Exclusive: the Mamdani administration will take a swing at reforming NYC's civil service system — the first serious effort by any recent mayor to revamp the antiquated, 143-year-old system that critics say deters talent and worsens staffing shortages: nysfocus.com/2026/10/05/m...

Mamdani Enlists Unions in Push to Overhaul NYC Hiring

A new mayoral task force will study the dysfunctional 143-year-old civil service system and propose changes in Albany.

nysfocus.com

NEW: How often are politicians using AI to write for them? We confirmed at least 10 recent op-eds that NY officials used AI to help write—including pieces by Lt. Gov. nominee Adrienne Adams and an essay by Albany's mayor on the city's fiscal crisis: nysfocus.com/2026/08/27/n...

New York Politicians Are Using AI to Write Their Op-Eds

Politicians including the governor's running mate and the mayor of Albany acknowledged using artificial intelligence to write op-eds.

nysfocus.com

Read this new one by Rachel Aviv. It is astonishing, one of the best magazine stories I've read in a long time. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

The Scientist Who Lived with Dozens of Children from the Pacific Islands

Carleton Gajdusek won the Nobel for his work on a disease in Papua New Guinea. But his biggest experiment was on the children he took back to the U.S.

newyorker.com

NEW: Amazon has quietly spent $5 million to bankroll a campaign against a City Council bill that would force it to directly employ its delivery drivers—funneling the money through a coalition that’s made small business owners the face of its cause: nysfocus.com/2026/07/23/a...

Amazon Bankrolled $5M Campaign Against NYC Delivery Bill

Amazon supplied almost all the funding for a campaign presented as a coalition of New York City workers, small businesses, and national carriers.

nysfocus.com

Scoop: NYC’s brand-new casino, Resorts World Queens, is already disputing how much money it owes to the state — and is pushing legislation in Albany that could avert well over half a billion dollars in payments: nysfocus.com/2026/06/01/n...

New York's Brand-New Casino Is in a $500M+ Fight With the State

Resorts World is floating legislation to avert more than $500 million in payments to the horseracing industry.

nysfocus.com

Scoop: NYC’s brand-new casino, Resorts World Queens, is already disputing how much money it owes to the state — and is pushing legislation in Albany that could avert well over half a billion dollars in payments: nysfocus.com/2026/06/01/n...

New York's Brand-New Casino Is in a $500M+ Fight With the State

Resorts World is floating legislation to avert more than $500 million in payments to the horseracing industry.

nysfocus.com

New: with New York locked out of the redistricting wars until 2028, some Democrats are fuming about a missed opportunity in 2024, when Albany drew a surprisingly cautious congressional map — at the direct urging of Hakeem Jeffries, sources say. nysfocus.com/2026/05/20/j...

Cautious Maps in New York Haunt Democrats’ Redistricting War

Hakeem Jeffries urged Albany to avoid maps that aggressively boosted Democrats, sources told New York Focus.

nysfocus.com

New: with New York locked out of the redistricting wars until 2028, some Democrats are fuming about a missed opportunity in 2024, when Albany drew a surprisingly cautious congressional map — at the direct urging of Hakeem Jeffries, sources say. nysfocus.com/2026/05/20/j...

Cautious Maps in New York Haunt Democrats’ Redistricting War

Hakeem Jeffries urged Albany to avoid maps that aggressively boosted Democrats, sources told New York Focus.

nysfocus.com

NEW: a super PAC that's dumped $ against @lindseyboylan.bsky.social's Council bid has raised money from former Andrew Cuomo supporters, including his chief fundraiser—but conceals their names using a pass-through setup. The PAC's treasurer is a sitting BOE commissioner. nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/c...

Cuomo Allies Pour Money Into Race Against Lindsey Boylan

A super PAC has spent six figures on the race over the last week — more than all the candidates had raised as of last month, combined.

nysfocus.com

America’s largest bank is expanding its data center in Orangeburg, NY, near the New Jersey border. In exchange for $77 million in tax breaks from the state and county, the bank promises to create exactly one permanent job. My story in @nysfocus.com: nysfocus.com/2026/04/20/d...

This Data Center is Getting a $77 Million Tax Break to Create One Job

No other project in the country has gotten such a large subsidy to create so few jobs, according to watchdogs.

nysfocus.com

Gov. Hochul's administration has encouraged Mayor Mamdani to reduce spending on CityFHEPS vouchers, Carter cases and the school class-size mandate as part of discussions about sending more state aid to NYC, sources say: nysfocus.com/2026/04/16/h...

Hochul Pushes Mamdani to Slow Spending in Exchange for Aid

The governor has asked for cost-cutting plans on pricey housing vouchers and public school programs, sources say.

nysfocus.com

New: New York's state budget is poised to exempt taxes on tips up to $25K, a Trump-backed policy widely criticized by economists. It'll cost New York City $239 million. But Mayor Mamdani supports it, even though it would cancel out some of his cost-saving efforts: nysfocus.com/2026/03/30/h...

Hochul's Embrace of Trump's 'No Tax on Tips' Will Cost NYC Millions

The city could lose $239 million from the policy, which is supported by business groups while unions remain on the sidelines.

nysfocus.com

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’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.

nysfocus.com

New: Eric Adams quietly pitched state lawmakers on a plan to fix NYC's broken property tax system. We've published it for the first time. But no lawmaker was even willing to sponsor the bill—a warning sign for Mayor Mamdani as he prepares his own plan: nysfocus.com/2026/03/02/m...

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.

nysfocus.com

📰🔍👀Today's my first day at @nysfocus.bsky.social, where I'll be covering the people and policies shaping New York, the Mamdani agenda in Albany, and hopefully lots of other big, weird, complicated stories. Get in touch: nick[at]nysfocus.com.

