NYC Mayor: Making NYC Fleet Safer, Flood Protections, City Groceries Required Discounts, New NYC Sheriff, Sports & Tech Challenge For Young New Yorkers, Education Policy Panel, $100M For Delivery Workers,100th Tenant Union

Mayor Mamdani Signs Executive Order to Make City Fleet Safer for Pedestrians, Cyclists and Drivers  

4,000 municipal trucks to install audible pedestrian alerts by June 2029  

All new non-emergency municipal vehicles will feature pedestrian alerts and speed-limiting technology shown to reduce dangerous speeding by 64%  

New York City has implemented the largest intelligent speed assistance fleet in the country

Mayor Mamdani Announces Major Expansion of the Bureau of Coastal Resilience to Protect City from Future Storm Surges and Coastal Flooding Events   

The Bureau centralizes the planning, operation and maintenance of the City’s growing network of coastal flood-protection infrastructure, and for years, has relied on a team of six staff and the support of borrowed crew members from across DEP. Mayor Mamdani is investing in a Bureau of Coastal Resilience that has the expertise and manpower necessary to meet the moment and protect our coastal communities for generations to come.  

The Mayor has invested $43.2 million across the City’s financial plan, including $10.6 million in the current fiscal year, to hire 69 additional staff members to the Bureau, including engineers, field crews, city planners and other flood experts. The funding also supports several major studies that will strengthen the City’s long-term coastal resilience strategy, including a roadmap for protecting all 520 miles of New York City’s coastline. 

“As climate change accelerates, so too must our efforts to protect our communities from flooding and extreme weather,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This investment ensures the Bureau can keep pace with the billions of dollars in flood prevention and mitigation infrastructure being built and mobilized in the next few years. Staffed with engineers, flood-risk management experts and maintenance crews, the Bureau of Coastal Resilience will drive resiliency job opportunities while making sure our city is prepared for whatever comes our way.” 

“Mayor Mamdani and this administration are committed to protecting New Yorkers from hurricanes, intense rainfall and other climate change risks and recognize that this requires sustained investment in infrastructure and the people who keep it running,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “Expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience strengthens our ability to safeguard our shoreline, prepare for climate impacts and protect the communities, businesses and critical facilities that power our city.”  

There are currently 15 active infrastructure projects in the Bureau’s portfolio, including the City’s first major coastal flood protection system: the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, which features raised parkland, floodwalls and 18 swinging or sliding flood gates to create a continuous line of protection. ESCR will come online next year and protect more than 110,000 New Yorkers, including approximately 28,000 public residents, on the Lower East Side from storms like Hurricane Sandy.  

Hurricane Sandy killed 44 New Yorkers and caused nearly $19 billion in damage in 2012, catalyzing an ambitious portfolio of long-term coastal protection projects that will prevent flooding while improving public waterfront spaces. Today, nearly 440,000 New Yorkers, 14,500 businesses and roughly $250 billion in property value reside within the city’s 100-year floodplain.  

As extreme weather events become more frequent, the Mamdani administration is building climate preparedness into the features of the city. The administration has invested $108 million to upgrade and replace thousands of catch basins to improve the city’s street drainage network, $95 million to protect the flood-prone neighborhood of Homecrest in Brooklyn from cloudbursts and completed phase one of Battery Coastal Resilience, a landmark $200 million investment in the long-term safety and resilience of Lower Manhattan. 

In addition to ESCR, several other major coastal flooding protection systems will come online in the next four years, including Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience, Seaport Coastal Resilience, and Red Hook Coastal Resiliency. The Bureau works closely with City agencies — including NYC Parks, Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Small Business Services (SBS), Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Design and Construction (DDC), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) — to advance these critical coastal resilience projects across the five boroughs. 

“These past couple of weeks, we have seen how strong rainstorms have wreaked havoc on our communities. As the effects of climate change heighten, we are further motivated to protect New Yorkers from flooding and rising sea levels,” said DDC Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa. “DDC is currently building innovative coastal resiliency infrastructure and flooding mitigation across the City, like flood walls, flood gates and street raisings, while also maintaining access to the waterfront and providing New Yorkers with upgraded recreational areas. DDC is proud to collaborate with DEP on these projects, and we are glad that the infrastructure we are working on will be better-supported thanks to Mayor Mamdani’s expansion of DEP’s Bureau of Coastal Resilience.” 

