Samantha Maldonado

Bomb-Throwing Teenagers Pledged Support to ISIS: Feds The two men drove to New York from Pennsylvania to join a counter-protest against an anti-Islam group led by pardoned Jan. 6 attacker Jake Lang.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/09/b...

Abortion bans reshaped reproductive health, and now the rental market New research found that abortion bans resulted in lower rental prices and higher vacancies.

Housing markets with abortion bans had a 2.2% drop in rental prices, compared to similarly trending markets in states without bans.

Rental vacancies went up by an average of 1.1% in housing markets with abortion bans, compared to similar markets in states without bans.

19thnews.org/2026/03/abor...

Mamdani’s New Albany Asks: Smaller Corporate Tax Hike, Fees on Pricey… The mayor narrowed his big business tax proposal in the hopes of making it easier to pass.

new: Mayor Mamdani is asking Albany for a smaller corporate tax hike than he'd campaigned on: a 1.8-point increase on NYC businesses to raise $1.75B, down from $5B in his campaign proposal.

He's also voicing support for a range of new taxes on pricey real estate:
nysfocus.com/2026/03/06/m...

Mamdani Deputy Mayor On Charging For Street Parking: 'It's Not a No' - Streetsblog New York City Dean Fuleihan said on Thursday that the city is discussing charging fees for currently free on-street parking.

Might the Mamdani admin finally make people pay for street parking?

“It’s not a no.”

nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/03/05/m...

bad news for new yorkers with housing vouchers

For Homeless Parents, a Child Care ‘Catch-22’ The lack of affordable child care is sometimes a cause of homelessness — and often a barrier for families in shelters transitioning to permanent housing, according to a new report.

She can neither bypass the long waitlist for one type of child-care voucher, and qualifying for another would require her to work.

But without child care, she can’t work at all.

“The Catch-22 is so ridiculous. How am I supposed to get out of the shelter?”

www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/05/c...

March 5, 2026 The Honorable Kathy Hochul Governor of New York State NY State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Re: Upholding New York’s Leadership in the Fight Against Climate Change Dear Governor Hochul, At a time when the Trump Administration is doing everything possible to tear down decades of progress in the fight against climate change, it is incumbent on states like New York to reject this new wave of climate denial and put forward bold policies that will save New Yorkers money, reduce pollution, and protect a livable climate for our constituents and our children and grandchildren. That is why we, the undersigned senators, categorically oppose any effort to rollback New York’s nation-leading climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and urge you to stand strong in the face of misinformation that seeks to blame the CLCPA for the energy affordability crisis that fossil fuels have created. Climate change remains one of the greatest threats that our constituents - and societies across the globe - have ever faced. New Yorkers are already living through extreme weather events that run the gamut from searing heat waves to Arctic cold snaps, and they are already paying the price1, with their dollars, their homes, their health, and even their lives. The climate crisis is driving up the cost of home insurance, of health care, of groceries, and of countless other daily necessities2, and every delay in taking action will only drive those costs even higher. Confronting this crisis is a generational task and a legacy issue for every elected official, and it is inseparable from any credible effort to address the high cost of living. At the same time, there is no question that we must address energy affordability, capacity, and reliability. But while President Trump and the fossil fuel industry want New Yorkers to believe that we must choose between those needs and climate action, nothing could be further from the truth. The recent three-page memo from…

not include any price guardrails, with a completely unrealistic carbon price34. As such, the analysis simply cannot be treated as a serious contribution to the debate. In reality, rolling back the CLCPA will not save our constituents money because it is not the cause of increasing costs. It is the fossil fuel status quo56 that has created the affordability crisis New Yorkers are now suffering from, and it is bold action to deliver renewable energy and energy efficiency that will give them relief, saving money for individuals in the immediate-term and for all utility customers in the medium- and long-term7. When it comes to energy generation capacity, renewables can be deployed cheaply and quickly to meet our needs8. And over the last year, through heat waves and polar vortexes9, renewables have proven that they add much-needed reliability10 to the grid, reducing price spikes in the process, like those driven by wars in Europe and the Middle East. Between us we carry significant legislation on a broad number of policies large and small that will reduce New Yorkers’ costs and move us toward our science-based climate targets. We stand ready to work with you and your administration to implement comprehensive climate policies that truly meet the needs of this moment – but we cannot support abandoning our commitment to climate progress. Sincerely, Liz Krueger Pete Harckham Kevin S. Parker 28th Senate District 40th Senate District 21st Senate District Chair, Finance Chair, Environmental Conservation Chair, Energy & Telecoms Jamaal T. Bailey April N.M. Baskin Erik Bottcher 26th Senate District 63rd Senate District 47th Senate District

