This Week in New York – FY 19 Budget, NYCHA Chairwoman Steps Down, City Council Stated Meeting, Mayor de Blasio Announcements

FY 19 Budget

This week, the New York City Council released a report responding to the Mayor’s preliminary budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY19) which will begin on July 1, 2018. The Council’s response focused on the following three issue areas: the level of detail included in the City’s budget documents; inefficiencies in the City’s capital budget processes; and programs, policies, and services that the Council will be urging the Administration to fund during the negotiations leading up to the FY19 adopted budget. See below for a few of the more costly priorities identified by the Council in their response:

• $500 million additional funding for the City’s reserves
• $212 million to fund half-priced metro cards for the 800,000 New York City residents living below the federal poverty line
• $187 million to fund a $400.00 property tax rebate for homeowners making less than $150,000 per year (per household)
• $2.45 billion to fund boiler repairs, heating equipment technology, senior housing, and ongoing capital needs at NYCHA properties Citywide

NYCHA Chairwoman Steps Down

On Monday, Shola Olatoye, Chairwoman of the New York City Housing Authority announced her departure from the agency after four years. Olatoye’s departure follows months of criticism from elected officials over poor living conditions, heat and water outages, and lapsed lead paint inspections in NYCHA housing. Stan Brezenoff will be named interim chair of NYCHA. Last month, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order to create an independent monitor for the embattled housing authority. The mayor, the City Council speaker and the president of the Citywide Council of Presidents must appoint this independent monitor within 60 days. To read more about Chairwoman Shola Olatoye’s departure, click here.

City Council Stated Meeting

At Tuesday’s stated meeting, the City Council introduced 81 pieces of legislation. Over half of the legislation was introduced by either Council Members Van Bramer, Williams or Manchaca

Press Releases

Mayor de Blasio Announces Charter Revision Commission Appointees
April 12

Mayor de Blasio Announces Drop in NYC Poverty Rate
April 13

City Council Hearings: Week of 4/16/18