NYC Politics News

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NYC Click-to-Cancel Rule Takes Effect With $525 Fines

New York City's Click-to-Cancel rule is now in effect, giving consumers new protections against businesses that make subscriptions difficult to cancel. The rule requires businesses offering qualifying automatic-renewal or continuous-service subscriptions to provide straightforward cancellation methods and clearly disclose subscription terms and consumer rights. Businesses that violate the requirements can face restitution and civil penalties starting at $525 per violation. The city has also launched an online portal where New Yorkers can report problems including difficult cancellations, undisclosed automatic renewals and subscription terms that were not clearly explained. City officials say New York City is the first municipality in the country to implement a Click-to-Cancel rule.

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Crowell & Moring Names NY’s Glen McGorty Next Chair

Crowell & Moring has elected New York managing partner Glen McGorty as the next chair of the firm's Management Board, with his three-year term beginning March 1, 2027. McGorty will become the first chair in the firm's history to be based outside Washington, D.C. He currently serves on Crowell's Management Board and Executive Committee and chairs its Litigation and Trial Department. McGorty joined the firm in 2012 following nearly 15 years as a federal prosecutor and has led the expansion of Crowell's New York office. According to the firm, attorney headcount in the New York office has increased by nearly 50% during the past six years.

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NYC Begins $40M Box Street Park in Greenpoint

Construction has begun on the $40 million Box Street Park in Greenpoint, advancing a project envisioned for the North Brooklyn waterfront more than two decades ago. The 2.5-acre park will transform a former MTA facility along Newtown Creek into public green space featuring an elevated esplanade, ADA-accessible pathways, gardens, a lawn, basketball court, picnic area, dog runs and public restroom. The project will also connect with waterfront esplanades on either side of the site, helping close a gap along the northern Greenpoint waterfront. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2028. The park is planned to eventually expand by another half-acre following the relocation of an MTA facility.

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Bronx Recreation Center Reopens After $20.7M Upgrade

St. Mary’s Recreation Center in the Bronx has reopened following a $20.7 million renovation that upgraded the historic facility and expanded accessibility. Improvements include a reconstructed façade, entrance and lobby, a new elevator, widened doorways, updated mechanical and electrical systems and repairs to the center’s indoor swimming pool. The facility also received new fitness equipment, upgraded flooring and improved lighting. The city says 33 new staff positions have been funded to support programming, operations and maintenance at the center. St. Mary’s has served the South Bronx for generations and includes the only indoor public swimming pool operated by NYC Parks in the borough.

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NYC Says 2026 World Cup Generated $2B Economic Impact

The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated an estimated $2 billion in economic impact for New York City, according to a preliminary analysis released by the city. The estimate includes $1.2 billion in direct visitor spending and $162 million in operational spending, while tournament-related activity supported an estimated 12,100 jobs. New York City accounted for 56% of the estimated $3.5 billion economic impact across the New York-New Jersey region and 70% of regional visitor spending. The city also reported a 16% year-over-year increase in foot traffic at sports bars during the tournament, while international Visa card spending increased in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

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NY Pension Funds Push Starbucks on Labor Oversight

New York City and state pension investors are seeking changes to Starbucks' board oversight of labor relations ahead of the company's 2027 annual shareholder meeting. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Mark Levine on behalf of four city pension funds, and a Trillium Asset Management fund filed a shareholder proposal asking Starbucks to restore its Environmental, Partner, and Community Impact Committee. The committee, established in 2023 and later dissolved, had responsibilities that included monitoring labor relations. The investors argue that dedicated independent oversight is needed as Starbucks continues to face unresolved collective bargaining and labor disputes. The filers collectively held 2.82 million Starbucks shares as of June 30, 2026.

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NYC Breaks Ground on 229 Affordable Senior Homes

New York City has broken ground on Sol on Park, a 229-apartment affordable senior housing development planned for the NYCHA Morris Houses campus in the Bronx. The development will reserve 80 apartments for current Morris I and II residents and 69 for formerly homeless seniors, while another 79 apartments will be offered to low- and middle-income seniors through the Housing Connect lottery. Sol on Park will also include health and wellness services, more than 8,000 square feet of community space, a pedestrian plaza and a new accessible space for the Morris Houses Resident Association. Construction is underway, with pre-leasing and initial move-ins expected to begin in early 2029.

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OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Nikki Lucas Announces Dem Chair Bid

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas has issued the following statement announcing her candidacy to serve as the next Chair of the Kings County Democratic Party:

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Brooklyn Unveils Little Panama Way in Crown Heights

Brooklyn's Panamanian community has received permanent recognition in Crown Heights with the unveiling of Little Panama Way along Franklin Avenue. The ceremonial street co-naming honors generations of Panamanians who established families, businesses, institutions and cultural traditions in the neighborhood beginning decades ago. Panama 507 Roundtable Group organized the September 24 celebration with community organizations, elected officials and Panamanian dignitaries. The recognition comes as a related effort advances to establish a Little Panama Cultural District in the area, creating a framework for preserving Panamanian heritage while supporting cultural programming and economic activity. State legislation authorizing the cultural designation has passed both houses of the New York State Legislature