Jabari Brisport Samra Brouk Cordell Cleare 25th Senate District 55th Senate District 30th Senate District Leroy Comrie Nathalia Fernandez Kristen Gonzalez 14th Senate District 34th Senate District 59th Senate District Andrew Gounardes Michelle Hinchey Robert Jackson 26th Senate District 41st Senate District 31st Senate District Brian Kavanagh John Liu Rachel May 27th Senate District 16th Senate District 48th Senate District Shelley B. Mayer Zellnor Myrie Roxanne J. Persaud 37th Senate District 20th Senate District 19th Senate District Jessica Ramos Gustavo Rivera Julia Salazar 13th Senate District 33rd Senate District 18th Senate District James Sanders Luis Sepulveda José M. Serrano 10th Senate District 32nd Senate District 29th Senate District Toby Ann Stavisky Lea Webb 11th Senate District 52nd Senate District

👀 New letter from 29 NYS Senators (>2/3 of the Dem caucus) to Hochul this morning:

“We categorically oppose any effort to rollback New York’s nation-leading climate law… and urge you to stand strong in the face of misinformation that seeks to blame the CLCPA for the energy affordability crisis”

Hochul Raises Alarm on Costs of Climate Law as Skeptics Call Foul A controversial new state memo citing rising costs for NYC households in the coming years has raised concerns the governor is trying to roll back environmental mandates.

What's up with a memo saying the climate law will cost NYC residents an extra $2,300/year? It's Gov. Hochul's latest pitch to revise the law.

But is the estimate legit? Hard to say. "Trying to seriously critique this is like shadow-boxing,” one source said.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/03/e...

this is now in effect

Can Mamdani Fix Property Taxes After Adams Failed? As Zohran Mamdani prepares to unveil property tax reforms, he must weigh a plan he inherited from his predecessor.

Mayor Eric Adams had a plan to reform the city’s broken property tax system. No one in Albany took it up.

Great scoop here, with the plan Adams pitched state lawmakers:

nysfocus.com/2026/03/02/m...

City Officials Warn That Immigration Enforcement May Be Impersonating Housing Inspectors A PSA-style video from the housing department was made in response to a report made by a tenant association.

"We know it can be frightening when someone unexpected shows up at your door, especially with increased immigration enforcement," the PSA style video says.

It was made in response to at least one report city officials received.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/27/i...

How do you explain ICE to your child? Immigrant families are having 'The Talk' For generations, Black Americans have prepared their children for the realities of racism. As ICE expands its reach, more parents are navigating similar conversations.

Like many African American parents, my mom tried to prepare me for the possibility of police brutality through a generational ritual known as The Talk.

As ICE detentions and arrests expanded last year, I started wondering if immigrant mothers were having their own talk. From me, via @19thnews.org:

NYPD Still Illegally Stopping New Yorkers 12 Years After Court Ruling, Monitor Finds Illegal stops, missing paperwork and weak discipline remain widespread despite federal oversight.

Stop and read this @reuvenblau.bsky.social story on the NYPD’s use of stop and frisk.

It’s good stuff, as they say in the trade. www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/26/n...

First 'Ripoff' Hearing Packed By Renters Eager to Connect Dots on Lousy Landlords Officials met directly with New Yorkers to hear about chronic problems and to learn how much tenant associations really help.

I went to the first Rental Rip-off Hearing of the Mamdani administration.

Lots of stories about tough situations. What struck me was that so many people showed up not just for themselves, but for their neighbors and for strangers elsewhere with the same landlords.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/26/r...

Mamdani and Trump Discuss Housing at ‘Productive’ Meeting in Washington

City Hall declined to provide any further detail, but the mock-up of the Daily News cover touting 12K new units of housing is possibly a reference to Sunnyside Yards, the massive rail yard in Queens over which the city has long dreamed of building 12K units of housing www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/n...

After an unannounced meeting with the president, there's... this -- and the mayor got assurance a Columbia student detained by ICE would be freed.

Hochul budget director hints at rolling back state’s climate law Blake Washington, the governor’s top budget adviser, called the current energy transition benchmarks “own goals” as they place financial burdens on New Yorkers

State budget director strongly implied Gov. Hochul wants to include changes to the climate law as part of the budget.

www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2026/...

Feds Lied Their Way Into Dorm to Arrest Student, Says Columbia President The agents entered the campus at around 6:30 this morning, just before a neuroscience researched posted that “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.“

NEW: Federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security apparently lied their way into a Columbia university dormitory and arrested a student there, the university’s acting president Claire Shipman said in a statement Thursday morning.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/26/e...