“For a family, a flooded home means a repair bill they can’t afford and an insurance premium that spikes,” said Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. “By funding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience, the City will have the in-house engineering, planning and capacity to build, operate and maintain our flood protection systems now and into the future.” 

“As we face the effects of climate change and encounter severe storms with greater frequency, it’s more vital than ever that we bolster our coastlines to protect our most flood-prone areas. By expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience, the City will be better equipped to deal with future impacts and keep our communities safe,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “Through transformative projects like East Side Coastal Resiliency and our continued partnership with DEP and sister agencies, we are protecting New Yorkers from future coastal flooding while creating stronger, greener and more accessible public spaces.” 

“As New Yorkers grapple with more frequent and intense coastal storms and flooding, the City must continue investing in the infrastructure needed to keep people safe,” said NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell. “Expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience is a necessary investment that strengthens New York City’s ability to prepare for severe weather, protect vulnerable communities and build the long-term resilience needed to confront the growing challenges of climate change.” 

“The expansion of the Bureau of Coastal Resilience is a critical investment in the safety of all New Yorkers and the future of our city when, if we didn’t take action, even minor coastal storms could become damaging as sea levels continue to rise,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “The Bureau has been critical in advancing major resiliency projects to protect New Yorkers and, with additional resources, can more urgently address our climate crisis. We are proud to work with the Bureau to help move forward resiliency projects involving street infrastructure and are working every day to build a more sustainable city.” 

“Severe weather is no longer a distant threat, but is a reality New Yorkers are experiencing with increasing frequency,” said DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “Investing in resilient coastal infrastructure will go a long way toward protecting our buildings, neighborhoods and the people who call them home. Through DOB’s enforcement of the city’s strong flood protection requirements for new construction projects, each new development we approve is helping to improve the resiliency of the city’s built environment. This expansion announced today reflects the City’s commitment to preparing for the challenges ahead while preserving the safety and strength of our built environment. Congratulations to DEP on this significant investment, we look forward to continuing to partner with you on this important work.” 

“Climate resilience must be built into how New York City plans for its future,” said DCP Director Sideya Sherman. “Expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience will strengthen the City’s ability to protect vulnerable communities, coordinate major investments and prepare waterfront neighborhoods for growing climate change risks. City Planning is proud to support this important work as we advance a safer, more resilient city for generations to come.” 

“Preparing for the impacts of climate change is one of the City’s most important responsibilities. And strengthening the Bureau of Coastal Resilience is a smart investment that will help ensure these critical flood protection systems are properly planned, maintained, and ready when New Yorkers need them most,” said Council Member James F. Gennaro. “From Superstorm Sandy to the increasingly frequent severe storms we experience today — including as recently as last week — we know the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of preparedness. I look forward to working with DEP and this administration to advance resilient infrastructure that will help to protect New York City.” 

“We’re thrilled to see Mayor Mamdani invest $10.6 million in the Bureau of Coastal Resilience through the FY27 budget,” said Julie Raskin, President and CEO at Waterfront Alliance. “Since its creation in 2023, the Bureau has been tasked with an enormous responsibility: helping protect New York City’s 520 miles of coastline from increasing flood risks. This funding is an important step toward ensuring the Bureau has the resources it needs to meet that challenge, and we look forward to continuing to work with the City to build a more resilient waterfront for all New Yorkers.” 

“New York City’s waterfront communities are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and today’s investment recognizes that protecting New Yorkers means preparing for the storms and rising seas of tomorrow,” said Tracy Brown, President of Riverkeeper. “Riverkeeper supports the expansion of the Bureau of Coastal Resilience as an important step toward building the expertise and capacity needed to deliver the large-scale protections our city requires. At Riverkeeper, we know that resilient coastlines and healthy waterways go hand in hand. We’re encouraged to see the City making long-term investments that strengthen both public safety and the health of our shared waters. We look forward to partnering with the BCR as they design and deliver on strategies to protect our communities while advancing a more resilient and sustainable future for all New Yorkers.” 

“We are thrilled that Mayor Mamdani is expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience,” said Amy Chester, Director of Rebuild by Design. “As we have seen firsthand this summer, flooding is a high priority for New Yorkers. If we invest smartly and design with communities, our flood infrastructure can benefit neighborhoods every day, from improved health outcomes to local jobs, to new local parks where you can know your neighbors.” 

