Press Release

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Jaime Williams Rejects Political Distractions

Assemblymember Jaime Williams is rejecting political distractions and misinformation while reaffirming her focus on affordability and quality-of-life issues impacting Southeast Brooklyn communities including Canarsie, Flatlands, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, and Gerritsen Beach. Williams also highlighted her record supporting homeowners and renters by fighting against rising taxes, tolls, congestion pricing, and policies that could increase housing costs. She said she supports responsible development, affordable housing, and pathways to homeownership for working families.

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NYC SPEED Report Targets Faster Affordable Housing

New York City officials have released the new SPEED Report, a sweeping plan designed to speed up the development and delivery of affordable housing across the five boroughs. The reforms aim to reduce delays tied to environmental reviews, permitting, financing, and the Housing Connect lottery system, cutting affordable housing project timelines by as much as two years for some developments. City leaders say the initiative will help move New Yorkers into affordable homes faster while reducing bureaucracy and improving government efficiency.

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NYC Health Launches Behavioral Care Corps

NYC Health + Hospitals and Project Renewal have launched Care Corps, a workforce development program designed to train New Yorkers for careers in behavioral health while helping address staffing shortages across the city’s healthcare system. The free six-week program combines classroom instruction, simulation-based hospital training, and paid internships to prepare participants for entry-level behavioral health positions. Since launching last year, 45 participants have completed the program, with 78% securing employment at NYC Health + Hospitals or other healthcare systems across New York City.

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Mamdani Unveils $124.7B NYC Budget Plan

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has released a $124.7 billion Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget focused on stabilizing the city’s finances while expanding investments in housing, child care, public safety, libraries, parks, NYCHA, mental health services, and affordability initiatives. The administration says the budget closes major fiscal gaps through savings measures, state support, and new tax revenue without raising property taxes or cutting essential services. The plan also includes major capital investments in affordable housing and NYCHA renovations, alongside expanded support for working-class New Yorkers across all five boroughs.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park Reveals 2026 Event Season

Brooklyn Bridge Park has announced its 2026 season lineup featuring months of free public programming along the Brooklyn waterfront, including outdoor movies, live music, dance parties, fitness classes, kayaking, educational activities, cultural festivals, and family-friendly events running from May through October. The annual programming continues to position the park as one of New York City’s premier outdoor destinations, attracting millions of visitors each year with a mix of recreation, arts, culture, and community experiences.

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Brooklyn Tenants Launch Rent Strike

Tenants of Homewood Gardens in East Flatbiush, Brooklyn have announced a rent strike, accusing court-appointed property managers of failing to address worsening living conditions during the property’s ongoing bankruptcy case. Residents say they have endured years of inadequate heat and hot water, pest infestations, leaks, and structural deterioration, with conditions becoming especially severe during the winter after a new boiler was allegedly not installed. At a press conference outside 651 Brooklyn Avenue, tenants joined elected officials and advocates in calling for immediate repairs, stronger tenant protections, and long-term preservation of the property for current residents.

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Chris Banks Law Aims to Prevent Evictions

New York City Council Deputy Leader Chris Banks announced that Local Law 155 of 2025 officially went into effect on May 8, alongside the launch of a new educational social media campaign designed to inform residents about the law’s protections for emergency assistance grant applicants. The legislation creates digital notification requirements for both applicants and landlords when emergency housing assistance grants are approved, helping to prevent evictions caused by delayed or lost mail. The law was inspired by a constituent in Brooklyn’s 42nd Council District who was evicted after a grant payment check never reached her landlord.

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Mount Sinai Targets Colon Cancer Resistance

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center have identified a potential breakthrough approach to treating colorectal cancer by restoring communication between critical immune cells. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, the study found that combining multiple immunotherapy targets with strategies aimed at suppressive immune cells significantly improved tumor elimination in preclinical models, offering hope for patients whose cancers do not respond to existing immunotherapy treatments.

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NY Approves 32 New Adult-Use Cannabis Licenses

New York’s Cannabis Control Board has approved 32 new adult-use cannabis licenses as the state continues expanding its legal cannabis market. The latest approvals include cultivators, distributors, microbusinesses, processors, retail dispensaries and branding licensees, reflecting continued movement across the state’s cannabis supply chain.