David F Brand

NYC still struggling to replace emergency housing vouchers set to expire under Trump Just as one city housing agency devised a “stopgap” for replacing a federal housing assistance program for thousands of New Yorkers, NYCHA’s plan collapsed.

4/ The end of the federal EHV funding — initially billed as 10-year program —means thousands of NYC's lowest-income households (and the landlords they rent from) are now in danger of losing their housing assistance

Story for @wnyc.org and @gothamist.com

gothamist.com/news/nyc-sti...

NYC still struggling to replace emergency housing vouchers set to expire under Trump Just as one city housing agency devised a “stopgap” for replacing a federal housing assistance program for thousands of New Yorkers, NYCHA’s plan collapsed.

3/ In August, NYCHA closed its newly opened Section 8 waitlist in order to use its extra Section 8 subsidies for the ~5,500 households who will soon lose their Emergency Housing Vouchers

But NYCHA now says that plan collapsed bc it doesn't have the money gothamist.com/news/nyc-sti...

NYC still struggling to replace emergency housing vouchers set to expire under Trump Just as one city housing agency devised a “stopgap” for replacing a federal housing assistance program for thousands of New Yorkers, NYCHA’s plan collapsed.

2/ Two NYC agencies administer the program: HPD and NYCHA

HPD says it now has a plan to replace its 2K+ vouchers w another federal funding source.

Its 'stopgap' proposal will last for 2 years ... gothamist.com/news/nyc-sti...

This has huge consequences for thousands of low-income Americans:

In 2021, Congress allotted $5B to fund 70K 'Emergency Housing Vouchers'

NYC got 7,500+, the most in the country

Last March, the Trump admin alerted housing agencies that the money was about to expire — 5y earlier than expected...

We tested that gross pile of snow on the sidewalk. Here’s what we found. https://gothamist.com/news/we-tested-that-gross-pile-of-snow-on-the-sidewalk-heres-what-we-found

These New Yorkers had homes. They died outside in the freezing cold. The cases show even those with stable living situations can be vulnerable to extreme weather.

These New Yorkers had homes. They died outside in the freezing cold anyway

We’ve found at least 5 of the New Yorkers who died outdoors during the recent cold stretch had permanent housing.

Our latest story for @gothamist.com @wnyc.org

gothamist.com/news/29-year...

A 600-foot waterfront apartment complex is Brooklyn's latest housing fight The saga of long-stalled Bushwick Inlet Park looms large over the proposed Monitor Point housing project.

Brooklyn Community Board 1 voted to approve the Monitor Point housing complex with conditions last night

They want half the units to be affordable, more G train cars and more funding for the neighboring (and long-delayed) Bushwick Inlet Park

gothamist.com/news/a-600-f...

Head of NYC's homeless services resigns amid weeks of job uncertainty under Mamdani Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park submitted her resignation letter Monday morning.

Scoop from Karen Yi for @wnyc.org and @gothamist.com:

NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Park has submitted her letter of resignation

She has led DSS (HRA + the Dept of Homeless Services) since 2023
gothamist.com/news/head-of...

DHS has requested expedited deportation proceedings against family of Liam Conejo Ramos The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to the lawyer representing the family.

BREAKING: The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to the lawyer representing the family.

Trump refusal to release Hudson River tunnel project funds to put 1,000 out of work by weekend White House spokesman Kush Desai claimed the funding freeze was over the fact that Democratic lawmakers had supposedly not been “prioritizing the interests of Americans over illegal aliens.&#…

ICYMI: 1,000 construction jobs will be cut this weekend as the Trump admin's funding interference causes Hudson River Tunnel work to shut down.

Oops

Malinowski and Mejia locked in tight race for nomination to replace Gov. Mikie Sherrill in Congress The two candidates are in a neck-and-neck battle for the Democratic nomination to fill the seat left vacant by Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

gothamist.com/news/malinow...

Still too close to call in the primary to replace Mikie Sherrill

@mehayes.bsky.social

FWIW one the simplest ways to increase the affordability of NYC transit *today* would be to auto-enroll SNAP recipients into Fair Fares via HRA adjunctive eligibility.

SNAP is a strong proxy for Fair Fairs eligibility and 75-90% of eligible NYers have SNAP vs only 30-35% for Fair Fares.

“You’re Not Going to Investigate a Federal Officer” It doesn’t happen often, but local law enforcement can arrest and charge federal agents. Legal experts say there’s a moral obligation to at least try to hold federal immigration officers accountable w...

