New York Note: Executive Order 15, Mayoral Actions, and Speaker Appointment

March 23, 2026

Executive Order 15 Creates Office of Community Safety

Mayor Mamdani passed Executive Order 15 last week, establishing the Office of Community Safety to address gun violence prevention, mental health and substance abuse treatment, hate crime prevention, victim services, and subway safety. The Office will focus on the root causes of crime and violence by streamlining and expanding evidence‑based prevention programs, developing citywide safety strategies, coordinating interagency work, reviewing programs and budgets, and overseeing crisis response initiatives. The order also reestablishes five offices, including the Offices of Gun Violence Prevention, Crime Victim Services, Community Mental Health, the Prevention of Hate Crimes, and the Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence, all of which will now fall under the OCS umbrella.

Subscribe

Renita Francois Named Commissioner of Newly Established Office of Community Safety

The Mayor appointed Renita Francois to be the Commissioner of the newly established Office of Community Safety (OCS). Francois most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Program Officer at Tides Advocacy, overseeing long‑term strategy, major grant portfolios, and national partnerships. She previously served under Mayor Bill de Blasio, as the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety within the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where she managed more than $500 million in neighborhood safety investments and coordinated initiatives across more than a dozen city agencies.

Richard Lee Named Commissioner of the Department of Finance

Mayor Mamdani appointed Richard Lee as Commissioner of the Department of Finance (DOF). Lee most recently served as Director of the New York City Council’s Finance Division, overseeing analysis of budget actions and agency spending. Before that, he was Budget Director for the Queens Borough President and Director of Budget and Legislative Affairs for then‑Council Member Leroy Comrie. Lee began his public service career at Asian Americans for Equality.

Nathan Toth Tapped to Lead the NYC Council Finance Division

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced the appointment of Nathan Toth to lead the Council’s Finance Division. Toth most recently served as Chief Financial Officer at the NYC Department of Design and Construction and previously worked as a Principal at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. He spent more than 15 years in senior roles within the New York City Council’s Finance Division, including as Deputy Director.

Authors

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.

Explore Articles and News

See All News