New York Note: Mayoral Appointments, Governor’s Budget Announcement, RGB Preliminary Vote

Mayoral Appointments

Mayor Mamdani announced his nomination for Chair of the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC), along with three leadership appointments across key city agencies. Lisa Kersavage, currently LPC’s Executive Director, was nominated to serve as Chair of the Commission, and she brings more than two decades of experience in historic preservation and urban planning. The Mayor’s additional appointments include Erich Bilal, former Vice President for Neighborhood Strategies at NYC EDC, as Executive Director of the Public Design Commission (PDC); Asim Rehman, former Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge at the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), as Commissioner and Chair of the Business Integrity Commission (BIC); and Ahmer Qadeer as Director and Chief Pension Administrator of the Mayor’s Office of Pensions and Investments (MOPI), who brings experience in economic justice, labor policy, and corporate governance, as well as leadership experience at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

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Governor Hochul Announces FY27 Budget Agreements

Governor Hochul announced that state leaders have reached an agreement on a $268 billion FY27 state budget, representing a $14 billion increase over FY26. While Assembly Speaker Heastie noted that negotiations are still ongoing, the major points of contention appear to have been resolved. The announced agreement includes affordability measures such as auto insurance reforms; significant climate and energy investments, including a $1 billion energy rebate and a new emissions reduction target for the CLCPA; housing and construction initiatives to accelerate affordable housing and streamline SEQRA; expanded investments in education and child care; new immigration protections; enhanced public safety funding and requirements, including the requirement for “Super Speeders” to install Intelligent Speed Assistance devices; a new pied-à-terre tax on high-value non-primary residences; funding for cultural institutions and World Cup activities; and reforms to Tier 6 public employee pensions.

The NYC Rent Guidelines Board Considers a Rent Freeze in Preliminary Vote

New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board took a key early step lastweek in the annual process that determines allowable rent increases for the city’s roughly 1 million rent‑stabilized apartments. In a preliminary vote, the board approved a range of 0–2 percent for one‑year leases and 0–4 percent for two‑year leases, setting the parameters for its final decision in late June. Tenant-designated members proposed ranges of -3% to 0% for one‑year leases and -4.5% to 0% for two‑year leases, while landlord-designated members proposed ranges of 3–5.5% and 6–8%, respectively. The board ultimately adopted a proposal put forward by its chair, reflecting a middle‑ground approach that keeps a rent freeze on the table. The Rent Guidelines Board will consider testimony from public hearings, along with data on housing conditions, tenant affordability, and owner expenses, before issuing its final determination.

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