths.


DEP Appoints New Borough Commissioners for the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island

On August 12, 2024, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection appointed three Borough Commissioners for the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The Borough Commissioners will serve as chief liaisons for elected officials, stakeholders, and community members to address environmental issues within each borough. They will also help oversee the advancement of capital projects, the monitoring of air and noise issues, and working with local, state and federal agencies as needed. 


NY Elections, Census and Redistricting Update 07/08/24

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Jeff Wice and Alexis Marking

VOTING RIGHTS

Attorney General To Intervene in Cheektowaga Voting Rights Act Challenge

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has informed the Erie County State Supreme Court that her office will intervene in the state voting rights act challenge filed against the Town of Cheektowaga over town board vote dilution. In that case, the town is challenging the constitutionality of the New York … <Read More>


NY Elections, Census and Redistricting Update 07/01/24

 

REDISTRICTING

Orange County Legislature Fails to Advance New Map

The Orange County Legislature failed to advance three county legislative draft maps to the public hearing stage after a meeting on July 26th lost its quorum of legislators necessary to move the maps to the next stage.  The county needs to have a new map in place before petitioning for the 2025 primary gets underway next year.


DEP Announces Drainage and Green Infrastructure for Five City Playgrounds

On April 17, 2024, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced that construction has commenced on the five new Green Infrastructure playgrounds at schools in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The playgrounds are designed to absorb more than 3.5 million gallons of stormwater every year to curb runoff that floods nearby streets and overwhelms local sewer systems in addition to polluting the East River.


Parks and CUNY Announce Initial Findings of Positive Impacts of Community Parks Initiative Investments

On January 23, 2024, the Parks Department and the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy shared the findings of a large-scale study of the public health impacts of the Community Parks Initiative. The Community Parks Initiative is an equity-based investment program to build and renovate parks, infrastructure, and community programming in underserved neighborhoods. The program, which launched in 2014, has improved 65 parks citywide, with another 22 projects <Read More>