“NYLCV commends Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Garcia for not only recognizing the serious and growing threat that climate change poses to our communities, but for taking action to prepare for its impacts,” said Alia Soomro, Deputy Director for New York City Policy, New York League of Conservation Voters. “Expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience is a smart investment that will help protect New Yorkers from powerful storms and coastal flooding, and we look forward to working with the Administration and DEP to create a more resilient waterfront for generations to come.” 

“For the first time, New York City’s coastal flood manager will have a robustly staffed team dedicated to protecting New Yorkers from growing flood risks,” said Kate Boicourt, New York State Director for Environmental Defense Fund. “I commend Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Garcia for recognizing that building a resilience workforce is essential to keeping New York safe, livable and economically vibrant for generations to come.” 

“The Coney Island Beautification Project applauds Mayor Mamdani’s expansion of the Bureau of Coastal Resiliency,” said Pamela Pettyjohn, President of the Coney Island Beautification Project. “Climate threats continue to loom large and for coastal communities like ours. Strong leadership and smart investments are essential for a safe and secure future for everyone who lives in or loves Coney Island.” 

“New Yorkers have seen firsthand this summer how devastating flooding can be,” said Esther Rosario, Executive Director of Climate Jobs New York. “Meeting this moment requires bold public investment in the infrastructure that keeps our communities safe. We applaud Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Garcia for expanding the Bureau of Coastal Resilience and taking meaningful action to prepare New York City for a changing climate. These investments will help protect New Yorkers from future storms while putting people to work building a more resilient city.”

Mayor Mamdani Unveils 30% Discount — Including All Produce, All Meat and Key Pantry Staples — at New Municipal Grocery Stores  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani releasedsthe Rental Ripoff Report, a package of 23 policy actions shaped by testimony from thousands of New Yorkers at Rental Ripoff Hearings held across the five boroughs on Thursday. July 16,, 2026. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

REMARKS AS PREPARED: MAYOR MAMDANI DELIVERS REMARKS AT THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY FOR NYC SHERIFF EDWIN RAYMOND 

Mayor Mamdani, DYCD, New York City FC and City in the Community Launch New Sports and Technology Challenge for Young New Yorkers  

Mayor Mamdani Announces Appointments to Panel for Educational Policy

NEW YORK —  Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani appointed 13 members to the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) ahead of the panel’s inaugural 2026-27 meeting on Wednesday, July 29.

The new slate includes both returning and newly appointed members from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences who share a commitment to strengthening New York City’s public schools and ensuring every student has access to a rigorous, welcoming and safe education.

“Public schools belong to New Yorkers, and the families, students and educators who make them what they are deserve a real voice in the decisions that shape them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The Panel for Educational Policy has a vital responsibility to help guide our school system with transparency and accountability. I am grateful to these members for stepping up to serve our city and for bringing the experience and commitment our students deserve.”

“The Panel for Educational Policy is a critical partner in ensuring that the voices of families and communities are heard and reflected in the decisions that shape our schools,” said Chancellor Samuels. “Meaningful collaboration with the Panel strengthens transparency, accountability and our shared commitment to putting children first. I look forward to working alongside our new members in service of every child and the future of public education.”

Appointees

Karla Cordero serves as Chief of Staff at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, where she guides the organization’s strategic direction and organizational change initiatives. Before joining WE ACT, she spent 12 years in New York City government, developing policies and programs serving underserved communities across social services, sustainability and economic development.

Her work included establishing an emergency food reserve program during the COVID-19 pandemic that delivered more than 18 million meals to New Yorkers, overseeing contracts providing client-centered services to more than 50,000 residents and spearheading major sustainability and resiliency projects.

A native New Yorker, Cordero earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fordham University and a master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

Tariq Khan works in budget and finance for the MTA. He has spent more than 29 years at MTA New York City Transit, serving in roles including budget analysis manager, maintenance program manager, principal transportation planner, computer specialist and associate staff analyst.

Khan earned an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Benin in Nigeria. He has been a Queens resident for 38 years and spent that time actively engaging school communities and their parent leadership.

Mehrain Mahdi is an education advocate and parent leader who served on the School Leadership Team (SLT) at a District 2 school, where she established an after-school Spanish program. She is also the founder of Little Leaping Leaders, a leadership and enrichment program for young girls.

