NYC NOW

Child care costs are reshaping family life in New York City with many parents saying they pay tens of thousands of dollars a year. Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing to expand free child care for two year olds. In this episode, Janae talks to parents about the financial strain they're under, and WNYC’s Karen Yi explains what the plan would deliver, who would qualify, and why advocates warn that without more funding and better pay for child care workers, the system could crack instead of expand.

One month into Zohran Mamdani’s tenure as New York City mayor, his governing style is starting to take shape. From a snowstorm that tested his crisis response to early moves on child care alongside Governor Kathy Hochul, Mamdani has paired constant public visibility with a push to deliver on his affordability agenda. WNYC city politics reporters Brigid Bergin and Liz Kim assess what he has accomplished so far, where he has political leverage, and the challenges ahead as he tries to run the city while sustaining the movement politics that powered his rise.

Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue filed for bankruptcy this month. Janae and producer Iru head up to 5th Av. to check on the iconic NYC department store, and WNYC’s Ryan Kailath breaks down why this isn’t the kind of bankruptcy that leads to a liquidation sale but still flashes a warning sign for NYC businesses. Plus, where's all this snow going? Sanitation Department Deputy Joshua Commissioner gives us a peak into the system. Correction: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that Saks Fifth Avenue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In fact, it was Saks Global—the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman—that filed. The episode has been updated.

Matthew Schnipper, arts and culture editor at WNYC and Gothamist, gives a lively tour of NYC culture. He breaks down Mayor Mamdani’s pop-culture name‑drops. He shares concert picks and why seeing local music matters. He spotlights the Bronx Biennial’s AIM program. He flags Gotham Book Prize finalists, Grammy nods with New York ties, and standout Chinese food in Long Island City.

More than 5,000 rent stabilized apartments are set to change hands after the Pinnacle Group, once one of New York City’s largest landlords, entered bankruptcy and a judge approved the sale of its buildings. The case drew unusual attention when Mayor Zohran Mamdani made the bankruptcy proceedings one of his first public fights after taking office, arguing that the sale would leave tenants worse off. This episode traces how Pinnacle’s business model unraveled, what this battle over the sale tells us about the limits of city power when big landlords unwind through bankruptcy.

Mira Nair is an acclaimed filmmaker whose documentary-inspired work often centers on identity and belonging. Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi helps us explore how Nair’s focus on empathy and way of seeing the world may have shaped the worldview of her son, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

New York City is the city that never sleeps, and its nightlife shapes the city’s culture, economy, and politics. In this episode, we speak with Ariel Palitz, the city’s first director of the Office of Nightlife, about building the office, the systemic challenges nightlife faces, and what the city can do to build more creative and inclusive spaces for life at night.

In this episode, WNYC’s arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper discusses some of the stories his desk is covering at the moment, including how Mayor Zohran Mamdani uses pop culture name dropping to connect with different audiences, why a Staten Island public restroom just won a major architecture award, and what it actually takes to get stage time at the Comedy Cellar.

Housing is the issue that shapes how long people can stay in New York and whether they feel secure once they do. With a new mayor taking office and major housing decisions unfolding in courts, boardrooms, and city agencies, we take a step back to explain what is actually driving affordability right now. Tenant rights attorney and city planning commissioner Leah Goodridge breaks down how the system works, why rent stabilization is under attack, what “affordable housing” really means, and what renters should be watching next as housing policy enters a pivotal moment.

Stephen Nessen, a WNYC transportation reporter, dives into the first year of New York City's congestion pricing. He discusses how traffic has reduced significantly while transit use has surged, challenging early warnings of disaster. Nessen compares New York's experience to global examples, like Stockholm, and reveals data showing 27 million fewer vehicle entries. He examines the impacts on air quality and addresses concerns of traffic spillover to neighboring areas. The conversation also touches on revenue generated and the potential for other U.S. cities to adopt similar measures.