Heard Around Town
Policy
‘Breaking point:’ NYC deputy mayor urges state and federal action on migrant influx
Anne Williams-Isom couldn’t emphasize enough that city leaders are running out of options.
Policy
Policy
Socialist legislators back bill to block New York charities from funding Israeli settlements
Many Democrats condemned the legislation, and leaders of both the state Senate and Assembly promised that it would never receive a vote.
Policy
Policy
New York City is desperate to find more space to house asylum seekers
Mayor Adams issued an executive order suspending the land use review process to create more shelters quickly, prompting criticism from the City Council.
Policy
Policy
NYC gets leg up on housing plan in state budget, despite setbacks
New York City Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz talks about how aligned the city and Albany are on affordable housing goals.
Policy
Policy
White House still mum on Hochul’s most recent plea for migrant assistance
As county leaders ring the alarm bells about the migrant crisis, the governor said the president has not yet responded to a letter she sent on Friday.
Policy
Policy
NYC health commissioner: 'COVID-19 is here to stay'
New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan asked for help in informing New Yorkers about existing tools to fight COVID-19, as some free ones vanish.
Affordable Housing Special Report
Policy
Kathy Hochul has a year to build a YIMBY coalition
The need for more housing persists, and all is not lost in the effort to make major changes to New York’s housing landscape.
Affordable Housing Special Report
Policy
Without state action, Eric Adams’ housing goal is just a dream
“It impacts all of us,” the New York City mayor said of state lawmakers’ negotiations on housing.
Affordable Housing Special Report
Policy
Hochul wants to pass a housing package on her own terms
Rather than accepting a compromise, the governor would rather push for a better deal next year.
Policy
Policy
Emma Stone-backed child harassment bill sparks First Amendment, youth incarceration concerns
Legislation backed by the Oscar winner would make recording children in public without parents’ consent a misdemeanor in New York punishable by up to a year in prison.
Immigration
Policy
Adams’ order suspending some right-to-shelter protections called premature, illegal
You might expect city leaders to present a united front to face this crisis, but that’s not the case.
Immigration
Policy
New York City shelters are backlogged because of a lack of long-term housing
The Adams administration is struggling to place new asylum-seekers because few people are exiting emergency centers.
Education
Policy
Adrienne Adams and advocates lay out plan for strengthening early childhood programs
The City Council Speaker called the system managed by the Department of Education “broken”
Campaigns & Elections
Policy
Two bills aim to clean up future campaign messes
Lawmakers’ campaigns wouldn’t get public dollars for spending on legal defenses, and lobbyists for nominees would have to disclose their donors under two pieces of legislation being considered in New York.
Policy
Policy
Low-income New Yorkers’ demand for cash assistance grows amid application backlog
Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said that the agency is focused on hiring to help meet demand.
Budget
Policy
The budget is finally finished. Here are the issues left to tackle this session.
Housing, criminal justice and transgender health care are all on the docket for New York lawmakers and advocates.
Policy
Policy
In New York, Narcan is becoming a household name
Lawmakers have worked to increase access to the opioid overdose reversal drug as thousands continue to die every year from overdoses.
Criminal Justice
Policy
A (not so) brief guide to New York’s bail reform evolution
Highly technical modifications to the state’s criminal procedure law have become a symbol of “soft on crime” policies and derailed negotiations over multiple budgets.
Policy
Policy
Attorney General James proposes bill regulating crypto industry
The CRPTO Act would require crypto exchanges to publish audited financial statements and prohibit them from lending out their customers' funds.
Transportation
Policy