Community

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Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas Responds to Brooklyn Tragedies

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYWOMAN NIKKI LUCAS

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NYC Mayor Signs COPA Affordable Housing Law

New York City is taking a new approach to protecting affordable housing by giving community-based organizations a greater role in the sale of certain apartment buildings. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA), which creates a process for qualified nonprofits and community land trusts to compete for eligible properties before sales are finalized. The legislation could be particularly significant in neighborhoods facing rising housing costs and displacement pressures, where nonprofit ownership may help preserve long-term affordability. The law also establishes purchasing timelines and requires the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to develop procedures for implementing the program.

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NYC Begins $184M Chinatown Cultural Hub Rebuild

New York City has broken ground on a $184 million reconstruction of 70 Mulberry Street, restoring a historic Chinatown building severely damaged by fire in 2020. The eight-story cultural and community center will provide permanent space for five organizations displaced by the blaze, including the Museum of Chinese in America and Chinatown Senior Citizen Center. Plans include 30 percent more public space, accessible facilities, renewable energy systems and a public art installation by Jennifer Wen Ma. The project will preserve portions of the original 1892 structure while creating modern spaces for community services, performances and events. Completion is expected in 2030.

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NYC Announces $25M Winter Safety and Snow Plan

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced an expanded winter preparedness plan for New York City, including $25 million in new funding for Code Blue services and additional snow removal resources. The initiative will add more than 300 outreach workers, up to 55 mobile medical units and 800 low-barrier shelter beds to help protect vulnerable residents during extreme cold. The Department of Sanitation has prepared more than 2,200 snowplow-capable vehicles, over 700 salt spreaders and 7,000 trained workers. City agencies are also strengthening heating inspections, emergency communications, public housing maintenance and pedestrian snow clearing ahead of the 2026–2027 winter season.

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NYC Hospital Opens New Mosque for Patients and Staff

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi has opened a dedicated mosque on its Bronx campus, providing Muslim patients, families and hospital employees with a larger space for worship. The newly renovated prayer area accommodates up to 75 people and includes Qur'an copies, shoe storage and facilities for ritual washing before prayer. The opening follows decades of requests for a permanent Muslim worship space, dating back to 1999. Located on the hospital's third floor, the mosque joins existing Catholic, Jewish and non-denominational prayer facilities. Hospital leaders described the addition as part of their commitment to respecting the religious needs of the communities they serve.

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Brooklyn Nets Fund $2.89M NYC Court Renovations

Three basketball courts at Brooklyn's Fish Playground have reopened following improvements supported by the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation's Social Justice Fund. The project replaces aging playing surfaces and equipment while adding spectator seating, drinking water access and upgraded fencing. It completes a broader $2.89 million initiative that renovated 13 courts at five Brooklyn parks, including locations in East New York, Crown Heights, Flatlands and Sunset Park. NYC Parks coordinated the improvements with funding from the foundation, whose founder Clara Wu Tsai also owns the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty. The investment expands recreational facilities for neighborhood residents.

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NAACP Leader Chris Alexander to Head NYC Equity Panel

Chris Alexander, currently executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, has been selected to lead New York City's Commission on Racial Equity beginning August 1, 2027. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin jointly announced the appointment, which will follow the departure of current chair Linda Tigani. Alexander previously directed New York's Office of Cannabis Management and worked on criminal justice legislation in Albany. His new responsibilities will include overseeing the commission's efforts to evaluate government policies, monitor racial equity commitments and promote accountability across city agencies. Tigani will continue leading the commission through July 2027.

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NYC Begins Installing 700 Empire Bins in Brooklyn

Brooklyn is beginning a major change in residential garbage collection as New York City installs more than 700 large, enclosed Empire Bins throughout Community District 2. The new containers will serve eligible apartment buildings in neighborhoods including Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights. Designed to replace trash bags left along sidewalks, the system uses secure containers and specialized collection trucks. City officials expect installation across the district to finish by late fall. The Brooklyn rollout follows a similar program in Manhattan and precedes expansion into six additional community districts in 2027, with citywide implementation targeted for 2031.

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Nikki Lucas Urges Albany To Back Her Self-Checkout Bill

New York State Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas is seeking additional legislative backing for a proposal that would give shoppers a 10% discount when using self-checkout at grocery and retailers. Her legislation, Assembly Bill A11501, would require retailers offering self-service checkout to reduce customers' purchase totals. Lucas is encouraging fellow Assembly members to co-sponsor the measure while seeking a Senate sponsor to advance companion legislation. The Brooklyn lawmaker says growing public interest reflects concerns about grocery affordability and the responsibilities customers assume at self-checkout stations. The proposal remains pending and would require legislative approval before becoming law.