Evictions were down 18% in 2015, prompting Mayor de Blasio to claim credit for his legal aid initiatives despite the likelihood that falling unemployment, record job creation, and delays due to reduced court personnel were more significant causes.
The City Finance Commissioner this week urged businesses owned as corporations to file for six month extensions on their taxes rather than meet the March 15th deadline because forms reflecting new State laws are not ready.
An ABC exposé of construction workers drinking on the job has led to new calls for drug and alcohol testing at job sites, but collective bargaining agreements could get in the way on union jobs. Wonder if the prevailing wage advocates on the City Council thought about that?
The Mayor is pressing negotiations with the City Council on his Mandatory Inclusionary Housing proposal and appears willing to deepen the affordability requirements (and lessen the economic advantages of the plan for developers) to win approval quickly. As CHIP and ABO members learned at this week’s 421a/Inclusionary Zoning seminar, the existing voluntary inclusionary zoning plan, which is more generous than the current proposals, has only produced about 250 affordable units per year.
Exhibitors and potential exhibitors at BuildingsNY can learn how to maximize attendance at their booths and follow up with visitors using online tools at a special seminar at 11 a.m. March 24th in the Marriott Marquis. Contact rpalermo@reedexpo.com for details and reservations.
This week’s BuildingsNY exhibitor focus is on ERG Lighting. Meet them at the Javits Center May 24-25th.