New York Note: Deputy Mayor, City Legislation, Shelter Closing

October 14, 2024

First Deputy Mayor Wright Resigns

Last Tuesday, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright resigned her position, making her the seventh senior official to leave the Adams administration in recent weeks. Wright’s resignation followed that of her husband David Banks, the Chancellor of NYC Schools, and her brother-in-law, Phil Banks, the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. Maria Torres-Springer, who was serving as Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Development, will take over Wright’s portfolio. Interim NYPD Commissioner Thomas Donlon, whose home was searched by federal agents several weeks ago, is also expected to resign mere weeks into his tenure. A full list of those who have exited the Adams administration is available here.

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NYC Council Passes and Introduces Legislation

Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council passed legislation requiring city agencies to provide contractors with a written explanation when denying approval of a subcontractor. Legislation was also passed allowing artwork to be painted onto a sidewalk shed or construction fence. The Council introduced legislation requiring that DCWP notify businesses within 30 days if they are in violation of the fair workweek law. Additionally, they introduced legislation that would require the Office of Management and Budget to conduct a study on the feasibility of a bridge loan program for nonprofits that receive capital funding grants from the city. You can find all of the legislation that was passed and introduced here.

Asylum Seeker Shelter on Randall’s Island to Close

Mayor Adams announced that the City will close its tent shelter for asylum seekers on Randall’s Island in February 2025. The number of asylum seekers in City shelters has decreased for 14 consecutive weeks and is now at its lowest point in over a year. Many of the 2,250 adult asylum seekers currently on Randall’s Island will need to move to other city shelters. Adams indicated that the City had “turned a corner on this [asylum seeker] crisis.”

The Governor and the Mayor: A Modern Seabury Hearing?

Jerry Goldfeder, Senior Counsel at Cozen O’Connor, has written a column for New York Law Journal’s Election and Political Law examining what the Governor can do in light of the NYC Mayor’s legal troubles, and what we can learn from the removal proceeding brought by Governor Franklin Roosevelt against Mayor Jimmy Walker.

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About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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