Kletter currently serves as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Appointments where she oversees and coordinates candidate recruitment, sourcing, and vetting. On March 13, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joni Kletter as Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
Mayor Bill de Blasio
Non-Essential Construction in the City is Suspended Due to COVID-19 Emergency
All construction permits will need to be active and renewed during the suspension period. On March 30, 2020, the Department of Buildings announced that all work on non-essential construction and demolition sites is suspended for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Buildings made the decision to suspend such construction and demolition following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s amended executive order and the Empire State Development Corporation’s guidelines. The executive order, which required non-essential businesses … <Read More>
City Offers Payment Plans and Deferral Programs for Property Tax Payments
Department of Finance looks to ease tax burden on homeowners through deferment programs and suspension of the annual tax lien sale. On March 24, 2020, the Department of Finance announced several measures intended to assist property owners with their tax payments amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. With unprecedented unemployment rates, many throughout the city will have difficulty paying their taxes come the close of the fiscal quarter and going forward. Each of the following programs is … <Read More>
UPDATED: Parks Department Closes Some Facilities, Mayor and Governor Announce Rule Changes in Coronavirus Response
Team sports are prohibited and recreation centers are currently closed to the public, but parks remain open. City and State governments continue the fight to control the spread of the coronavirus, instituting policies to encourage and enable as many people to stay at home as possible. Understanding the challenges of asking citizens to spend as much time as possible indoors as the weather continues to improve, the City aimed to keep City parks open as … <Read More>
Borough Based Jails Set to Take First Steps in 2020
The City wastes little time in efforts to shutter Rikers Island and get construction across the boroughs started. Since the latter half of November, the City announced three major developments in the Borough-Based Jails plan. Each announcement is discussed in further detail below. To read more about Borough-Based Jails, read Cityland’s prior coverage here.
Council Subcommittee Approves Phased Construction Plan for East Side Coastal Resiliency Project
Despite the project’s phased construction schedule, concerns with the project still exist among elected officials and community members. On November 4, 2019, the City Council Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting, and Dispositions approved two land use applications for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, the City’s flood protection plan for Lower Manhattan. The Project will include a system of floodgates and walls along the project area, sewage improvements, and will elevate East River Park … <Read More>