NYC NOW

The Rent Guidelines Board, which determines how much rent will go up for certain rent-regulated apartments, will hold a preliminary vote Tuesday to decide a new range of increases. In other news, Albany lawmakers are considering changes to New York City’s mayoral elections. WNYC’s Brigid Bergin reports. Additionally, securing affordable housing in New York City remains a challenge for low-income residents, particularly those with disabilities. WNYC’s David Brand shares the story of one woman’s search for a new home. Finally, WNYC’s David Furst talks to Eater New York editor Melissa McCart about restaurants that offer floating dining experiences.

The NYPD is investigating two separate shootings in Brooklyn and Queens that left two men dead over the weekend. In other news, Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer says the onetime movie mogul is in the hospital. This happened soon after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 rape conviction. Also, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is defending his refusal to restore funding to the city’s public libraries despite better-than-expected tax revenues. Plus, WNYC’s Community Partnerships Desk is highlighting community treasures across the five boroughs, like a space in Brooklyn devoted to showcasing Black women and Black non-binary writers. Finally, for National Poetry Month, WNYC is playing poems from our listeners. Here’s one from Stacey Khan in Crown Heights.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: The NYPD says it’s upping its patrols of Central Park after a string of robberies over the weekend. Meanwhile, amid rising costs for Manhattan drivers, the MTA is offering a 10 percent discount on monthly passes for Long Island Railroad and Metro-North riders. Plus, the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Mets, and Yankees all collected wins on Sunday.

Beginning Friday, May 3, Newark, New Jersey will start its curfew for minors. Plus, WNYC's Nancy Solomon reports on the challenges to fill the empty seat of Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who died this week. And, WNYC’s Arun Venugopal looks into a measure designed to turn empty New York City hotels into affordable housing. And finally, WNYC’s Sean Carlson and James Ramsay discuss sidewalk etiquette for New Yorkers on the go.

An MTA pilot program that made certain bus routes free is coming to an end after it was omitted from this year’s state budget. Meanwhile, warning labels could be on the way for sugary foods and drinks at chain restaurants in New York City with over 15 locations, following a suggestion from the Health Department. Plus, two years ago, Rob Menendez had an easy path to the House of Representatives, filling the seat once held by his father, Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey. However, the younger Menendez’s advantage has virtually disappeared since his father faces bribery and corruption charges. Now, Menendez Jr. faces a tough primary challenge from the mayor of Hoboken, Ravi Bhalla. WNYC’s Nancy Solomon reports. Finally, for the last Friday of National Poetry Month, we hear a poem from 10-year-old Kayden Hern of Harlem.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: A new program in the Bronx is helping link homeless New Yorkers in need of apartments with small property owners eager to rent out their units. Meanwhile, new data shows that in 2024, New York City is experiencing its highest number of traffic deaths since the launch of the street safety campaign a decade ago. Also, more than 20,000 runners are getting ready for Sunday’s Brooklyn Half Marathon. Finally, in this week’s segment of ‘On the Way,’ WNYC reporter Stephen Nessen and editor Clayton Guse discuss reforms to fare evasion enforcement on public transportation and bridges, new boosts for bus riders, and answer a listener’s question about WiFi on subways.

The New York City Council is reviewing legislation that would inflict harsher penalties on landlords after violations are found in building inspections. Plus, House Speaker Mike Johnson was at Columbia University this week condemning protests on the Upper Manhattan campus, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up tents and demanded the university divest from Israel. And finally, WNYC’s Michael Hill talked with Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals, and Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers about efforts to open additional medical trauma centers in Queens.

New York’s Court of Appeals has overturned the 2020 rape conviction of former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, finding that the trial judge improperly allowed testimony from women not involved in the case. Meanwhile, former Instagram fraudster Jebara Igbara aka "Jay Mazini" has been sentenced to seven years in prison for swindling millions from Muslims online. Additionally, New York City’s annual Pay Disparity Report reveals that workers of color earn only 84 cents for every dollar paid to white employees. Also, Governor Hochul’s newly signed state budget includes a measure called the ‘good cause’ eviction law, which extends eviction protections by requiring landlords to show ‘good cause’ for non-renewal of leases or evictions. However, the law has various exceptions, excluding hundreds of thousands of renters statewide. WNYC’s David Brand discusses the details with Sean Carlson. Finally, as National Poetry Month concludes, we are featuring poems from our listeners. Here’s one from Ksenia Novikova of Gravesend, Brooklyn.

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Governor Hochul expresses support for Columbia University leadership amid ongoing Israel-Palestine protests. Meanwhile, data from the New York City Council show far more claims of sexual assault are made by detainees at Rikers Island than are ultimately reported under federal law. Also, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is out with his executive budget plan. Plus, private prison companies are trying to convince federal courts to overturn a ban on immigration detention facilities in New Jersey as the Biden Administration looks for facilities to hold immigrants it wants to deport. WNYC’s Matt Katz has the latest.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is proposing a $112 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Plus, New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne Jr. has died. And finally, we share the latest finding in a WNYC investigation into more than 700 Rikers-related claims as a result of New York’s Adult Survivors Act.