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Dear New Yorkers,

THE CITY is here to make sure you have the information you need to be an informed participant in New York City life. We explain how things work, from housing lotteries to ranked-choice voting, and our reporters keep a spotlight on city and state officials, holding them to account.

Often our coverage has a direct impact on a world where positive change is hard to come by. You’ve already heard about our tenacious coverage of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. To mark the close of 2024, THE CITY is proud to share some of the other stories that made a difference this past year.

THE CITY:

…Aided “social equity” cannabis business loan borrowers

In legalizing recreational marijuana, New York State promised people formerly prosecuted for pot dealing a first crack at licenses and help setting up shop. Nothing went as planned. THE CITY profiled borrowers driven to financial ruin by the state’s terms, dug into the private equity financing deal that guaranteed New York taxpayers would step in when borrowers default, exposed internal alarms raised by state officials about overly optimistic sales projections and detailed the earnings guarantees in the millions for the loan fund’s managers.

State officials responded forcefully to Senior Reporter Rosalind Adams’ investigative series. New York’s Office of Cannabis Management suspended new leases. Two state senators demanded an investigation into the public-private cannabis business fund. And most recently, the Assembly majority leader called for aid to borrowers overburdened with repayment bills on high-interest loans.

…Prompted probes of an Eric Adams protege in charge of city leases

Jesse Hamilton is the deputy commissioner in charge of leasing city office space. When Hamilton had his phone seized alongside mayoral chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin and a real estate broker after their entourage landed on a flight back from Japan, THE CITY started looking at city leasing — and found multiple deals that raised questions, including a pending move of a city agency to a Wall Street building owned by a major Adams donor.

Spurred by THE CITY’s reporting, two members of the City Council, as well as the City Comptroller, launched investigations of city leasing, followed by a formal probe by the city Department of Investigation.

…Pointed the FBI to an Eric Adams fundraising scandal

In February, federal agents simultaneously executed search warrants on two Bronx homes owned by Winnie Greco, Eric Adams’ chief Asian community liaison, and the office of the New World Mall in Queens. Months earlier, THE CITY had exposed evidence of fraudulent fundraising by Adams’ 2021 campaign, involving mall employees listed as small donors submitted to the public matching funds program. Greco has since resigned — but only after Adams gave her significant raises.

…Got the City Council to consider bills fighting deed theft

An investigative series from THE CITY in 2023 spotlighted schemes to buy up homes cheaply from far-flung heirs by leveraging small shares and sometimes using outright fraud. After Speaker Adrienne Adams pledged action in her 2024 State of the State speech, the City Council is now considering bills intended to ensure sellers are informed about their rights and their properties’ value.

…Steered Environmental Bond Act funds back to NYC

Voters in New York City turned out more than any in the state in favor of the $4 billion state Environmental Bond Act. But after an analysis of spending showed just 2% of funding had gone to city projects, the state stepped up with clean water grants for The Bronx and Manhattan.

…Spurred state guidance on protecting workers from extreme heat

The state Department of Labor issued recommendations this summer advising employers on how to help their staff weather extreme heat, after THE CITY presented statistics that showed workers are likelier to be injured on the job in hot weather.

…Prompted landlords to register more rent-stabilized apartments

After THE CITY exposed sharp declines in the number of apartments landlords registered as rent regulated, enabling stealth exits from rent stabilization restrictions, state lawmakers passed a measure imposing tough penalties for noncompliance — and landlords registered many more apartments, expanding state oversight of tenants rights.

…Launched immigrant sweatshop investigations

We found workers in Brooklyn processing and packaging tobacco getting paid not by the hour, as the law requires, but by the pound, when they were paid at all. Shifts often lasted 13 hours, in hazardous conditions. After THE CITY’s report, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and New York State Department of Labor investigated.

…Restored Manhattan affordable housing

Our investigation into hotel developer and Adams funder Weihong Hu prompted the city Buildings Department to pause construction on one of her Manhattan projects — and to insist that she restore affordable housing she demolished, issuing an unusual apology.

…Sent Harvey Weinstein (back) to jail

The sex-predator former media mogul got VIP treatment in a private room at a city-run hospital while awaiting a court hearing, until THE CITY exposed the favorable treatment, and Weinstein got transferred back to Rikers Island.

Weather ⛅

Showers in the morning, with some sun and temps in the mid 50s later on.

MTA 🚇

There’s no D train in Manhattan between 42 St-Bryant Pk and 145 St. from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s in effect today, Dec. 30.

By the way …

With congestion pricing set to begin on Jan. 5, the MTA is offering discounted LIRR and Metro North tickets on weekends — see the full plan here.

Our Other Top Story

On this episode of FAQ NYC, our hosts speak with Nicole Gelinas, the author of Movement: New York’s Long War to Take Back Its Streets from the Car, about the promise of congestion pricing, the challenges to getting big things fixed — let alone built — in the city, the ghost of Robert Moses and much more. Listen here.

Things To Do

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

Thursday, Dec. 26 – Sunday, Jan. 12: Give back to the city’s greenery by turning your Christmas Tree into mulch! As part of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Mulchfest 2025, you can haul your tree to a dropoff location to recycle it.  Tuesday, Dec. 31: Coast into 2025 on a New Year’s Eve bike ride, organized by environmental group Time’s Up. Start biking at one of three locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and finish the ride with a dance party in Central Park. 9:45 p.m.  Wednesday, Jan. 1: Begin the new year with the Japanese tradition of Hatsuhinode, or welcoming the first sunrise. Van Cortlandt Park, 6:30 a.m. Register on Eventbrite.

THE KICKER: The most popular baby names of 2023 might surprise you — or not, since the top name for both boys and girls has been the same for almost a decade.

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

Love,

THE CITY

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