New York Note: New CPC Members, Non-Profit Advisory Council, PASSport Review

Mamdani Nominates Five Members to City Planning Commission

Mayor Zohran Mamdani nominated five members to the New York City Planning Commission, including three new appointees and two current commissioners, as the body prepares to take on an expanded role in the city’s housing and land-use process. The new nominees are Margaret Anadu, CEO and founder of One Weaver; Julie Stein, executive director of Union Square Partnership, a Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies client; and Meenakshi Srinivasan, a former chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Board of Standards and Appeals who previously served as a Senior Principal at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. Mamdani also renominated current commissioners Kenneth Knuckles and Anthony Crowell, with Knuckles nominated to continue as vice chair. Beginning in January, the commission will have final approval over certain qualifying affordable housing projects in 12 communities that have produced the least affordable housing in recent years, following voter-approved changes to the city’s land-use process. All five nominations are subject to City Council approval.

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Mamdani Names New Members to City’s Nonprofit Advisory Council

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced appointments to the city’s 33-member Nonprofit Advisory Council, which will advise the administration on policies and priorities affecting New York City’s nonprofit sector. First launched by the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services in 2024, the council brings together leaders from organizations working across social services, education, legal assistance, homelessness, childcare, arts and culture, advocacy and philanthropy, with members expected to provide input on challenges facing nonprofit providers and the city’s partnership with the sector. The council will be chaired by Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, with Tara Gardner, executive director of the Day Care Council of New York, serving as co-chair. The announcement follows the administration’s recent expansion of the Discretionary Grant Pilot, which is intended to accelerate the contracting process and allow up to 800 nonprofits to receive their full city awards within 30 days after grant agreements are signed.

NYC Council Reviews PASSPort System and Small Capital Project Reforms

The New York City Council’s Committee on Contracts held a hearing on the city’s PASSPort procurement system and proposed measures to improve the delivery of small capital projects. The administration was represented by Kim Yu, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) and the city’s Chief Procurement Officer, and Paul Ochoa, Commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction (DDC). Yu discussed PASSPort’s role in city contracting, planned system improvements, including Release Seven expected in early 2027, and efforts to improve invoice processing and user support. Ochoa addressed proposed legislation related to standard designs, approval and change-order timeframes, cost benchmarks, and design-build eligibility. Council Members questioned administration officials about PASSPort’s usability, transparency, costs, performance, and impact on nonprofits, as well as the proposed capital project reforms. Public testimony highlighted the administrative and financial burdens that procurement delays and system limitations can place on nonprofit providers and called for continued investment in procurement systems, staffing, and user support. See here for a recording of the full hearing.

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