Mahdi earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University and has more than 20 years of experience leading strategic initiatives and digital transformation efforts, most recently in the health care industry.

She lives in Manhattan with her husband and children.

Alan Ong is a longtime parent and community leader in Queens. He previously served as a PTA president before joining the Community Education Council (CEC) District 26, where he later served as president. Ong has held numerous leadership positions while advocating on education, civic and community issues.

Amy Fair is a community advocate and educational leader with more than 25 years of experience in higher education administration. She serves as director of strategic initiatives and special projects at NYU Steinhardt, where she oversees operational planning, cross-functional initiatives, emergency preparedness and institutional projects.

Fair has served as a Bronx Borough President appointee to CEC District 11, the District 11 Neighborhood Advisory Board, a previous mayoral appointee to the Panel for Educational Policy and in several community leadership roles supporting students, families and schools. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in professional writing from New York University, as well as an associate degree in business management from Trinity College.

Courtney Rajwani is a managing consultant at The Lewin Group. She previously served as executive director for policy development and support in the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Division of Early Childhood Education during the de Blasio administration. Rajwani began her career at an educational nonprofit in Jackson Heights, Queens.

She earned an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University. She has two children enrolled in NYCPS.

Crystal Vera-Montalvo has served as director of community educational engagement at the College of Staten Island (CSI) since 2018. She oversees CUNY continuing education English as a Second Language and GED programs, along with lifelong learning programs for older adults and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

She previously spent more than a decade working in education and the nonprofit sector. Vera-Montalvo is the parent of a NYCPS student and serves on the boards of Nonprofit Staten Island, La Colmena, and Segunda Quimbamba. She is pursuing a doctorate in community-based leadership at CSI and earned both her bachelor’s degree in government and politics and her master’s degree in global development and social justice from St. John’s University.

Marjorie Dienstag is a mother of three whose children have attended both public and private schools in New York City, including a current student in a District 75 school.

A graduate of New York University, Dienstag has served for the past decade as president of the Charles Street Block Association. She also led advocacy efforts to build a middle school serving the West Village that includes District 75 programming and has supported her local Community Board. She immigrated to New York City from Haiti as a child.

Lucas Koehler is chief financial officer at the Foundation for City College, where he oversees financial management for a $500 million endowment. He previously played a key role in expanding New York City’s early childhood education system and worked at the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget and as a seventh-grade math teacher in the Bronx.

He lives in the Bronx with his wife and three sons.

Primo Lasana is chief impact officer at the Forum for Youth Investment. He previously served as executive director of Reading Partners and director of new site development at iMentor.

Lasana also serves as chair of the Finance and Development Committee of the Kings County Hospital Community Advisory Board and previously served as first vice chair of Brooklyn Community Board 9. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Hunter College and a master’s degree in public administration from NYU Wagner.

Kristin Jefferson is a senior education consultant at Teaching Matters and founder of KJ-Ed Solutions LLC. She previously served as academic director and network multilingual learner coordinator at Explore Charter Schools and as director of recruitment in the New York City Department of Education’s Office of New Schools. 

Jefferson earned bachelor’s degrees in sociology and Latin American studies from Rice University, a master’s degree in bilingual and bicultural education from Columbia University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Brooklyn College. 

Dr. Maddy Fox is an associate professor of Children and Youth Studies and Sociology at Brooklyn College. She is also a faculty member in urban education and critical psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center and a founding researcher with the Public Science Project.

A parent of two NYCPS students, Fox is an organizer, union member and participatory action researcher whose work focuses on partnering with young people and communities to shape public policy. She facilitated the District 15 participatory action research project, which centered community leadership in the school rezoning process.

Fox earned her doctorate in critical social-personality psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center.

Raysa Rodriguez is the executive director of Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC) of New York, a role she assumed in 2025. A lifelong child advocate, she has spent more than two decades advancing equity in education, housing, child welfare and economic justice.

Rodriguez previously served as chief program and policy officer at FPWA, vice president of policy and planning at WIN and associate vice president for education at United Way of New York City. Earlier in her career, she served as senior advisor on children’s issues in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

A graduate of New York City’s public schools, Rodriguez was born and raised in the Bronx and began her career as a kindergarten teacher. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human development from Cornell University and a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor. She lives in Queens with her husband and two children.

