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.

What does Vanessa Gibson envision for the future of Bronx streets? What motivates her to make the borough a more people-centered space? Join Open Plans’ Jackson Chabot for this al fresco conversation with the Bronx BP and Lonnie Hardy, a Bronx activist, director at the Caldwell Enrichment Program and manager of the Jennings Open Street.

Ahead of Earth Day, the planet is on our mind. In this edition of the newsletter, we share seven ways that Open Plans fights for a brighter climate future.

The movement for livable streets is full of inside lingo & specialized terms. Chicane, sneckdown, bulb-out; mode shift, density, induced demand. It can make anyone's head spin. Our new livable streets glossary is here to help. It's chock full of terms, tools & schools of thought that make up the livability movement. Even livability is in there!

Later this spring, congestion pricing will give us an unprecedented opportunity to improve New York's walkability, micromobility, and livability. But public officials and the media seem to be stuck talking about how it'll impact drivers and the “sacrifices” some will have to make for the greater good. We're focusing on the positive! Here are ten things congestion pricing can & should do for all New Yorkers — if Mayor Adams, Albany, the MTA, and the DOT act.

Things feel like they're thawing (if only temporarily) in New York City, and it's inspiring a flurry of activity! Last Thursday we hosted our second annual Public Space Awards - we want to thank everyone who joined us and made it such a fun night. If you missed it, you can still snag this cute sticker sheet that declares your love of public space while supporting the work we do to help make more of it!

This batch of Streetfilms chronicles Paris’s swiftly changing streets as the city boldly implements Mayor Hidalgo’s vision for a modern, people-centered city where cars are mere guests.

The iconic Corona Plaza has become far more than a mere paved space or collection of food vendors — it is a cultural hub and destination for Queens and the city at-large. Consistently named on lists of New York bests, including the New York Times Top 100 Restaurants list, Corona Plaza is a place like no other.

Students can now apply for a summer internship at Open Plans! Our interns dive into hands-on projects that put them at the center of the livability world, working closely with Open Plans staff, meeting stakeholders across the city , and working on projects that directly impact our streets and public spaces.

It's up to New Yorkers like you to tell us who should win this year's Best Public Space Activator award at February 29th's Public Space Awards! Polls close this Sunday, February 25th and we'll announce the winner LIVE during the awards.

Since the pandemic inspired a reimagining of city streets, North Brooklyn has emerged as a hotbed of street improvements and people-centered streets. Catalyzed by dedicated neighbors and organizations rallying together, many separate Open Streets, public plazas, street redesigns and activations have grown in the neighborhood, creating a network of people-centered spaces and a sense that North Brooklyn is reclaiming their streets and their community.

When you join your Community Board, you become a part of the conversations that shape your neighborhood. You don’t have to own property to be a CB member, you just need to live or work within the district. Your neighborhood needs diverse voices like yours!

Starting today, you can decide who wins the final award at our Public Space Awards on Thursday, February 29th! Our People’s Choice poll will crown one Public Space Activator and it's up to New Yorkers like you to tell us who should win. Polls are open now!

For this year’s Public Space Awards, we have chosen four fabulous movers-and-shakers in the public realm to receive awards on Thursday, Feb. 29th. But there’s one awardee who hasn’t been decided yet, and that’s because YOU get to do the deciding!