New: Immigration agents have shot a dozen people since Sept--yet police are often skipping any investigation

After agents near Chicago killed a man, an officer asked if chief who would investigate. The answer: “You’re not going to investigate a federal officer”

www.propublica.org/article/why-...

Thousands of supportive apartments sit empty in NYC as homeless die on the streets Mayor Mamdani has vowed to place people in the apartments more quickly.

A new report shows NYC has about 3,200 supportive housing units sitting empty, despite record-high homelessness

@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social tells me filling them is a priority:

“That will be a focus for us… as it's a long-standing city issue that needs to be resolved”
gothamist.com/news/thousan...

Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund

Our hearts go out to everyone laid off at The Washington Post today.

Take a moment to scroll through the list of journalists across the industry who've donated to the Post Guild's layoff fund. Media solidarity is more important now than ever. www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...

How Epstein’s wealth opened doors at a prestigious New York hospital The convicted sex offender enjoyed unusually close access to Mount Sinai doctors, records show.

NEW: A look at how Jeffrey Epstein’s tremendous wealth and connections opened doors at a prestigious New York City hospital — from a 24/7 hotline for the "board and donor community" to house calls.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

Frederick Jones had an apartment and on-site services. He died on a Midtown street corner anyway: gothamist.visitlink.me/5e_oHD

Mamdani names reformer Stanley Richards to steer chaotic Rikers complex Exactly one month into his term, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed a formerly incarcerated person to manage the facility.

Mayor Mamdani names criminal justice reformer Stanley Richards as NYC’s new Department of Correction commissioner

Richards is the first formerly incarcerated person to lead the city’s jails system

@gothamist.com @wnyc.org

gothamist.com/news/mamdani...

Man’s death on freezing Manhattan street reveals limits of NYC's emergency response Frederick Jones had an apartment and on-site services. He died on a Midtown street corner anyway.

Hours before a man was found dead on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk, a bldg super called the city for help

Police say they drove by but didn’t see the man, who had an apartment a mile away

More on how 1 person in crisis slipped through gaps in NYC’s social safety net
gothamist.com/news/mans-de...

Among 10 who died outside in NYC cold, a history of homelessness, drug use, health issues The eight men and two women were found in different locations across the city as temperatures plummeted to dangerous lows.

Ten people died in the snowstorm and freezing cold that hit NYC this past weekend.

We spoke with some of their family members and neighbors

@wnyc.org @gothamist.com gothamist.com/news/among-1...

lol

“This is not about any particular individual,” Liu says of his bill named after Eric Adams www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

Interesting story from @davidfbrand.bsky.social: @bkbpreynoso is proactively releasing guidelines for what types of housing projects he might push through over local councilmember objection based on his comprehensive plan for the borough.

buff.ly/MK0EEnc

NYC’s borough presidents wield new power over housing decisions. How will they use it? Voters empowered the city’s five borough presidents to help overturn City Council land use decisions. Some are already strategizing for controversial votes ahead.

Brooklyn Brooklyn President Antonio Reynoso shares the rubric he’ll use when he considers whether to overturn the City Council’s housing and land use decisions

Reynoso and the 4 other BPs have new power to appear on a housing “appeals board”

@gothamist.com @wnyc.org
gothamist.com/news/nycs-bo...

Since July, I've tracked at least 2,300 cases in which federal judges have ruled ICE has illegally detained people without bond or due process.

This is one that stands out:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

“.. He cared about people deeply ..,” said Michael Pretti, Alex’s father. “He thought it was terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cared about those people, and he knew it was wrong ..”

@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/national/202...

Live Updates: Federal Agents Kill a 37-Year-Old Minneapolis Man

"The Department of Homeland Security said the episode began after a man approached Border Patrol agents with a handgun and they tried to disarm him. But footage from the scene shows the man was holding a phone in his hand, not a gun," -- www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...

Live: Man shot by federal agent in south Minneapolis this morning, witnesses say A video appears to shows federal agents wrestling a man to the ground then shooting him.

Man shot by federal agents in Minneapolis www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...

Just Home is back.

At a presser this afternoon, Mamdani announced that the affordable housing project was going forward after the Adams administration had tried to stop it this fall.

83 homes for ppl leaving jail had hung in the balance in the mayors race.

Mamdani reverses city hall’s opposition to Bronx supportive housing project https://gothamist.com/news/mamdani-reverses-city-halls-opposition-to-bronx-supportive-housing-project