Before leaving for Italy on vacation, Mayor de Blasio signed an executive order requiring that any project over 100,000 sq. ft. or 100 residential units receiving City financial assistance accept a “labor peace agreement” covering any retail and food service workers. The agreement would require the property owner or retailer to remain neutral on organizing efforts while the union would be barred from picketing or work stoppages.
In response to water pollution problems in upstate Hoosick Falls, Governor Cuomo yesterday signed legislation creating a new three year window for damage claims after a superfund site designation, creating new risks for developers hoping to clean them up.
Brooklyn investment sales were down from 2015 peaks in the first half of 2016, but development site sales tanked 44% after the expiration of 421a, according to a report by TerraCRG
The Economic Development Corporation and HPD are looking for expressions of interest in developing a 158,000 sq. ft. site “along the scenic Harlem River” in the Bronx.
Before all the speeches at the Republican Convention this week, the party adopted its 2016 Platform. It calls for eliminating any taxpayer liability for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and FHA loans, and eliminating lending quotas to any groups; and ending the government’s use of disparate impact theory in enforcing anti-discrimination laws. It also calls for an end to federal efforts to influence local zoning under the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing program. Criticizing the Dodd-Frank bill, it suggests reduced funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
As CHIP notified you earlier today, The State Department of Health has issued new regulations requiring electronic registration of cooling towers and quarterly reporting of legionella testing results. Owners have to have obtained or updated maintenance plans conforming to ASHRAE standards by September 1st. The new regulations indicate that information collected by the State will be shared with local governments, but New York City’s separate cooling tower registration, inspection and recordkeeping requirements remain in effect.