NYC Council grills Mamdani’s Department of Investigation commissioner nominee over campaign activities and donation, Cycle of Rage: Wrong-Way Driver Reveals Wrong-Way Approach To Street Safety, and Losing Health Coverage Due to Trump Cuts? Your Guide on ‘Essential Plan’ Changes

Politics & Policy

• NYC Council grills Mamdani’s Department of Investigation commissioner nominee over campaign activities and donation · Nadia Shihata, Mayor Mamdani’s pick to lead the Department of Investigation, faced tough questions over her $700 campaign donations and canvassing for him during her confirmation hearing Monday. Council members pressed on potential conflicts of interest as she seeks to run the city’s corruption watchdog. (AM New York)
• Council bill seeks to curb social media time to an hour for NYC kids · A City Council member proposed legislation requiring social media companies to limit kids’ usage to one hour daily unless parents explicitly allow more. This aims to address concerns over youth screen time in New York City. (Gothamist)
• Mamdani releases long-delayed NYC racial equity plan, even as Trump curbs DEI efforts · Mayor Mamdani unveiled NYC’s first-ever racial equity plan Monday with agency goals to reduce citywide racial disparities. The release comes as federal DEI initiatives face cutbacks under former President Trump’s policies. (Gothamist)
• City Hall cut references to ‘DEI’ from NYC racial equity plan · The NYC Law Department mandated removal of all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) references from the racial equity plan before release, shaping the city’s approach to addressing systemic disparities. (Peter Sterne)
• Jewish nonprofit sends Mamdani 3,000 letters for security perimeter bill · As Mayor Mamdani weighs vetoes on bills regulating protests near schools and houses of worship, a Jewish nonprofit flooded City Hall with over 3,000 letters urging support for increased security perimeters. (Jeff Coltin)

Housing & Transit

• Cycle of Rage: Wrong-Way Driver Reveals Wrong-Way Approach To Street Safety · A driver with a long record of reckless behavior nearly killed a cyclist on a Saturday ride but faced no punishment, highlighting ongoing gaps in NYC’s street safety enforcement. (Streetsblog NYC)
• Report: Safety Protections Have Not Kept Up With E-Commerce Boom, And Last Mile Is Making It Worse · Amazon avoids enforcement for most parking violations related to last-mile deliveries, according to a Teamsters local report calling for stronger regulations to improve street safety. (Streetsblog NYC)
• Friday Newsletter: American Cities Are Losing Their Families · The newsletter discusses urban challenges causing family departures and outlines actionable strategies cities like New York can adopt to retain residents. (The Bigger Apple)
• Friday’s Headlines: Margin For Terror Edition · The Department of Transportation reported a decline in NYC traffic fatalities and injuries during the first quarter of 2026, signaling progress for Vision Zero safety goals. (Streetsblog NYC)
• Across NY, debate about the inevitability of driverless cars begins · Brooklyn residents gathered last month to debate the impact of autonomous vehicles, reflecting growing public concern about the safety and societal implications of driverless cars in New York. (Annie McDonough)

Culture & Lifestyle

• Citi Bike is giving away unlimited free rides to New Yorkers for Earth Day · NYC residents can enjoy unlimited free Citi Bike rides on Earth Day, April 22, supporting eco-friendly transportation and encouraging more biking across the city. (Christina Izzo)
• MoMA PS1 is celebrating 50 years with a free block party · MoMA PS1 hosts a free all-day block party on April 18 in Long Island City to mark its 50th anniversary, featuring art, music, and community events. (Mark Peikert)
• How Manhattan’s ‘last queer bookstore’ just might be saved by a Bushwick peer · Manhattan’s last queer bookstore faces closure in months unless a Brooklyn-based queer independent bookshop steps in to support its survival. (Gothamist)

Business & Economy

• New metric says ‘true cost’ of NYC is unaffordable for most · A City Hall report reveals millions of New Yorkers fall short of a new “True Cost-of-Living” metric, showing the city’s expenses exceed what most residents can afford. (Dan Rivoli)
• NYC’s top economic agency still leaderless under Mamdani. Business leaders are worried. · Three months into Mamdani’s term, the Economic Development Corporation remains without a CEO, raising concerns among business leaders about the city’s economic planning. (Gothamist)
• Report: Ride share services continue to fail disabled riders in NYC despite record profits · Despite earning $15 billion in 2024, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft consistently fail to serve roughly 1 million NYC residents with disabilities, per a New York Lawyers for the Public Interest report. (Renee DeLorenzo)
• Op-ed | NYC Council’s ‘last-mile facilities’ bill could be last straw for small businesses · The bill intended to regulate last-mile delivery facilities threatens the survival of NYC small businesses by adding costly operational burdens, argues local entrepreneur and founder of Fairly Nuts. (AM New York)
• Editor’s note: Will Waymo go the way of the Segway? · Jeff Coltin reflects on his rides in the autonomous vehicle Waymo, questioning whether the technology will thrive or fade like the Segway. (Jeff Coltin)

