New York

A view of NYC sky rises under a cloudy sky.

See the 12 communities on New York City’s affordable housing naughty list

The Upper East and West Sides, Elmhurst, and Bayside are among the communities that have built little affordable housing over the past five years, and now will see certain projects fast-tracked under new city rules.

October 2, 2026 - City Limits

The tunnel-boring machine, a circular drill manned by people in high-vis yellow jackets.

Massive tunnel-boring machine breaks ground on Gateway Project

The Trump administration revoked funding for the project in October 2025, and then restored it earlier this year.

September 30, 2026 - The City Reporter

A rendering of the proposed building, which is tall and highlighted in yellow to stand out from the surrounding buildings.

NYC to turn city-owned property into thousands of homes

The city has scheduled a public hearing regarding the development for October.

September 29, 2026 - Gothamist

The new busway. The pavement is painted red, indicating it as a bus-only lane.

Buses travel at 5mph along this route in NYC. The Bronx's first-ever busway looks to change that

Prior to the busway, buses on the Bx36 route traveled as slowly as 5 miles per hour.

September 29, 2026 - Mass Transit

People navigate an underground subway system in New York City.

MTA looks to bring AI-assisted, multilingual announcement system to subways

Some of the transit agency’s audio systems haven’t been upgraded in 40 years.

September 28, 2026 - Gothamist

Two Black women and a white man look at a window equipped heat pump in the showroom apartment.

NYCHA’s green future? Officials open ‘showroom’ apartment with sustainable features

Heat pumps, inductions stoves and infrared heating panels: these are a few of the climate-friendly upgrades being installed at some public housing developments, with more to come, officials said Tuesday.

September 27, 2026 - City Limits

Five people squat by a tree in NYC, helping to care for it.

NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade

Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.

September 24, 2026 - AM NY

A painted bus lane in NYC.

NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades

The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.

September 21, 2026 - NYC Streetsblog

Zohram Mandami gesturing at one of the new public restrooms, a small, square shaped building with a green floral design.

NYC releases high-tech public restrooms — with a 10 minute time limit

The $4 million pilot program aims to make it easier for people to find public restrooms in New York City.

September 21, 2026 - Gothamist

A rendering of the updated plan for Park Ave, which shows a grassy median with two sidewalks on either side, and streets on either side of the sidewalk.

Community feedback ushers in changes to NYC’s Park Avenue redesign

New aspects of the design include a two-way bike lane and separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians.

September 20, 2026 - Gothamist

A sign on a fence describing the rain garden behind it.

NYC cools commuters with city's first rain garden above a bus stop

New York City officials say the plants in the rain garden can absorb 16 gallons of rainwater during heavy storms.

September 17, 2026 - Gothamist

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami speaks behind a blue podium.

Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals

The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.

September 16, 2026 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

An MTA bus enters from the right side of the photo. To the left, people cross the street behind the bus.

MTA to purchase biggest fleet upgrade in over a decade

The new buses will use a greener alternative to diesel fuel, and aim to improve fleet reliability and air quality.

September 13, 2026 - Mass Transit

A rendering of one of the proposed stations. there are two roads separated by a grassy median in front of the tan station, and an elevated silver walkway leading people to the second floor.

NYC releases new renderings for $5.5 billion Interborough Express

The slated stations will have a modern look, enhanced lighting and improved audio announcements.

September 10, 2026 - Gothamist

A dense neighborhood, with the long island expressway running through it.

Long Island public housing applicants face longest wait times in America

Applicants to large, medium and small housing authorities in Long Beach all face exceptionally long waiting periods.

September 6, 2026 - Newsday

Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during 'New York is not for sale' rally at Forest Hill Stadium in New York. A diverse crowd behind him holds his campaign signs.

NYC releases city’s first racial equity plan

The plan lists a wide range of goals, from improving pregnancy-related health outcomes for Black New Yorkers to building more affordable housing.

September 4, 2026 - Queens Chronicle

The Buffalo, New York skyline.

Federal audit accuses Buffalo housing authority of of not adequately addressing lead-based paint hazards in public housing

BMHA did not report three confirmed cases of Buffalo children with elevated levels of lead in their blood, the report alleges.

September 2, 2026 - WIVB

Eight-year old Max Kakhidze speaks at a press conference with Zohran Mandami in the background.

NYC residents are using TikTok to alert Mandami of city infrastructure problems — and it’s working

The format went viral after a NYC resident posted a video of two potholes and found them paved within hours.

September 1, 2026 - Gothamist

The paved-over cemetery, with trucks on top of the lot.

Buyers of NYC’s paved-over historic Black cemetery face strict legal restrictions

The removal of human bodies is heavily regulated in New York City, and can only be done by an archaeologist.

August 30, 2026 - The City Reporter

A median in NYC with budding flora.

New NYC ‘sponge’ medians will absorb 5 million gallons of stormwater per year

The project will turn three medians in Queens into green infrastructure designed to absorb stormwater.

August 30, 2026 - 6 Sqft New York City

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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100 Most Influential Urbanists

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