New York City Council

Rule Changes

Preparing a December hearing on campus sexual assault

New York State Police now handle every sexual offense complaint at Cornell University by default, under an agreement signed October 29, 2026. Survivors can still ask for campus police, Ithaca Police or the Tompkins County Sheriff to take the case instead.

Updated 1 hour ago

Rule Changes

Member Chris Banks announced a bill to remove spitting from the litter ordinance.

The New York Police Department told officers on Friday to stop issuing summonses for spitting except in the transit system, and for vehicle idling except when responding to specific complaints. The internal guidance also cautioned against jaywalking summonses, which have not been criminal offenses since 2024.

Updated 2 days ago

Rule Changes

Did not take a collective position on the five proposals

New York City voters approved all five charter amendments on the Nov. 3 ballot, with support ranging from 61.6% to 72.3%. Staten Island was the only borough to reject all five. The measures give Mayor Zohran Mamdani a first-year win and change how the city approves outdoor dining, street projects, property deals and construction permits.

Updated 2 days ago

Rule Changes

Debated the Department of Community Safety bill on Oct. 30; no vote reported. Still planning a hearing on the collapsed Hunts Point deal.

Zohran Mamdani became New York City's first Muslim and South Asian mayor on January 1, 2026, at age 34. His early months brought a $1.7 billion child care partnership with Governor Kathy Hochul, a two-year rent freeze and a $28 billion housing plan. His plan to tax the wealthy stalled against Council Speaker Julie Menin and Hochul.

Updated 6 days ago

Rule Changes

Passed the FARE Act

New York City stopped letting brokers charge renters fees in June 2025. Records obtained by The City Reporter show some brokers still collect them, under names like "management fees" and "finders fees," or by selling access to "off-market" apartments.

Updated Nov 1

Rule Changes

Passed Romanch's Law 40-7 on October 22, 2026

New York City's horse-drawn carriages will stop running by June 2028. The City Council voted 40-7 on October 22 to pass Romanch's Law, ending a trade that has operated in the city since 1858.

Updated Oct 24

Built World

As of May 2026: Approved rezoning and PILOT framework in 2025; key vote on any revised deal

For nearly two decades, Hudson Yards has been a major New York City megaproject: 28 acres of towers, retail, and public space built on a deck over active rail lines on Manhattan's far West Side. The eastern half is largely complete. The western half — 4,000 planned apartments anchored by a $2 billion publicly financed platform — just lost its political champion.

Updated May 31