In NYC: Little Apple, Kids First Traffic, Public School Procurement Modernizing, Lead Pipes Replaced, Other Updates: Mayor Mamdani

Mamdani Administration Celebrates Transfer of Three Crown Heights Buildings Away from Negligent Owners 

HPD and MOPT will work with tenants and new owner to improve conditions at 88 rent-stabilized homes

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani celebrated the transfer of three long-neglected, rent-stabilized apartment buildings in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, putting 88 homes on a path toward greater stability, investment and improved conditions.

The buildings, previously owned by Rubin Dukler, who routinely ranked among New York City’s worst landlords, were sold Wednesday to Mark Schwartz. Following the sale, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will work with tenants and the new owner to ensure the buildings receive the repairs and maintenance they have been denied for years.

“The tenants of the Dukler Tenant Union have suffered from neglect and disinvestment for years. Today, a new chapter begins for these buildings. We will work alongside tenants and the new owner to put these 88 homes on a path toward stability and make clear that every New Yorker deserves a safe, well-maintained and stable place to call home,” said Mayor Mamdani.

“Every New Yorker has the right to a safe and stable home. This sale can mark the beginning of a new chapter for the tenants who call these three buildings home and help make that vision a reality. We will continue to support them as they fight for the repairs that they have long deserved – one small piece of our work to improve housing quality across the five boroughs,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.

“These tenants have suffered long enough living under the Duklers, who routinely neglected and underinvested in their buildings. Thanks to HPD’s AEP enforcement, alongside organizing by UHAB and the tenants, this has finally come to an end. Congratulations to the tenants on the transfer of their buildings away from these predatory owners,” said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy.

“Fighting for tenants means fighting for safe, high-quality housing. We are proud to stand with the members of the Dukler Tenant Union – and with tenants across the city – as they organize for the repairs and investment that every New Yorker deserves,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.

The three buildings – 1018 Eastern Parkway, 1074 Eastern Parkway and 1392 Sterling Place – are part of HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program (AEP), which targets buildings with the most severe uncorrected violations. Together, the buildings have nearly 1,000 open code violations, and HPD has been required to make emergency repairs at each property. HPD and the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) have supported tenants in their fight for better conditions, including through Housing Court litigation seeking to compel the previous owners to make repairs.

Following the sale, HPD and MOPT will continue working with tenants and Schwartz to ensure the new ownership adequately invests in repairs and maintenance.

Tenants at the three buildings began organizing in 2018 for repairs and investment with support from Housing Organizers for People Empowerment (HOPE), a member-led tenant organizing project of the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB), and Brooklyn Legal Services. They formed the Dukler Tenant Union in 2025 to organize for resident ownership and the transfer of ownership away from the Dukler family. The tenant union has reached an agreement with Schwartz that commits to rehabilitating the three buildings with tenant oversight and moving toward resident ownership.

The transfer is part of the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to hold the city’s most negligent landlords accountable and improve conditions for tenants across the New York City. The administration is using the enforcement and litigation tools available to the City to stand up for tenants, pursue repairs and work toward transferring buildings to more responsible ownership.

This work is part of the Mamdani administration’s commitment to addressing New York City’s housing crisis with the scale and urgency New Yorkers deserve. In Mayor Mamdani’s first budget, the administration invested $22 billion over five years in affordable housing capital, including $2.6 billion over the next two fiscal years specifically for affordable housing preservation.

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Block by Block: The Housing Plan for a New Era further details the City’s plan to build 200,000 new affordable homes and preserve an additional 200,000 over the next decade. The plan also outlines the administration’s efforts to empower tenants, secure NYCHA’s future, expand and stabilize homeownership, invest in good jobs and deliver public excellence in housing, from permitting through lease-up.

Following more than 2,400 conversations with New Yorkers, the Mamdani administration also released the Rental Ripoff Report, which included 23 policy priorities to improve compliance, strengthen tenant organizing and make New York City’s housing market fairer.

