Halloween has to be one of our most public space-y holidays, right? It's all about strolling your neighborhood, seeing and being seen, soaking up the festival atmosphere as you visit with fellow revelers. This tradition hinges on having a walkable community where people aren't too far apart, you know the folks who live next door, and the sidewalks and streets are safe for kids to wander at night. In other words - it hinges on livability.

Halloween has to be one of our most public space-y holidays, right? It's all about strolling your neighborhood, seeing and being seen, soaking up the festival atmosphere as you visit with fellow revelers. This tradition hinges on having a walkable community where people aren't too far apart, you know the folks who live next door, and the sidewalks and streets are safe for kids to wander at night. In other words - it hinges on livability.

Something wicked is lurking in zoning codes. Across the country, cities have reported unsettling cases of drastically low housing production, suffocating car culture, and horrifically high rents. Developers watch helplessly as their costs skyrocket; many affordable housing plans have been completely abandoned in fear of this ancient force. It's casting a pall over city neighborhoods that is permeating our lives.

Public spaces are vital to our lives as New Yorkers. So why are they so few and far between? Under managed? Burdened by bureaucracy and red tape? It's largely because our City doesn't have a cohesive framework for thinking about people-centered space and creating it in a way that provides well-maintained, local spaces in every corner of the city.

Soon, Council Members will vote on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity; but not before they decide if they’ll change, or remove, any of its proposals. We're rallying on Thursday, September 26th to remind them that lifting parking mandates is an essential piece of the puzzle. Without lifting parking mandates, New York City cannot build the desperately needed new housing intended by City of Yes.

As school starts, streets around schools become more dangerous, especially in low-income communities of color. With so much space dedicated to cars, many schools lack outdoor areas for students to play and learn. Our city needs to prioritize safer streets for our kids by making it easier for schools to apply for Open Streets and creating slow zones near schools. It’s time to focus on giving students safer, more welcoming environments to grow.

Mayor Adams pledged 150 miles of new bus lanes, but with only 30 miles on track by the end of his third year, the gap between promises and reality is stark. These bus lanes aren't just a campaign promise; they're legally mandated by the Streets Plan, a law designed to make our streets safer and more accessible. Add to that Governor Hochul's indefinite pause on congestion pricing, and New Yorkers are left with escalating gridlock and pollution. Our leaders must do more than make promises—they need to act.

In 2022, we envisioned expanding the beloved Summer Streets beyond Manhattan, and with the support of Brooklyn and Queens Borough Presidents, we made it happen! By 2023, DOT extended Summer Streets to all five boroughs, even reaching Harlem. Thanks to community feedback and the dedication of local leaders, this year, you can enjoy car-free streets in any borough until 3 pm. Now, we’re asking you—what’s next for Summer Streets?

Lots of New Yorkers don't quite understand what City of Yes for Housing Opportunity will do - or what it won't do. Throughout the recent public hearing process, we heard misconceptions about how the zoning reforms will effect neighborhoods. In this edition of the newsletter, we share three ways to (nicely!) correct a New Yorker who has City of Yes all wrong.

A few scenarios where school streets can come to the rescue: a building doesn't have recreation space, inside or outside, the street outside a school is gridlocked with traffic, making it dangerous for students to enter or exit, a sidewalk is overflowing with kids, parents, & educators during peak hours, or construction has limited the available space inside or outside a school building.

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is moving through the Domino's pizza delivery tracker of city government, and next up is the City Planning Commission. After Community Board and Borough President review, our Planning Commissioners will review the text amendment, hear public comment, and vote later this summer.

What a week. While Governor Hochul desperately scrambles to replace congestion pricing's projected $15 billion to the MTA, we're staying focused on the congestion part of congestion pricing. We need fewer cars in the city. And while we know that funding our inadequate transit system is essential, we cannot lose sight of congestion pricing's intent (in the name!) to reduce congestion. No amount of replacement funding will fix that like congestion pricing will.

If you're a New Yorker, I don't need to tell you: it's nice outside. One of the greatest pleasures of city life comes when the weather gets consistently nice and everyone starts seeking out that perfect bench, boulder, tree stump or free stair to take in all the good city vibes. This week we're celebrating the big burst of outdoor activity coming your way these next few weeks. Check out all the great ways to get outside inside this week’s newsletter.

All eyes on Albany! New Yorkers were celebrating earlier this month when Sammy's Law, which allows the city to set its own, lower, speed limits, was signed into law after years of advocacy. One victory, three to go. Here are opportunities on the horizon for Albany to make New York City's streets safer and more livable before the session wraps in 12 days.

On Monday, City of Yes for Housing Opportunity was officially referred to community boards and borough presidents for review. This is a new milestone in Open Plans' years-long advocacy for the zoning reforms, and specifically for lifting parking mandates citywide.