Making a List: School's out, air's cold, and the trash bags are overflowing with discarded wrapping paper. That means it's time for the totally unoriginal ritual of annual Top 10 lists. Unoriginal yet still helpful, because it is nice to take stock now and then of what's changed, and what's not—how we're better or worse than we were 365 days ago. Our top 10 list reflects the fact that 2019 shaped up to be more interesting than we expected. There were huge changes in Albany, the mayor ran for president and local pols began attacking the city's car culture." The MTA seemed to get a little better, NYCHA got a new boss and the city charter changed. Homelessness ... remained a crisis. Check out our rundown and tell us what you'd add.

- Jarrett Murphy, executive editor

Read the top ten stories that shaped New York City in 2019. 

What Does the Inwood Rezoning Ruling Mean for Other NYC Neighborhood Plans?

A judge annulled the 2018 rezoning of Inwood but the de Blasio administration has at least three other possible rezonings on the docket. Will the annulment of the Inwood rezoning affect them? Read more

The Good, the Bad and the SNADs. Olivia Schwob has the story of a failed bid to update the rules governing a little-known zoning overlay, the Special Natural Area District--a designation for areas with particularly notable or special natural features that exists in parts of the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens. The demise of the new SNAD rules is complex a tale of environmental concerns, property activism and fears about increased density. Read more

 A milquetoast expansion of Access-A-Ride's on-demand hail. "$15 doesn't get you very far." The city rolled out an on-demand pilot program for Access-a-ride users. It is proposing an expansion, but with new limitations like a $15 per-ride cap.
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In Case You Missed Them The Best of City Limits this Year

The Disappearing 3-Bedroom: Larger Families Have Few Affordable Options in NYC

Call to Study New Transit Line Linking Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn

Hundreds of NYCHA Evictions Raise Questions About Process

Sweeping Deal on Rent Regulations Shifts Power to Tenants Across NY

Alarm Over Proposed Cuts to State Program Overseeing Home-Health Aides

Why We Should Not Send People with Substance Use Disorders to Jail

The misinformed notion that jailing people with substance use disorders is the best way to ensure they ‘get clean’ has harmful and even deadly consequences, writes this activist. 

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The Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative
Strategic Partnerships Manager

The Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative (BCDI) is a community-led effort to build an equitable, sustainable, and democratic local economy that creates wealth and ownership for low-income people of color—what we call economic democracy. One of our core strategies is building a network of Bronx institutions and leaders that share our vision and values.

We are looking for a Strategic Partnerships Manager to lead our effort to cultivate and maintain a network of institutional leaders committed to build shared wealth and opportunity for Bronx residents. Reporting to the Executive Director, and working closely with BCDI’s board of directors, the Strategic Partnerships Manager will utilize exceptional relationship building and project management skills to build and support the network of labor, community-based organizations, anchor institutions, and others that BCDI is building including the development of the Bronx Anchor Council.

Brooklyn Movement Center
Housing and Sustainability Organizer

"We’re looking for a dynamic organizer who can lead campaigns to resist displacement and build resilience among vulnerable, long-term Central Brooklynites residents. A competitive candidate is someone who is a fearless recruiter and has strong people and communication skills, including using digital organizing tools."

Brooklyn Movement Center/Central Brooklyn Food Coop
Food Sovereignty Organizer

We are the Central Brooklyn Food Coop (CBFC) an emerging consumer-owned, Black-led, grocery store set to open in 2020. CBFC envisions a future where Black residents take control of their local food system to provide healthy, affordable and sustainable food for Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights and the surrounding communities. CBFC is incubated by the Brooklyn Movement Center, a multi-issue, social justice, community organizing group.

We’re looking for a dynamic community organizer who will take the CBFC from its current organizing phase to the opening of its retail storefront by inspiring public excitement in CBFC and dramatically expanding the CBFC membership. A competitive candidate is someone who is a fearless recruiter and has strong people and communication skills, including the effective use of digital organizing tools.

Community Service Society of New York
Community Organizer

CSS seeks a Community Organizer to help advance CSS’s statewide, coalition-based Clean Slate New York campaign for criminal records expungement. Our goal for the campaign, led by CSS and partner organization Legal Action Center and involving anchor groups statewide, is to get automatic criminal records expungement legislation passed in New York State this legislative session. The Community Organizer will work directly with CSS Legal Department’s Senior Community Organizer and other key staff to move this campaign forward, engaging in coalition-based organizing and advocacy efforts both in New York City and across the state.

The 10 Stories that Shaped New York City in 2019
How Environmental Concerns, Property Activism and Density Fears Halted a Bid to Change NYC Zoning Rules
Skepticism on Proposed Changes to MTA Ride Service for the Disabled