“I’m feeling relieved and hopeful. It’s been a long fight, and I’m happy that the buildings may finally be out of the hands of the Dukler family. I’m ready for a fresh start and for us tenants to finally have a real voice in what happens with our homes,” said Desra Lawrence, tenant leader at 1018 Eastern Parkway. “Living here hasn’t been easy. I’ve dealt with molds, leaks, plumbing problems and pests. I even had to buy my own refrigerator and stove and replace my kitchen cupboards because things weren’t being taken care of. We shouldn’t have had to fight this hard just to have a decent place to live. I’m proud that we stood together, I’m hopeful this will be a new beginning of something much better for all of us.”

“There will be progress because now we’re moving toward getting most of what we need, a better way of life, a better existence. We can now look forward to a safe environment. We can look forward to healthier buildings. Mr. Schwartz has committed to us that we are moving toward ownership. It means progress overall,” said Michelle Stamp, tenant leader at 1392 Sterling Place.

“This sale marks a huge milestone for tenants after nearly a decade of organizing for dignity, stability, and control of their homes,” said Arielle Hersh, Director of Policy at UHAB. “We are excited to see tenants move closer toward their goals, and know that we need tools like COPA and the SAFER Homes Act to make this possible for so many more tenants. With COPA and SAFER Homes, the negligent Dukler family could have been removed when the building was sold in 2018, or after multiple years in the AEP program with hundreds of HPD violations and unpaid property taxes.”

“This sale would not be happening today if it were not for the tenacious organizing of the tenants,” said Samar Katnani, a deputy director of the Tenant Rights Coalition at Brooklyn Legal Services’ Tenant Rights Coalition. “We have supported their organizing for nearly a decade, and, throughout, the tenants have refused to accept nothing less than the quality repairs needed to provide them safe and habitable housing and have been firm on their long-term goal of owning their buildings. Today brings them one step closer to that goal, and we are committed to continuing to provide them with legal support to help them achieve that.”

“Nine years ago as a tenant organizer in Crown Heights,  I knocked on doors in this portfolio for the first time. Since then, I’ve seen the Dukler Tenant Union get organized and take action. Now, those same tenants have removed a notorious slumlord and are on the path to full rehabilitation and control of their homes. The DTU has proven that when tenants organize, we can and will transform our housing and the entire city,” said Sumathy Kumar, Executive Director, New York State Tenant Bloc.

Mayor Mamdani Launches First-in-the-Nation Office of Worker Power to Support Labor Organizing 

Labor organizer Tony Perlstein named executive director of office dedicated to supporting worker organizing

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani signed an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Office of Worker Power (MOWP), the first office of its kind in the nation, to use the resources and convening power of City Hall to help workers get informed, connected and organized.

MOWP will work across City Hall and City agencies on outreach, education, policy, research and strategic partnerships focused on workers who lack meaningful benefits, adequate wages and a voice on the job. The office will be led by its inaugural Executive Director, Tony Perlstein – a former longshoreman and UAW organizing director.

At a time when the average CEO of the 100 largest, lowest-paying corporations in the nation earned 614 times their average worker last year, and real median incomes are stagnating for working New Yorkers, the need for workers to come together and build power has never been greater. The office will help workers to shape City policy and strengthen the City’s ability to identify and address violations of workers’ rights.

“Every day, working New Yorkers show up, do their jobs, and keep this city running. Too often, they have no say in the conditions they work under,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The Mayor’s Office of Worker Power will make sure workers have a seat at the table before exploitation becomes a crisis and violations become routine. We’re connecting workers to their rights, to each other and to the organizations ready to stand with them. Because when workers have power, this city works better for everyone.”

“This office allows us to get ahead of exploitation instead of simply responding to it,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “By building relationships with workers, unions and worker centers, we can understand what is happening on the ground and act before problems become crises. That is how we build an economy that delivers for working people.”

