E-Bike Safety Review, Brooklyn Parking Pilot, LIC Housing Opposition

Politics & Policy

• Speaker Julie Menin and Council Members to Launch Sweeping Review of E-Bike and E-Scooter Safety · The NYC Council will hold a comprehensive hearing on September 30 featuring over a dozen legislative proposals and oversight of city enforcement aimed at improving e-bike and e-scooter safety for pedestrians and riders. (NYC Council)
• New York lawmakers propose lifting 1985 ban on LGBTQ+ bathhouses · New York legislators introduced a bill to repeal the 1985 ban on LGBTQ+ bathhouses and similar adult establishments shuttered during the AIDS epidemic. (Gothamist)
• Judge allows N.Y. bans of local agreements with ICE, blocks mask ban for agents · A federal judge upheld New York’s law banning local governments from signing agreements with ICE, but blocked the state’s mask mandate for ICE agents. (Luke Parsnow)

Housing, Transportation & Infrastructure

• Hate alternate-side parking? This Brooklyn neighborhood is testing a pilot program to reduce that move-your-car hassle · Prospect Heights is testing a pilot program that cuts alternate-side parking from twice weekly to once weekly, aiming to reduce parking hassles and potentially expanding across Brooklyn. (Laura Ratliff)
• New photos of Willets Point show off NYC’s largest all-affordable development in decades · Willets Point Commons opened its first 880 all-affordable units earlier this year; the full development will offer 2,500 affordable, workforce, and moderate-income homes. (6sqft)
• 96 supportive and affordable homes coming to Hunts Point · Mayor Mamdani broke ground on 658-674 Casanova Street in the Bronx, delivering 96 supportive and affordable homes including 38 units available via the city’s housing lottery. (6sqft)
• East New York affordable development opens lottery for 200+ units, from $830/month · A housing lottery launched for 209 affordable apartments at 882 Fountain Avenue, part of the Alafia development’s second phase in East New York’s evolving 27-acre mixed-use neighborhood. (6sqft)
• Babies on board: MTA moves to expand space for unfolded strollers on buses systemwide · Following a successful pilot, the MTA will expand designated stroller space on all city buses, announced NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow on August 6. (AM New York)

Culture & Lifestyle

• Greg Tate and the Future of Black Journalism: a Group Chat With New Eyes Collective · Writers and editors discussed the stylistic legacy and future of Black journalism at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art, honoring critic Greg Tate’s impact. (Brooklyn Magazine)
• ICYMI: A Beloved West Village Seafood Restaurant Returns · Mary’s Fish Camp, a West Village seafood staple, reopened after a closure, delighting diners with its return. (Eater NY)
• Will the Liberty move up in the tight WNBA standings? · The New York Liberty entered Wednesday’s game against Seattle Storm with an 18-13 record, ranked seventh in the WNBA. (New York Amsterdam News)
• NY farmers market shopping list: Fancy apples, tomatoes, legal weed? · Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation allowing cannabis products to be sold legally at New York farmers markets alongside heirloom produce. (Gothamist)
• Who’s staying cool in New York’s scorching summers? · New U.S. Census data highlights the challenges of sweltering NYC summers, especially for residents without air conditioning. (Chantal Mann)

Business & Economy

• Opinion: Who Can Afford to Work for New York City? · A City Limits opinion reveals a formal survey underway to document housing instability and homelessness among NYC workers, warning of risks to public services. (City Limits)
• Exclusive: New president of RUMC says conversations about merger are in progress · Richmond University Medical Center’s new president confirmed ongoing merger talks amid rumors about joining another hospital system. (Emma Barnett)
• Complexity on the Menu: The State of New York City’s Restaurant Industry · NYC restaurants employ nearly 280,000 people but face persistent bureaucratic challenges, according to an interview with Andrew Rigie. (Vital City)
• Going viral used to be the dream for local businesses; now it can be the dread · Local NYC food businesses report that social media virality brings operational strain and risks to sustainability. (New York Groove)

Civic Services & Government

• Survivors and Families Sue NYC Over Deadly Legionnaires’ Outbreak in Harlem Last Year · Families and survivors filed lawsuits against NYC and contractors tied to the Harlem Legionnaires’ outbreak that killed seven and sickened 120 last summer, alleging negligence in cooling tower maintenance. (Kaitlyn Schwanemann)
• Anti-Jewish hate crimes in New York grow even as violent crime across the city decreases · Despite overall declines in violent crime, anti-Jewish hate crimes in New York increased sharply following a series of attacks last month. (JTA)
• Are car stickers the key to fixing street cleaning? · NYC leaders are cracking down on illegal e-bikes after recent fatalities while the city debates if alternate-side parking “shame” stickers effectively deter street cleaning violations or amount to vandalism. (Off Topic/On Politics)
• Loss of Haitian caregivers leaves void NY nursing homes, patients will ‘struggle to fill’ · Cabrini nursing home in Westchester laid off seven Haitian caregivers last week after a Trump-era policy made them ineligible to work, worsening staffing shortages in NY nursing homes. (Gothamist)

DEEP DIVE

LIC community leaders question Mamdani-backed housing development

The Mamdani administration announced The Orion, a new mixed-use development in Long Island City’s Hunters Point South, featuring 1,000 new homes on a long-vacant city-owned lot known as Parcel E. The project promises nearly 70 percent affordability, including 145 supportive housing units and community amenities run by local nonprofit Commonpoint Queens. Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy emphasized the city’s commitment to safe, affordable housing through this initiative.

Despite the strong affordability pitch, local leaders and advocates criticize the plan for falling short. Councilmember Julie Won and Western Queens Community Land Trust advocate Jenny Dubnau argue that the community demanded 80 to 100 percent affordability, echoing neighboring sites that achieved higher rates. They also called for more active outdoor space and a larger unit count of deeply affordable homes, asserting public land should prioritize social housing as Mamdani campaigned.

The debate highlights persistent tensions between city housing goals and neighborhood demands, spotlighting affordability thresholds in one of Queens’ most expensive neighborhoods. As The Orion moves closer to construction, community voices will watch how much affordability and quality-of-life features actually materialize. The stakes are high for LIC residents facing rising costs and a historically limited supply of deeply affordable housing, making this project a test case for Mamdani’s housing agenda going forward.

(Source)