A Year After Hurricane Ida Flooding, Families in Hotels and Basement Protections in Limbo "Flooded out of their homes, people who can’t find new housing — even while being helped by city agencies — illustrate the urgency of the affordable housing crisis." (THE CITY)
NYC Comptroller proposes framework to legalize basement apartments "Because many are not regulated, it’s unclear the exact number of basement apartments that exist in New York; the city estimated last year there are at least 50,000 units, home to 150,000 New Yorkers, at the minimum. To be considered legal, these units must have: a ceiling height of at least 7 feet with walls as high as the ground level, a window in every room, meet the minimum room size requirement, and be approved by the Department of Buildings." (6sqft)
Community solar programs gain popularity among the many New Yorkers who don’t own their roofs "For these homeowners, who are all low-to-middle income, climate change mitigation feels like both a luxury and a necessity for the 20-unit building on West 156th Street. Government incentives and tax credits can cover more than 70% of the upfront costs of solar panels, yet customers still end up paying tens of thousands of dollars for installations." (Gothamist)
Hudson rail tunnel project delayed until 2038, cost rises by $2 billion "The cost of the Hudson Tunnel Project ballooned to $16.1 billion from $14.1 billion and its completion date is set for 2038 instead of 2035, according a Wednesday evening release by the Gateway Development Commission." (amNY)
A push to cap NYC broker fees gets new life as rents — and commissions — skyrocket "With New York City rents bouncing back from pandemic lows into historic highs, a spate of high-profile cases of brokers asking for thousands of dollars in fees in exchange for highly coveted apartments is reigniting the push among city and state lawmakers to cap or eliminate the commission prospective renters pay." (Gothamist)
