New York City Council

“New York City will always be a welcoming and safe harbor for people seeking asylum, who deserve to be treated with care, dignity, and compassion. Unfortunately, our City continues to shoulder the significant bulk and cost of this humanitarian response, which is unfair and unsustainable without the necessary funding from all levels of government. Despite the City’s $350 million request, FEMA’s initial grant provides a paltry $30.5 million, which is not anywhere close to enough to cover the cost of assistance for asylum seekers.

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“While it is relieving that the Rent Guidelines Board did not vote for a range anywhere near the 16% increase under discussion, the approved preliminary ranges still represent potential rent increases that most New Yorkers cannot afford to absorb. At a time when the City faces a housing crisis and affordability remains out of reach for too many, the board must recognize the immense economic strains that these rent increases would have on tenants.

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“Jordan Neely was a New Yorker, a son, and a performer, and he should still be alive. My heart and condolences are with his loved ones during this difficult time. His killing at the hands of a fellow passenger and the responses to this violence that took his life have been not only tragic but difficult to absorb. Racism that continues to permeate throughout our society allows for a level of dehumanization that denies Black people from being recognized as victims when subjected to acts of violence.

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“Tonight’s Rent Guidelines Board vote on a preliminary range of rent increases takes place against the backdrop of a citywide housing and affordability crisis, where median rents have skyrocketed to their highest levels. Just last week, a report found that over three quarters of renting households cannot meet the true cost of living, underscoring the urgency and severity of this crisis.

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Council also voted to increase installation of traffic calming devices and transparency on traffic crash studies, mandate NYPD officer training on autism, require homeless bill of rights, and permit electronic payments for city’s rental assistance programs

City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council approved a package of bills to better protect New Yorkers from preventable traffic violence by mandating new street safety infrastructure interventions to protect seniors, children, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

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“This is a critical moment. Our city’s future and continued economic recovery hinges on how we invest in New Yorkers and the essential services they rely on to succeed. It is an undeniable reality that our city agencies responsible for delivering services to New Yorkers are struggling to fulfill their obligations due to chronic understaffing and inadequate support. This only undermines our recovery and the stability of our neighborhoods as New Yorkers struggle to remain in an increasingly unaffordable city.

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Roadmap focuses on expanding community-based preventive care, strengthening mental health workforce, confronting intersections with justice system, and improving public awareness and interagency coordination

City Hall, NY – Today, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction Committee Chair Linda Lee and Majority Leader Keith Powers unveiled the Council’s Mental Health Roadmap, a plan focused on addressing existing challenges in the City’s mental healthcare landscape and strengthening the infrastructure and investments in evidence-based solutions to improve mental health outcomes for New Yorkers.

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“The NYPD’s unilateral dismissal of one of the substantiated misconduct charges against Officers Thompson and Davis just days before their trial for killing Kawaski Trawick is an outrageous subversion of civilian oversight for police misconduct. It bypasses and undermines the established process of a scheduled disciplinary trial for actions that led to the killing of a New Yorker. The Trawick family has waited years for accountability, and this is just the latest example of NYPD seeking to impede.

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“Today is a historic day for New York, as the Honorable Rowan D. Wilson has been confirmed to become New York’s first Black Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. His elevation to Chief Judge will help balance our court at the highest level towards equity and progress. I thank Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the State Senate for their work on this consequential appointment.”

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Council also voted to require full disclosure of fees for event tickets; establish baby changing stations in park restrooms; prohibit sale of guinea pigs in pet shops; and create more accessible telemedicine  

City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council approved several bills that are crucial to the ongoing fight against climate change.

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