MOWP will be supervised by the Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice (DMEJ) and will draw on the convening power of City Hall, DMEJ’s policy and enforcement portfolio, partner agencies and the expertise of worker organizations to help workers build power across New York City. 

MOWP will:

• Convene rank-and-file workers, union leaders, worker centers, immigrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.
• Hold public hearings on significant worker issues.
• Provide referrals to organizations that support workers.
• Coordinate with City agencies to produce research on pressing issues facing workers.
• Develop policy proposals informed by workers’ experiences.
• Engage workers on emerging challenges, including new technologies, worker misclassification, immigration-based exploitation and climate risks to worker safety.
• Connect workers with information about their rights at everyday touchpoints, including workforce centers, libraries, IDNYC offices, schools and community events.

The office builds on the Mamdani administration’s record of strengthening worker protections. The administration’s crackdown on deceptive tipping practices has delivered an estimated $104 million in additional tips to the city’s roughly 70,000 app-based delivery workers since January, with workers on pace to earn approximately $2,287 more annually. Mayor Mamdani opened the nation’s first ‘Deliveristas’ Hub’ outside City Hall Park, offering a space for respite for delivery workers across the city.

The Mayor recently announced a partnership between the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and D.A. Bragg’s office to crack down on wage theft and other violations. In June, Mayor Mamdani signed an Executive Order protecting the 1.4 million New Yorkers who work outdoors from extreme heat. The Mamdani administration also recently came out in support of the Delivery Protection Act, a measure aimed at regulating the expansion of last-mile delivery centers to protect residents and workers.

Tony Perlstein brings decades of experience as a union and community organizer and a lifelong commitment to working people, community empowerment and public service. Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, Perlstein most recently served as a director in the organizing department of the United Auto Workers (UAW), having previously served as the union’s national co-director of education.

As a former longshore worker in the port of New York and New Jersey, Perlstein was elected Secretary-Treasurer of his local union and helped lead a successful national effort to raise wages and ensure new technology did not undermine workers’ standard of living. Before becoming a longshoreman, he organized New York City restaurant, warehouse, lumberyard and other industrial workers to advocate for better working conditions. 

Mayor Mamdani Opens New John Dewey Annex, Adding 553 Seats for Brooklyn Students 

One of 10 New School Facilities Opening for 2026–27 School Year, Adding More Than 4,600 Seats Citywide  

New Schools Expand Access to Modern, State-of-the-Art Learning Facilities and Support Compliance with Class Size Law

Mayor Mamdani Opens The Little Apple, Delivering Free Child Care to City Workers

40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years will receive free, year-round care, putting up to $20,000 back in the pockets of working families

New 4,000-square-foot facility at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building features four classrooms

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei today announced the opening of The Little Apple, the City’s first free child care center for municipal employees and their families.

Located on the ground floor of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, The Little Apple will provide free, year-round, on-site child care to 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years beginning Sept. 10.

“As hundreds of thousands of New York City students head back to school Thursday, 40 of our youngest New Yorkers will begin a new chapter at our City’s first free child care center for municipal workers,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The Little Apple is what it looks like when a city takes care of the people who keep it running. Our babies and toddlers will spend their days in a brand-new, joyful center where they can learn, play and build friendships, while their parents have the peace of mind of knowing their children are safe, cared for and close by — all without having to choose between quality care and making ends meet.”

“Child care is one of the biggest costs facing working families in New York City, and we are proud to do our part in making that burden a little lighter for the employees that move our city forward,” said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. “The Little Apple gives city employees access to free, high-quality care right where they work, making it easier and more affordable to balance work and raising a family in New York City. In partnership with the Mamdani administration and Imagine Early Learning Centers, we’re proud to bring this new center to life and are so excited to finally open the doors to families and their little ones.”

