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Dear New Yorkers,

Gov. Kathy Hochul has a plan to bring New York City’s illegal basement and cellar apartments above board.

For years, homeowners and tenants alike have pushed to make these flood- and fire-prone underground rentals safer by bringing them out of the regulatory shadows. And Mayor Eric Adams has endorsed the idea of legalizing the units as part of a solution to the city’s ongoing housing crisis.

So far, the city’s attempt to legalize and convert these homes were piloted in just one Brooklyn neighborhood — and it has been cost-prohibitive and near-impossible for homeowners without changes in state laws.

The new Albany pilot will open up legal conversions to 15 community districts across the city. But of the districts included, just one is located in Queens — where nearly 40% of the city’s estimated basement and cellar spaces are located, the most of any borough.

That raises questions about whether the pilot will reach homeowners and tenants in the neighborhoods where the need is most dire.

Read more about the city’s subterranean rentals, and the details of Hochul’s new pilot program, here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Monday's Weather Rating: 8/10. WOAH. Feeling more like summer than spring out there, with high temperatures in the mid-80s (?!). Most of the day will be very pleasant. A few isolated showers and maybe a thunderstorm are expected this evening. The vibes are warm!

Our Other Top Story

Hunter College plans to shut down Brookdale dormitories — its most affordable student housing option, where rent is just $7,500 per year — to make way for its new science campus. But in the year and half since the school and elected officials announced the plan, CUNY has yet to outline what they will do to replace the rooms. Those who lived at the Brookdale dorms prior to the project announcement will be guaranteed housing at their existing rate, according to a CUNY official. Those who moved in after the announcement will have housing options at other CUNY dorms elsewhere in Manhattan — but those start at several thousand dollars above Brookdale rent rates.

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Reporter’s Notebook

Parking Ticket Cameras Rolling Out on More City Buses

The MTA is set to increase its ability to ticket illegally parked motorists who slow down some of the pokiest buses in the country, according to the president of New York City Transit.

Richard Davey told the New York City Transit Riders Council last week that, starting May 27, more buses equipped with cameras will be able to flag vehicles that illegally block bus stops and bus lanes, along with bike lanes.

The rollout of Automated Camera Enforcement — an update to the existing Automatic Bus Lane Enforcement — is a significant expansion of the transit agency’s ability to issue tickets that start at $50 to illegally parked drivers. More than 600 buses on 21 routes currently have cameras that can ticket drivers who block bus lanes.

Now hundreds of buses along 14 more routes will be able to ticket vehicles that are blocking bus stops or double parked anywhere along a bus route, though some city vehicles will be exempt, Davey said. By the end of 2024, camera enforcement will be activated on approximately 1,000 buses over close to 500 miles of roadway, according to the MTA.

Last year, Albany lawmakers approved the expansion of the enforcement program, which Davey said has been shown to increase bus speeds by 5% and to cut down on collisions and the number of drivers flagged repeatedly, with an 8% recidivism rate.

“Once a New Yorker gets a ticket, they usually learn their lesson and they don’t do it again,” Davey told the riders council.

— Jose Martinez

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Wednesday, May 1: The Career Resources Fair for Teens, hosted by the New York Public Library. The expo-style fair includes workshops, resources and more. Free from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the NYPL’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in Manhattan. Saturday, May 4: GrowTogether events in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, hosted by the Parks Department. Activities include DIY projects, mushroom workshops and a film screening. Times vary by location. Free. Saturday, May 4: Wall to Wall Prince, a daylong tribute in music, film, dance, stories, and more led by artists. Free from 3 to 11 p.m. at Symphony Space’s Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in Manhattan.

THE KICKER: Go New York, go New York, go! Jalen Brunson set a Knicks playoff record last night, scoring 47 points and cinching — barely — a Game 4 win.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday.

Love,

THE CITY

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