Mayor Mamdani Delivers More Than $100 Million for Delivery Workers Since January

New report shows workers are on pace to earn $184 million more in tips annually following aggressive City enforcement against deceptive Big Tech app practices

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine released a new report showing the City’s crackdown on deceptive tipping practices by app-based delivery platforms has secured an estimated $104 million in additional tips for delivery workers since January.  

Since the City began enforcing new tipping protections on January 26, 2026, tips have doubled, and the city’s approximately 70,000 app-based delivery workers are on pace to earn an additional $184 million annually in tips, or about $2,287 more each year for the average worker.  

“For years, delivery apps buried the tip button to pad their own bottom line, and delivery workers paid the price,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We changed the law, enforced it, and it’s working: $104 million has gone back into the pockets of the workers who keep this city fed, rain or shine. New York will not allow billion-dollar tech companies to boost their profits by taking money from working people.”  

“When a customer leaves a tip, that money belongs to the delivery worker, not to the app,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “It belongs to the worker who carried our food up four flights of stairs or biked through the rain to make sure dinner arrived at your door. Since January, delivery workers across New York City have earned $104 million more because we made these companies play by the rules. We’re not done. We’ll keep enforcing this law and keep going after any platform that tries to shortchange its workers.”  

“New York is a city that tips—and I don’t just mean OG Anunoby’s game winner at the Garden. The data is clear: allowing consumers the clear ability to tip hardworking deliveristas benefits our workers and strengthens our economy,” said DCWP Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. “I said it when DCWP blew the whistle on delivery apps’ design tricks in January, and I’ll say it again: under Mayor Mamdani, the biggest corporations in the world will no longer be able to rake in record profits on the backs of New Yorkers.”  

The report highlights the impact of the Mamdani administration’s efforts to enforce New York City’s Delivery Worker Laws and curb industry practices that reduced delivery workers’ earnings by an estimated $550 million in tips. It also demonstrates that stronger worker protections can increase earnings while maintaining consumer demand for food delivery.  

“Delivery workers fought for years to win fair pay, only to watch app companies find new ways to take money out of workers’ pockets,” said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of Worker’s Justice Project and Co-Founder of its Los Deliveristas Unidos organizing campaign. “Today’s announcement is proof that organized workers can overcome even the most powerful corporations when government chooses to stand with working people. We are grateful to Mayor Mamdani, Commissioner Levine, and the entire DCWP team for showing that workers’ rights don’t end when legislation is passed – they become real only through strong enforcement. This victory is about far more than tips. It’s about demonstrating that New York will not allow corporations to profit by undermining the rights of the people who keep this city running.”   

“When we passed the minimum pay guarantee for deliveristas in 2023, the apps responded by hiding the tip option from their customers,” said Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “That cost deliveristas over half a billion dollars in earnings. We refused to let that stand, and I was proud to sponsor the law to restore tipping at checkout. The apps sued us over it, the judges said we were right, and the deliveristas won big. $104 million in earnings going back into their pockets since the law went into effect in January is money that helps them put food on their own tables. None of this is possible without DCWP’s continued enforcement, and we will continue to fight alongside them and the deliveristas until they get every cent they’ve earned.” 

“When mega corporations implemented design tricks to cheat workers out of an average of $5,800 a year, the Council took action and the data shows the local laws that became effective earlier this year are working,” said Councilmember Harvey Epstein, Chair of the Consumer and Worker Protection Committee. “These tipping fairness laws don’t just protect workers—they strengthen our local economy by putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, so they can spend it in our communities. When workers are prospering our city thrives.” 

“A city is judged by how it treats the people who do its hardest work,” said Assemblyman Charles D. Fall. “Delivery workers have shown up for New Yorkers through every season, every storm, and every hour of the day, asking for little more than the chance to earn an honest living. Putting more than $104 million back into their pockets is a reminder that hard work deserves dignity, sacrifice deserves respect, and the people who keep this city moving should never be left behind.”

Protecting Delivery Workers’ Tips  

When New York City’s historic minimum pay standard for 70,000 app-based delivery workers took effect in December 2023, major tech platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash responded by hiding tipping menus. DCWP estimates those changes cost workers an estimated $550 million in tips. Since January 26, 2026, delivery apps operating in New York City have been required to provide customers with a clear tipping option at checkout, including a selectable 10% tip, a custom tip amount, or the option to leave no tip.  