“The opening of The Little Apple is an investment in our city’s dedicated public servants, who will no longer have to choose between child care and a paycheck, and an important step in our city’s all-of-government approach to universal childcare in NYC,” said Emmy Liss, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. “Private businesses for years have understood the transformative impact of employer-provided child care on career development, employee retention and job satisfaction, not to mention relief from the crushing cost of child care in our city — it’s time we see those benefits realized for city employees. Today, the City is demonstrating what it truly means to meet parents where they are, and setting the national standard for affordable and accessible care for our youngest.”

The new 4,000-square-foot facility features four classrooms as well as a pantry, teacher’s lounge and stroller storage room. DCAS managed the $10 million renovation, overseeing its design and construction and delivering the project ahead of schedule and under budget.

By expanding access to free, on-site child care, the City is putting up to $20,000 a year back in the pockets of working families. The program will also help the City recruit and retain top talent, boost productivity and support working parents.

The Little Apple is operated by Imagine Early Learning Centers, a 100% employee-owned provider that serves more than 600 children at 12 child care centers across the New York metropolitan area. The center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and offers an evidence-based curriculum focused on early learning, socialization and healthy development.

“Imagine is incredibly proud to partner with DCAS and the City of New York on this pioneering investment in working families,” said Imagine Early Learning Centers CEO Laura Tulchin. “The Little Apple brings together two things Imagine believes deeply: providing exceptional early childhood education and investing in the educators who make it possible. As a 100% employee-owned company, Imagine has seen firsthand that when educators have a voice, a stake and the support to thrive, children and families feel the difference.”

The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, one of the largest government office buildings in the world, houses more than 2,000 employees across a dozen municipal agencies.

“Under Mayor Mamdani’s leadership, we are working to make New York City more equitable and affordable, and that includes supporting the public servants who serve New Yorkers every day,” said Department of Finance Commissioner Richard Lee. “The Little Apple child care program will strengthen the City workforce by increasing job satisfaction, boosting productivity and retaining top talent. We are proud to support this initiative, which will help ease the cost of living for City workers and make it easier for working parents to succeed both at work and at home.”

“Supporting New York City’s workforce also means supporting the families behind it,” said Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Yesenia Mata. “For our team, whose mission is centered on serving veterans and their families, we know how much access to dependable childcare matters. Having free, year-round childcare right here at 1 Centre Street gives working parents greater peace of mind and makes it a little easier to balance the responsibilities of work and family. We’re proud to welcome the Little Apple to our building and excited for what it will mean for the families who work here.”

“Our city’s workforce is better able to support communities when we better support the workforce,” said Deanna Logan, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. “This is a win for workers who are trying to raise a family while simultaneously serving the city; but it’s also a win for New Yorkers, who benefit when good employees don’t have to choose between their jobs and their childcare duties.”

“The Little Apple program sends a clear message that parents no longer have to choose between civil service and the rising costs of parenthood,” said NYC Comptroller Mark Levine. “Free childcare directly downstairs from their office removes a significant financial burden, makes dropoffs and pickups much easier and helps everyone thrive. I look forward to hearing feedback from our Comptroller’s office employees whose kids will be in the program this year.”

“Making child care accessible is critical to ensuring working New Yorkers can afford to raise their families in the city that they love,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This pilot will give back time, money and peace of mind to working families and help us retain the public servants that our city relies on every day. I’m thrilled that the center is opening before the first day of school in the Dinkins building, home to my office and thousands of employees across agencies, so that city workers and their children can start the year off feeling strong and supported.”

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today welcomed New York City students back to school with new measures designed to make the streets around schools safer for children, families and all New Yorkers.   

From hundreds of new 15 MPH School Slow Zones and school street redesigns to the return of Open Streets and the city’s first gated school Open Street, the administration is expanding proven tools to slow traffic, create more space for pedestrians and make getting to and from school safer.   