Confusion and Doubt Greet Mamdani’s Property Tax Ploy Grassroots supporters are taking to Albany and city streets to push the mayor’s message that a “last resort” property tax hike would be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fault.

"I was shocked," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. "I thought whoever came up with this strategy, I felt it was misguided."

great piece by @smaldo.bsky.social + @katiehonan.bsky.social on the political behind-the-scenes of Mamdani's property tax gambit:

What’s to Come at ‘Rental Ripoff’ Hearings? Tenant Hotline Staff Hear It All Longtime workers at a tenants’ rights hotline say stories from callers have only gotten more extreme in recent years.

The Mamdani administration wants to know what NYC renters deal with.

A tenant hotline gets an earful from hundreds of callers each week.

“People call us, and we’re sort of the first line of defense.”

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/26/r...

Bellevue Hospital a De Facto Homeless Shelter, as Winter Storms Test City Outreach Dozens of unhoused people have been staying in a warming center at the public hospital for weeks on end and haven’t had any contact with homeless services.

Bellevue Hospital’s south lobby is one of the city’s official warming centers, a temporary place for anyone in need to wait out the cold. But many people there who spoke with THE CITY said they’d been living in the lobby for weeks, with no end in sight.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/25/b...

Confusion and Doubt Greets Mamdani’s Property Tax Ploy Grassroots supporters are taking to Albany and city streets to push the mayor’s message that a “last resort” property tax hike would be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fault.

Why is everyone in NYC talking about property taxes?

Because Mayor Mamdani said he'd raise them if Gov. Hochul doesn't tax the rich -- which lots of allies are in Albany today to push the her to do.

Are people buying the message?

w/@katiehonan.bsky.social

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/25/p...

Property Taxes in NYC are a Mess. Here’s Why Even Renters Should Care. They’re the engine of the city’s budget, but unequal and outdated. Here’s your guide on how property taxes work — and how they affect everyone, not just owners.

Everyone in NYC is talking about property taxes!

Hardly anyone understands the system, but there's widespread agreement the outcomes are inequitable.

We've got a guide to help you make sense of it all, and learn why you should care, even if you don't own property.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/25/p...

Why a NIMBY Councilmember Said Yes to Affordable Housing The threat of a new appeals board pushed Vickie Paladino to approve a new development.

"Explaining her support, Paladino said the project could have been modified by the appeals board to add floors and make it more accessible to low-income residents."

nysfocus.com/2026/02/24/v...

Mamdani to Appoint Racial Equity Advocate to Lead City Planning Sideya Sherman headed the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice under Eric Adams. She will now lead a Department of City Planning empowered to greenlight development in every neighborhood.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday will name Sideya Sherman as the director of the city Department of City Planning and chair of the City Planning Commission.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/24/m...

City Set to be Smacked by First Blizzard Since 2016 A decision on whether to close schools or shift to remote learning is due by Sunday.

Sunday’s blizzard may sock NYC with 13 to 17 inches of snow — or more!
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
With apologies to the Canadian rapper legend who gave us “Informer,” but that amount is SNOW JOKE!

A new Saturday snow collab with @katiehonan.bsky.social in @thecity.nyc www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/21/b...

Mamdani Promised A New Era for Parks and Libraries. But His First Budget Falls Short The new mayor pledged to dedicate 1% of the city budget to parks and 0.5% to libraries. His preliminary spending plan delivers less.

The new mayor pledged to dedicate 1% of the city budget to parks and 0.5% to libraries. His preliminary spending plan delivers less.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/19/m...

ICE Has Doubled Its Presence in Notorious Brooklyn Jail Rep. Dan Goldman learned of the expansion on Wednesday when he became the first lawmaker to visit the federal facility since it began detaining immigrants last June.

"A Colombian man with HIV, referred to in legal filings as O.F.B., went more than a week without access to his preventative HIV medication despite asking staff at the prison for them multiple times each day." — @gwynnefitz.bsky.social and @rosalindadams.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/18/i...

Mamdani names new Rent Guidelines Board majority, testing rent freeze pledge The Rent Guidelines Board sets annual rent-stabilized increases and the mayor’s new picks could determine whether tenants get a freeze or another hike.

Mamdani names the five new members of the Rent Guidelines Board and reappoints one

gothamist.com/news/mamdani...

Rent Board Resignation Clears Path for Mamdani Rent Freeze Promise The new mayor is now able to appoint a majority to the Rent Guidelines Board, giving him the numbers for a signature campaign promise.

NEW: @aarmlovi.bsky.social resigned from the Rent Guidelines Board today.

This gives @mayor.nyc.gov a total of six seats to play with on the nine-member board. His appointments could deliver his promise of a rent freeze for a million rent-stabilized apartments.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/17/r...