Civic Services

• Report: Absenteeism, lagging test scores, school transfers soar for homeless NYC students · Homeless NYC students face soaring chronic absenteeism, frequent school transfers, and test scores well below grade level, highlighting urgent educational disparities. (Sahalie Donaldson)
• NYPD expands hate crime reporting following Gothamist story citing expert concerns · Responding to expert criticism, the NYPD has broadened its hate crime reporting protocols to gather more comprehensive data across the city. (Gothamist)
• Delayed Bellevue Jail Unit to Open as Rikers Med Facility is Shut · After years and $240 million in delays and overruns, a new medical unit at Bellevue Hospital for seriously ill detainees will open as the original Rikers hospital shuts down. (THE CITY)
• New Yorkers stopped composting after city stopped giving them fines, report shows · Composting rates plunged following the suspension of fines for improper waste separation under the previous mayor, undermining NYC’s organic waste reduction goals. (Gothamist)
• HHS Secretary Kennedy says he’s ‘fixing’ World Trade Center Health Program · Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to address ongoing issues in the World Trade Center Health Program after congressional complaints. (Shannon Ryan)

Civic Engagement

• Cómo formar un sindicato en tu trabajo: Guía para migrantes · Immigrant workers can learn how to form unions at their workplaces to fight for better wages and conditions; the guide explains steps to collective organizing and rights protections. (Documented NY)
• Kijan pou w aplike pou yon paspò ameriken kòm nouvo sitwayen · New U.S. citizens are guided through applying for their first American passport, which serves as both travel documentation and proof of citizenship. (Documented NY)
• FOIA: Cómo obtener tu expediente migratorio · Anyone can use the Freedom of Information Act to request immigration records; the guide details how to submit FOIA requests online or by mail. (Documented NY)
• Hundreds mark Passover with anti-ICE protest · Hundreds gathered in Union Square on Passover night to protest ICE policies, connecting the holiday’s liberation theme with calls for immigrant rights reform. (Louis Finley)
• AM Rajkumar announces free events to deliver housing and financial resources to Ridgewood residents · Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar will host a Tenant and Homeowners Assistance Day April 7 and a Financial Literacy Workshop April 16 to provide Ridgewood residents with housing and money management help. (PoliticsNY)

Events

• THE POLITICS OF MOVEMENT: WHEN DANCE SPEAKS OUT · On April 14 and 15 at 7 PM, the 14th Street Y Theater presents a two-night dance performance exploring protest and social justice through movement, featuring eight companies with post-show conversations. (Dance.NYC)

DEEP DIVE

Losing Health Coverage Due to Trump Cuts? Your Guide on ‘Essential Plan’ Changes

Nearly half a million New Yorkers are losing their low-cost Essential Plan health insurance starting July 1 because of federal funding cuts included in the Trump administration’s 2025 tax and spending bill. The state has begun notifying the 450,000 people who fall out of eligibility due to tightened income thresholds that now exclude those earning between 200% and 250% of the federal poverty line—roughly $32,000 to $40,000 for individuals and $54,000 to $68,000 for a family of three. This group, including many working low-income residents and legal immigrants, will either face more expensive insurance plans with deductibles or become uninsured.

This change significantly disrupts the city’s efforts to ensure affordable health coverage for vulnerable populations, many of whom rely on the Essential Plan for free, no-deductible care. State health officials secured federal approval to maintain coverage for 1.3 million people but could not prevent the rollback affecting the higher-income band within the program. Advocates warn this will increase out-of-pocket costs for families already struggling, threatening access to necessary care and medication. The fight continues in Albany as policymakers seek state-level solutions to backfill lost federal funds and keep coverage accessible.

Affected residents should immediately check their mail for notices from the Department of Health and explore alternative insurance options or state programs. Community groups and the Community Service Society are mobilizing to assist with information and enrollment support. This development marks a pivotal moment on health equity, making it crucial for impacted New Yorkers to act swiftly to maintain coverage or risk a sudden gap in their health care. (THE CITY)