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News of the Week

NYC Was Set to Crack Down on Voucher Discrimination, But its Enforcement Teams Keep Shrinking
New York City agencies tasked with investigating source of income (SOI) discrimination against renters are being forced to do more with less after hiring freezes, resignations and budget cuts whittled down their already overburdened enforcement units.

Under New Law, NYCHA Tenants Can Log Maintenance Complaints with 311. But Advocates Want More Substantial Changes
“It’s time to acknowledge that NYCHA residents are an integral part of the city. Like other tenants, they should be entitled to full access to the city’s code enforcement system,” said one housing policy analyst calling for NYCHA tenants to have access to city building inspectors.

Two Months After Fatal Twin Parks Fire, a Fresh Start for One Tenant

A housing complex in Melrose has emerged as a new home for dozens of tenants displaced by January’s deadly Bronx fire. At least 29 households have so far signed leases at the building, and another 44 are expected to soon. Among the new residents: Mark Smith, who says he lost all his possessions in the Twin Parks blaze.

Boosting New York City’s Booster Rate
A lawmaker is calling for the city to automatically schedule vaccination appointments for New Yorkers who’ve been fully inoculated against COVID-19, but have yet to get a booster shot. Only 36 percent of city residents have gotten the additional dose so far.

“Living in NYCHA today, you don’t know what to expect.”

--Kasey Colding, a resident of Red Hook Houses West, part of one of the oldest New York City Housing Authority developments.

City Views

Opinions and Analysis on Policy and Politics

Opinion: Revitalizing Bronx Restaurants is Key to NYC’s Pandemic Recovery
'The recovery of New York City as a whole is only possible when it is inclusive of all neighborhoods, including ones like mine in The Bronx that suffered some of the worst effects of the pandemic.'

Opinion: New York Lawmakers Must Support Future Generations of Immigrant Students and Workers
'Immigrants are forced to live in a system with arbitrary restrictions that discourage us from advancing our education, obtaining a stable career, and providing for our families. All the while, our community is continuously relied upon as key drivers of the state’s economy.'

Opinion: Restoring Public Trust to Public Housing
'The Public Trust would at long last empower NYCHA to leverage debt, allowing it to deploy capital funds quickly, cut through antiquated procurement rules, and make measurable improvements in the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.'

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Una Ciudad Sin Límites

Nueva York estaba preparada para frenar la discriminación por vales de vivienda, pero equipos de control siguen reduciéndose
Las agencias de la ciudad de Nueva York encargadas de investigar la discriminación basada en la fuente de ingresos (SOI por sus siglas en inglés) de los inquilinos se están viendo obligadas a hacer más cosas con menos presupuesto después de que la congelación de las contrataciones, las renuncias y los recortes presupuestarios redujeran sus ya sobrecargadas unidades de control.

¿Qué sigue después de “el día sin inmigrantes” camino a las elecciones de noviembre?
El mismo día que se celebraba el día de San Valentín, el pasado 14 de febrero, también se llevó a cabo “el día sin inmigrantes” en el cual inmigrantes y organizaciones que los defienden exigieron al presidente Joe Biden y al Congreso la aprobación de una reforma migratoria, luego de que el plan de incluir cambios en inmigración en el paquete de reconciliación del presupuesto se cayera.