💥Professional news💥: after 3 great years, Friday is my last day at Crain's New York. Next week I'm joining @nysfocus.bsky.social as a politics reporter, covering the people and policies shaping New York, as well as the Mamdani agenda in Albany. Can't wait to tackle some big, thorny stories.

New: Mayor Mamdani is starting to shake up NYC's approach to economic development: • Enlisting Lina Khan to interview potential heads of the Economic Development Corp. • Putting EDC under a new deputy mayor • Talking with EDC about city-owned grocery stores: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Mamdani shakes up city’s economic development approach, with Lina Khan’s input

The mayor put the Economic Development Corp. under a new deputy mayor, and enlisted Khan to interview potential leaders.

crainsnewyork.com

The City Council has a new website & leaflets blasting the mayor's housing ballot questions as giveaways to developers. Some ethics experts say they comes dangerously close to electioneering. A council member called them a "waste of taxpayer dollars" Story: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

NYC's pro-housing ballot measures are getting a boost from the city's biggest businesses. The Partnership for NYC, through an affiliate, is spending $750K on a campaign about the Charter questions, including TV ads already airing. More campaigns will follow: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Business lobby puts up money to boost pro-housing ballot measures

The Partnership for New York City is putting money behind the charter revision questions that would speed housing reviews.

crainsnewyork.com

New: the developers of the Times Square casino bid are trying to win over the influential affordable housing complex Manhattan Plaza with an unusual $22.5M gift, plus a cut of annual profits. Tenants aren't sure what to make of it. www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Times Square casino bidder offers millions to an affordable housing complex. Tenants are wary

SL Green and Caesars surprised Manhattan Plaza tenants by pledging $1.5 million a year for the Hell’s Kitchen development.

crainsnewyork.com

skinny "sliver" buildings legalized by City of Yes are starting to take shape, beginning with a recently sold UES townhouse that could become a 15-story tower, CJ Hughes reports: www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/...

Skinny UES development site with towering potential sells for $8M

Architect Nory Hazaveh bought the site, which could support a 15-story “sliver” tower from Taconic Partners.

crainsnewyork.com

NYC's office-to-apartment conversions are booming, w/ 44 known projects slated to produce 17K homes, per a new @nyccomptroller.bsky.social report But the design of the 467m tax break means the city may spend billions on conversions that would've happened anyway www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

​Office conversion boom on track to create 17K homes, comptroller finds

The 467-m tax break may produce much-needed housing but at a cost of $5B in tax revenue.

crainsnewyork.com

the Big, Beautiful Bill includes long-sought changes to affordable housing funding that could boost NY developers and create some 73K extra housing units statewide over 10 years. BUT... that silver lining could evaporate if Trump's huge HUD cuts are passed: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Trump law boosts New York housing, but looming cuts could blow it up

The One Big Beautiful Bill expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, but cuts to federal housing programs could devastate renters.

crainsnewyork.com

Below the radar of the mayoral race, corporate giants & others have spent a record $11M on City Council primaries. Among them: a little noticed PAC whose #1 funder is Bill Ackman. I spoke to super PAC strategists about why that money is flowing to some unexpected candidates. t.co/mYq8sf5h8h

Corporate giants are pouring millions into low-profile council races

Real estate developers and labor groups are backing little-known City Council candidates in hopes of gaining influence.

crainsnewyork.com

New: the Coney Island casino bid has put @justinbrannan.bsky.social in an unusual political pickle. At a council hearing next week, Brannan may question the same casino developers spending $30K on an outside super PAC to support his comptroller campaign: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Coney Island casino puts leading comptroller candidate in hot water

At a June 12 hearing, Justin Brannan will grill the same casino developers spending thousands to boost his campaign.

crainsnewyork.com

new: the Adams administration has filed its response to the lawsuit seeking to overturn City of Yes. City lawyers say doing so would "cause havoc" in the housing market with many projects already underway, and also say the complaint is riddled with errors: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Overturning City of Yes would cause ‘havoc’ for housing market, city tells judge

The Adams administration urged a judge not to gut the landmark zoning plans.

crainsnewyork.com

we have a new super PAC—Manhattan City Council candidate Rachel Storch is being boosted by an independent expenditure funded by Jessica Tisch's brother, Sam. Sam's wife Eliana is an officer. Storch is opting out of matching funds and has raised $433K: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Billionaire Tisch family boosts Manhattan council candidate with a super PAC

East Side candidate Rachel Storch will benefit from an independent expenditure funded by Sam Tisch.

crainsnewyork.com

Exclusive: DoorDash has formed a super PAC and plans to spend $2M on City Council primaries, fresh off its $1M donation to the pro-Cuomo PAC. It's considering supporting possible speaker candidates Julie Menin and Kevin Riley, plus 4 open-seat contenders: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

DoorDash banks $2M to boost council candidates, after big Cuomo donation

The delivery giant is supporting likely speaker candidates and four other “pro-local economy” contenders.

crainsnewyork.com

new, long-awaited data on NYC's 485x housing tax break validates some early fears: zero projects proposed with 100+ units and only 2 in Lower Manhattan, where wage rules are higher. Developers have signaled interest in 118 total projects worth 2,600 units: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

the Adams administration says it quietly stopped doing business with Cushman & Wakefield in the wake of the lease scandal involving Jesse Hamilton and others. Instead, the city is extending its contract with another firm, CBRE, as it seeks 5 long-term brokers: www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Adams administration seeks new brokers after Cushman & Wakefield lease scandal

Cushman & Wakefield is no longer representing the city, which is looking for five new tenant representatives.

crainsnewyork.com