Report Highlights

Tips per Delivery at Restaurant Delivery Apps Before and After DCWP Tipping Law:

• During the four weeks before the law took effect, deliver workers earned an average of $1.18 per delivery. During the four weeks after implementation, average tips increased to $2.29 per delivery, an increase of $1.11 per trip.  

• The new tipping requirements had no measurable impact on demand for food delivery. Customers continued placing record-high numbers of orders on apps, with 3.3 million orders placed each week. That is 700,000 more weekly orders than in December 2023, when the City first began enforcing the minimum pay standard.  

• Since December 2023, delivery workers’ total hourly earnings — including pay and tips — have increased from $10.48 per hour to $27.32 per hour, an increase of $16.84 per hour, or 161%.  

• To date, New York City’s minimum pay standard has resulted in more than $2 billion in additional earnings for delivery workers.    

Delivery workers can learn more about their rights under Delivery Worker Laws at nyc.gov/deliveryapps. Delivery workers who believe a restaurant or grocery delivery app has failed to pay the required minimum rate of $22.13 per hour, excluding tips, for time spent preparing or making deliveries are encouraged to file a complaint at nyc.gov/workers.  

Mamdani Administration Celebrates Formation of 100th City-Supported Tenant Union

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Dina Levy and Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) Director Cea Weaver yesterday celebrated a major milestone in HPD’s Partners in Preservation (PiP) program: the formation of the 100th City-supported tenant union, at 8609 Bay 16th St. in Brooklyn. 

Through PiP, HPD partners with community-based tenant organizing groups to help residents confront unsafe living conditions, landlord harassment and neglect. PiP funds organizers at 20 trusted organizations across 39 community districts, supporting tenants as they form associations, build collective power and hold negligent landlords accountable. 

“Housing is about more than four walls and a roof, it’s about feeling safe when you come back at the end of the day. When tenants organize together, they can win repairs, improve building conditions and collectively bargain with their landlords. Reaching our 100th City-supported tenant union is proof that collective action works, and it’s only the beginning. Through our Block by Block housing plan, we will legally recognize tenant unions and support tenant organizing so more New Yorkers have the power to fight for the homes they deserve,” said Mayor Mamdani.

“Partners in Preservation has supported thousands of New Yorkers in fighting for their rights and better building conditions. Through Block by Block and the Rental Ripoff actions, we will build on that work by working hand-in-hand with organized tenants to strengthen code enforcement and preserve affordable housing,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “Congratulations to the tenants, organizing partners, and HPD staff who have played a part in reaching this milestone!” 

“Partners in Preservation is a groundbreaking program that empowers tenants to advocate for better conditions and a better future,” said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy. “Organized tenants make housing safer, stronger, and more stable. HPD is proud to lead this incredible program and to support organized tenants in every borough across New York City.”

“The most protected tenant is an organized tenant. Reaching 100 tenant associations is a testament to the dedication of tenants, organizers and community partners across this city. We’re building on that momentum by making it easier for New Yorkers to organize and fight for the safe, affordable housing they deserve,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.

“Neighbors Helping Neighbors is proud to organize alongside the 8609 Bay 16th Street tenants. In a few short months, we have secured a commitment to repair building issues that have persisted for over 15 years, and we will continue to work together to make those commitments reality,” said Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. “We are especially thrilled to celebrate this milestone at the New Utrecht Library, whose upcoming redevelopment will bring much-needed affordable housing opportunities to South Brooklyn. Thank you to the City of New York for its commitment to housing justice and to expanding affordable housing and building tenant power.”

The tenant association at 8609 Bay 16th St. was organized by Neighbors Helping Neighbors, an affiliate of Fifth Avenue Committee. Organizers first canvassed the building in December 2025, identified widespread concerns and returned five more times early in 2026 to help residents establish a tenant association.

Tenants reported pest infestations, inconsistent heat and hot water, unresolved lead paint complaints, poor apartment maintenance, neglected common spaces, stairwell accessibility issues and difficulty reaching building management. After tenants sent a demand letter to the landlord in March 2026 outlining these issues and requesting immediate action, the landlord initially denied the claims. Following sustained organizing, the landlord has begun to work with tenants to address several longstanding housing issues.