Local hiring preferences will pose another hurdle to developers trying to build housing under two initiatives by Mayor de Blasio revealed this week. The Mayor announced that the Build It Back Program to restore neighborhoods hit by Hurricane Sandy will make hiring workers from storm-damaged neighborhoods a priority. The RFP for phase 2 of the Hunters Point development “included a section that requires responders to lay out an employment-opportunities hiring plan that provides opportunities for very-low income city residents, the homeless, those with criminal records, people on public assistance, custodial single parents or those who have participated in a vocational program for non-native English speakers ” The provision is expected to be repeated for future projects.
The State Court of Appeals heard oral arguments this week on whether a stabilized lease was property that could be sold in a bankruptcy estate or whether it was exempt as a form of local public assistance benefit. The bankruptcy referee argued that public assistance involved a cash payment and means test while the State Attorney General and Mayor de Blasio submitted an amicus arguing that a rent stabilized lease is “‘assistance’ provided to a ‘local’ population by a ‘public’ entity…” For copies of case documents, search here for the party name Santiago-Monteverde.
The Attorney General and Mayor also delivered a one-two punch on Airbnb. Yesterday, the AG issued a report showing that 72 percent of bookings violated the multiple dwelling law and that 36 percent of the income went to a handful of illegal hotel operators. This morning, the Daily News reported that the City had gotten an injunction against the owners of two south midtown apartment buildings allegedly operating as illegal hotels.
October 29th, ABO is asking “What Price Energy? Buying It, Saving It, Making It” in a program at 12:30 during the NYARM Expo at the Hotel Pennsylvania on 7th Avenue and 33rd St. Speakers include:
Thomas Devlin, ABO FS Energy Buying Group
Ahmed Ibrahim, Ecosystem
David Singer, Original Energy
Arthur Rosenfield, Red Apple Group
They will be talking about how you can save money, so be sure to attend.