City Hall – The New York City Council on Tuesday will vote to create an Office of Diversity and Inclusion within the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). The Council will also vote to require DCAS to study and report on diversity within city agencies.

In addition, the Council will vote to create a task force to study and make recommendations on Department of Education spending and school funding

The Council will also vote on legislation to clarify the format in which data is present in City reports.

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“The disturbing video of New York Police Department (NYPD) officers arresting Jazmine Headley and prying her son from her arms speaks for itself. However, the problems with this incident are hardly isolated to the NYPD. It is unacceptable that Human Resources Administration (HRA) has such little capacity to handle its core functions that folks seeking their assistance must sit on the floor with their children while waiting for an appointment.

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New York, NY – Council Speaker Corey Johnson, on behalf of the New York City Council, submitted a public comment to oppose changes to the public charge rule proposed by the Trump Administration. If the proposal is enacted, it would bar many immigrants who access services from getting a green card or a visa, and it could lead to more poverty and homelessness in New York City.

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New York, NY – New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, and Council Member Margaret S. Chin announced a joint lawsuit to force public review of three proposed development sites in Manhattan’s Two Bridges neighborhood. The Council and Borough President Brewer are suing the City, the Department of City Planning and its Director, the City Planning Commission and its Chair, and the Department of Buildings to stop construction on the site until the proposal goes through the public review process it legally requires.

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New York, NY – New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Council Member Margaret S. Chin issued the below statements following the City Planning Commission’s vote to approve three proposed development projects in Manhattan’s Two Bridges neighborhood.

“Today’s decision to permit the construction of close to 3,000 units of housing – as many housing units as are being produced by neighborhood re-zonings – even though there are significant environmental impacts to schools, open space, transportation and on and on without City Council review undermines the very basic notions of public process laid out in the City Charter and has no precedent,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. 

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City Hall – The New York City Council on Wednesday will vote on a package of legislation aimed at protecting voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals and persons sentenced to probation by mandating that such individuals be given written notice of their voting rights. Additionally, the council will require that a voter assistance guide be created and distributed to advise formerly incarcerated individuals on their voting rights.

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During Transgender Awareness Week, the Council announces historic funding of two brand-new Council Initiatives: LGBT Community Services and Trans Equity Programs

 The Trans Equity Program is the first Council initiative solely benefiting the transgender community.

 Queens, NY – New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the Council’s Finance Committee Chair Daniel Dromm on Thursday announced $3.8 million of Council allocations in Fiscal Year 2019, for LGBTQ initiatives across the city.

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City Hall – The New York City Council on Wednesday will vote on a package of bills to help the for-hire vehicle industry, including legislation that will require a task force to study taxicab medallion values, financial education for drivers, driver assistance centers and the creation of an Office of Inclusion to address issues of racism and discrimination.

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This call follows Council oversight and recommendations on the programs and the Independent Budget Office’s newly released report examining the necessity of the programs granting tax breaks to commercial properties

City Hall, NY – New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the Council’s Finance Committee Chair Daniel Dromm called for the phase-out of the City’s Commercial Revitalization Program (CRP) and Commercial Expansions Program (CEP).

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“I am saddened, but not surprised, at reports of illegal hotel activity operating in the Atelier condominiums in my district. The sheer size of this operation – with 27 notices of violations in this building alone – shows how endemic this problem is and how necessary the Council legislation passed in July is to protect our housing stock.

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