“Every student deserves to feel safe when they make their way to school, and every parent deserves the same peace of mind,” said Mayor Mamdani. “From Sammy’s Law and Open Streets to installing street redesigns near 300 City schools, our administration will continue to take action to ensure our streets are safe, especially those surrounding our children’s schools.”  

“As a parent of two NYC public school students, I understand the importance of Open Streets as an opportunity to provide safe, open-air environments for children to learn and play — while also providing parents and guardians calmer and more social pick-ups and drop-offs,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “We are using innovative tools to help keep children safe at school, from new street designs to an expansion of our School Slow Zones through our Sammy’s Law commitment.”  

Largest-Ever Expansion of Sammy’s Law  

Earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani announced the City would reduce speed limits to 15 MPH at every eligible school location during his first term using the authority granted to New York City under Sammy’s Law.   

NYC DOT has already installed more than 200 15 MPH School Slow Zones this year, with roughly 800 expected to be in place by the end of 2026 as part of the first year of the administration’s commitment.  

First-Ever Clarkson Street Open Street Gate  

This month, NYC DOT will install the City’s first-ever Open Streets gate outside a school on Clarkson Street in Tribeca as part of an ongoing redesign of Clarkson Street between Hudson Street and Varick Street.   

The gate draws inspiration from Paris’ Rues aux Écoles, which use simple street gates to create safer, more welcoming spaces for students and expand opportunities for play and outdoor learning.  

The Clarkson Street redesign is one of the street redesigns taking place near more than 300 schools across the city this year. The project will add public seating, expand pedestrian space, create safer crossings, improve visibility and slow down drivers.   

The project is being completed in collaboration with City-As-School High School, M.S. 721 and Open Plans.  

Open Streets for Schools Return  

Clarkson Street is one of 77 Open Streets at schools launching across the city for the 2026-2027 school year.   

New York City has a roughly century-long tradition of closing streets for children to play and learn. Open Streets for Schools builds on that tradition by allowing participating schools to temporarily close streets to vehicles for drop-off and pick-up, recess and outdoor learning.  

Street Redesigns at Schools Across the Five Boroughs  

NYC DOT is implementing street safety upgrades on streets adjacent to more than 300 schools in 2026, including projects that will permanently improve Open Streets near schools on Beaumont Avenue in the Bronx and Avenue B in Manhattan.    

This month, NYC DOT will begin major bike and pedestrian improvements on Courtlandt Avenue, Park Avenue and Morris Avenue in the Bronx, benefitting more than 10 schools in the area. The project includes school-specific improvements, including a large sidewalk extension with asphalt art in front of P.S. 1 on East 153rd Street, as well as 3.7 miles of bike lanes and a protected bike lane loop around the NYCHA Andrew Jackson Houses.  

The agency is also advancing safety projects at schools across the city, including:  

• Coney Island Avenue from Turner Place to Hinckley Place, adjacent to P.S. 889 and M.S. 890.  

• Beach Channel Drive from Beach 77th Street to Beach 88th Street and Beach 98th Street to Beach 108th Street, and Rockaway Beach Boulevard from Beach 109th Street to Beach 110th Street, in collaboration with adjacent schools.  

• Elton Avenue from East 153rd Street to Third Avenue, adjacent to the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball Charter School.  

“Implementing Sammy’s Law around our schools will make New York City’s streets safer for children, and I am thrilled to see hundreds of 15 MPH school zones already installed,” said Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. “Together with school zone speed cameras and new approaches like the Clarkson Open Street gate, these measures will help keep students, families, school staff and surrounding communities safer.”  

“For too long, we’ve asked parents to rush their kids across intersections that were built for speed, not for safety: that has to change,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “I’m elated DOT is moving forward with a robust slate of proposals to improve safety for Manhattan’s school children, including expanding 15 MPH school slow zones under Sammy’s Law, implementing an Open Street Gate on Clarkson St. and advancing street redesigns in front of more than 300 schools in 2026 alone. I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for prioritizing the safety of Manhattan’s school children, and I look forward to working in partnership to deliver street safety improvements across every corner of our borough.”  

