Landmarks Chair testified that changes could be better promulgated through agency rule-making rather than by legislative fiat. On September 9, 2015 the City Council held a hearing on two potential bills that would alter the Landmarks Law section of the Administrative Code. The hearing drew a crowd that filled the main Council chamber, with over 100 people filling out forms to testify on the proposals.
Council Member Helen Rosenthal
Council Hears Testimony on Amendment to Noise Control Code
Proposed law would restrict activities conducted on construction sites located in close proximity to a school while classes are being held. On June 25, 2015, the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection held a public hearing on Intro 420, which would restrict the level of permissible noise emitted from construction sites located within 75 feet of either a public or private school. The proposed law would prohibit construction noise above 45 decibels during normal … <Read More>
City Council Holds Oversight Hearing on 421-a Program
HPD Commissioner Been, others testify on effectiveness of the program. On January 29, 2015 the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings held an oversight hearing on the 421-a tax benefit program. The program, established in 1971 by the New York State Legislature, was designed to spur residential development of underused land by granting a property tax reduction to developers for a period of ten to twenty-five years, with an objective of increasing affordable housing … <Read More>
City Council Holds Oversight Hearing on Short-Term Rentals
Eight-hour hearing covered testimony from supporters and opponents of short-term rental businesses. On January 20, 2015, the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings held an oversight hearing on the effects of short-term rentals on New York City’s economy and neighborhoods. Over the course of eight hours, the committee heard testimony from independent tenants, representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, the home-sharing website Airbnb, owners of local bed-and-breakfasts, and members of … <Read More>
Community Opposition Voiced Against Lucerne-Adjacent Development
Consensus by Commissioners that proposed sixteen-story building is too tall for site currently hosting four-story structure. On July 22, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered a project at 203 West 79th Street in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District. The proposal called for the demolition of the existing building at the site, where four 19th-century rowhouses were combined into one building with a contemporary facade in the 1970s. The new building would rise … <Read More>
Call for a Senior Housing Task Force
The shortage of affordable housing is felt in every corner of our City. Reasonably priced options are elusive– jeopardizing many residents’ personal security and eradicating diversity from our communities. Our rapidly growing population of elderly New Yorkers is especially vulnerable; seniors face unique challenges at a time when stability is paramount.