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Dear New Yorkers,

Last month Jesse Hamilton, a longtime ally of Mayor Eric Adams who oversees the city’s real estate transactions at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), stepped off a plane at JFK Airport and had his phone seized by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

That was just the start.

Since then, three separate investigations have begun into the secretive, behind-the-scenes way the DCAS signs leases — and into potential conflicts of interest by Hamilton.

The investigations are:

A City Council probe announced on Monday by Councilmember Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan), looking into a handful of DCAS leases including two in Manhattan office buildings. A “leasing-related” audit by City Comptroller Brad Lander’s team, which “is in the preliminary stages.” A hearing Councilmember Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), who chairs the committee on governmental operations, will hold today about a pending lease at 14 Wall Street.

Restler’s hearing had its initial impetus in a story from THE CITY that revealed major DCAS lease deals, including 14 Wall Street. The building’s owner, Alexander Rovt, along with family members, has made multiple donations to Adams’ campaign and legal defense fund.

The probes into Hamilton raise larger questions about how the department he oversees has been run under the Adams administration — with DCAS dramatically increasing the square footage of new leases entered into with private-sector landlords.

“There’s zero visibility as to how this process works and there’s a lot of money changing hands,” Brewer said. “The city should make the process very transparent.”

Read more here about the investigations.

Weather 🌤

A mix of clouds and sun, highs in the mid-60s. There’s a chance of a rain shower at night that could end this dry streak.

MTA 🚇

This week, the uptown N and Q skip Prince Street, 8th Street, 23rd Street and 28th Street overnight, plus changes on many other lines. Find the latest delays and planned changes here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s in effect today, Oct. 29.

Our Other Top Stories

A court case over basic sanitary conditions at Rikers Island has now been dragging on for 50 years. The litigation appears to be the longest open case in Manhattan federal court, as six mayors have been unable or unwilling to meet the basic benchmarks negotiated as part of the legal agreement, court records show.  Jobs in New York City’s film and TV industry, which never completely recovered from the actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023, are plummeting again as streaming services cut back on the number of scripted shows they are commissioning, according to a new report from the state Labor Department.. The prospects for a rebound are also uncertain, given New York’s reliance on producing comedies and dramas at a time when reality TV and other programming is ascendant. On the latest episode of FAQ NYC, the hosts talk about Adams’ defense of Trump ahead of his rally at Madison Square Garden, the ex-president’s public praise of Adams there, and much more. As some on team Trump scrambled to distance the campaign from some of the most incendiary and racist rhetoric from speakers at his event, the mayor put out a rebuke on Twitter that didn’t name names, saying that “the hateful words that were used by some at today’s rally at Madison Square Garden were completely unacceptable.”  Listen here.  New Yorkers have turned out in record numbers to vote early since the polls opened on Saturday. If you haven’t already, THE CITY is here to help you get ready to vote — from guides on all of the ballot measures, to analysis of how the presidential candidates’ policies could affect the city’s economy and much more. Check out our election coverage here. And remember — early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. Mail-in and absentee ballots are due Monday, Nov. 4. And Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Things To Do

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

Wednesday, Oct. 31: “Bed Stuy Dreams: The Haunting,” a revival of the neighborhood’s haunted house event. Free from 12 to 8 p.m. at the Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center in Herbert Von King Park. Thursday, Oct. 31: The Village Halloween Parade, of course. Free from 7 p.m. starting at Canal Street and 6th Avenue, rain or shine. (It’s also broadcast live on Spectrum News NY1 starting at 8 p.m.) Sunday, Nov. 2: The annual post-Halloween pumpkin smash, a fun and sustainable way to get rid of your jack-o-lanterns. Free from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hudson River Park.

THE KICKER: An unknown Chopin waltz was just discovered in the Morgan Museum and Library in New York, after languishing unnoticed for nearly 200 years. You can listen to it here.

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

Love,

THE CITY

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