“We have to make sure our kids can get to and from school safely, and this back-to-school announcement delivers on that promise,” said Council Member and Transportation Chair Shaun Abreu. “From the largest-ever expansion of Sammy’s Law to the first-ever gate on a school Open Street, the city is proving that safer, more welcoming school streets are possible. I look forward to working with Commissioner Flynn and his team to bring these improvements to even more schools across the city.”  

“Clarkson Street will soon be a safer, more welcoming block for the students of City-As-School and M.S. 721, and for every family who walks it every morning, thanks to the open street gate,” said Council Member Carl Wilson. “I’m proud to see NYC DOT bring this Rues aux Écoles-inspired gate to our community, alongside wider sidewalks, new seating and safer crossings that put kids first. I want to thank Mayor Mamdani for his continued investment in Sammy’s Law and in street safety citywide. Expanding 15 MPH school slow zones to hundreds of schools this year is exactly the kind of bold, life-saving action our streets need.”  

“For a decade, members of Families for Safe Streets fought to pass Sammy’s Law, giving DOT a crucial tool to save lives. With school starting, we need to slow down dangerous drivers across our city,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director at Transportation Alternatives. “Redesigning and reducing speeds on the streets in front of schools is a common-sense measure to protect the youngest New Yorkers, and every school deserves an Open Street!”  

“Clarkson Street will be New York City’s first school street designed with a swing arm gate, creating a welcoming, safe outdoor space where students of all abilities can gather and enjoy spending time outside with their entire school community. This block, which will also feature a street seat, including space for students to garden, will be a model for schools across the entire city, thanks to the immense support and engagement from staff and students at City-As and M721,” said Sabina Sethi Unni, Community Planner at Open Plans. “Building safe, accessible open spaces is incredibly important for our youth, and permanent infrastructure helps reduce staffing burden for schools. This will establish a new place for students to learn and develop, adding opportunities for outdoor education, while also eliminating the risks posed by crashes during recess and at pick up and drop off. This project was made possible by a Community Placemaking Grant from Project for Public Spaces and supported by General Motors.”   

“We’re thrilled to see this pilot come to life, creating a safer, more welcoming space for students and neighbors alike,” said Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director of Project for Public Spaces. “It shows what’s possible when streets are designed around the people who actually use them. We hope this success can serve as a model for student-focused safe streets across the city and beyond.”  

“The school street extends beyond the corners of Varick and Houston. This shows our students what their voices can really do,” said Darius Nazario, New York Edge Beacon School Director, City-As-School/560M. “We’re grateful for the school street. It’s a landmark of community collaboration.”  

Mayor Mamdani Launches Citywide Digital Tribute to New Yorkers Who Helped Carry Us Through 9/11

LinkNYC kiosks will display dozens of geolocated stories, from the Midtown warehouse that became an Emergency Operations Center to Fresh Kills, where 1.5 million tons of debris were processed by hand

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today launched Memory Markers: 9/11, a citywide digital tribute using LinkNYC kiosks to share dozens of geolocated stories of New Yorkers who came together to aid in the rescue and recovery efforts following the horrific terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

The project turns the City’s streets into a walking tribute to the heroism, sacrifice and selflessness that defined New York in the days, weeks and months after the attacks — from a warehouse in Midtown to a lobby on Worth Street and on a ferry crossing the harbor.

A map of the Memory Markers is available at on.nyc.gov/25years, along with additional stories and profiles honoring both the heroes we lost and the heroes who remain.

“In the days, weeks and months after the horrific terror attacks of September 11, 2001, New Yorkers came together in ways big and small to help our city recover,” said Mayor Mamdani. “A sanitation worker sang for first responders resting after a long day at Ground Zero. Environmental workers cleaned rooftops and building facades, block by block. More than 1,000 taxi drivers gave rescue workers free rides home, day after day. These acts of service and sacrifice are part of the story of 9/11, too. We recovered together then, and we will remember together now – by telling the stories of the everyday heroes we lost, honoring the heroes who remain and recognizing that 9/11 was a day that never ended, with consequences that continue to shape us today.”

Mayor Mamdani, Governor Hochul Announce Free Lead Pipe Replacement Program Has Saved 900 Bronx and Queens Homeowners More Than $10,000 Each 

DEP awarded an additional $24 million in State and Federal aid to expand program anticipated to replace up to 7,000 lines across the city

Eligible Bronx and Queens homeowners encouraged to sign up now; Brooklyn to follow in 2027 

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) free lead service line replacement program has saved more than 900 Bronx and Queen homeowners more than $10,000 each.

Supported by $96 million in State and Federal funding, including a recent grant of an additional $14 million from the State and $10 million from the Federal government, the program is anticipated to remove up to 7,000 lead service lines from private properties in low-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods disproportionately burdened by environmental pollution and the impacts of climate change.

“We are going door to door to make sure New Yorkers can safely bring our city’s world-class drinking water from reservoirs upstate to their dining tables without having to choose between their health and a $10,000 bill,” said Mayor Mamdani. “In partnership with Governor Hochul, we are replacing lead pipes with new, safe copper lines at no cost to eligible New York City homeowners.”

“Ability to pay should never be an impediment to clean, safe drinking water,” said Governor Hochul. “Since taking office we have made $10.6 billion available for water infrastructure projects across the state, and in the Bronx and Queens, that investment is saving eligible homeowners over $10,000. Working with Mayor Mamdani, we will continue to protect public drinking water in New York City by empowering residents to put their health first by getting the lead out cost-free.”

Water service lines connect homes to the City’s water mains. These lines are privately owned, meaning property owners are normally responsible for replacing them — a job that can cost homeowners more than $10,000. DEP’s program replaces lead or galvanized steel service lines with new copper pipes at no cost to eligible homeowners.

DEP’s records indicate there are approximately 121,100 known lead or galvanized service lines across the city.

Replacements have already been completed in the following Bronx communities: Mount Eden, Fordham Heights, University Heights, Kingsbridge Heights, Belmont and Mount Hope.

Replacements are now underway in neighborhoods across the Bronx, including Melrose, Mott Haven, Concourse Village, Eastchester, Edenwald, Baychester, Williamsbridge, Norwood, Bedford Park, Pelham Gardens, Wakefield and Allerton, as well as Flushing, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill and East Flushing in Queens.

Work will expand to Soundview in the Bronx and Borough Park in Brooklyn beginning in 2027.

Eligible property owners receive letters directly from DEP with instructions on how to sign up for the lead service line replacement program.

“Protecting New Yorkers — especially our most vulnerable — is at the core of DEP’s mission and replacing privately owned lead service lines is a top priority for DEP because lead, even in small amounts, can cause irreversible harm to young children and to people who are pregnant or may become pregnant. I urge every eligible property owner to take advantage of this free program,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “DEP is focused on securing the state and federal resources needed to accelerate replacements at no cost to homeowners, and I’m grateful to the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation for providing these critical grants.”

“Governor Hochul’s commitment to affordable, clean water is helping ensure communities don’t have to choose between protecting their residents and the cost of replacing lead pipes,” said Maureen A. Coleman, President and CEO of New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC). “EFC is proud to partner with Mayor Mamdani to turn State and federal dollars into safer homes, healthier neighborhoods, and real savings for New Yorkers.” 

Mayor Mamdani Invites New Yorkers to Sleep Under the Stars at the Unisphere

First-ever overnight family camping experience at Flushing Meadows Corona Park will give 200 New Yorkers the chance to camp beneath the iconic Queens landmark

Lottery registration open September 10-13