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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

Dear New Yorkers,

In the heady days after his mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani launched a jobs portal so that New Yorkers inspired by his victory could apply to work in city government.

Some 80,000 people sent in resumes, and the Mamdani transition team boasted that applicants came from nearly every city ZIP code.

But months later, just 31 people who applied through the portal actually landed jobs. That number includes Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, who was on the transition team and had more than a decade of prior experience at DOT.

The reality is that City Hall jobs are few and far between, and many of the 300,000 people who work for New York City are hired through civil service exams. For more on how to apply through the civil service agency, read THE CITY’s guide.

And who controls the Mamdani portal and its thousands of contacts now? A spokesperson for City Hall wouldn’t say.

Weather ☀️

Sunny, with a high near 29.

MTA 🚇

In Queens, no Manhattan-bound 7 trains between 69 St. and 52 St. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s back in effect today, Feb. 9.

By the way …

Time is running out to take the qualifying test required to work as a lifeguard in an NYC park this summer. Register for it here.

Our Other Top Stories

Starbucks workers at 10 unionized New York City stores quietly returned to work on Thursday, ending their nearly three-month strike after failing to force management back to the bargaining table for a first contract. The decision by baristas to end the strike is a blow to a campaign that gained national prominence at a time when organized labor was surging. With NYC facing bitterly cold temperatures yet again, heat and hot water outages are hitting NYCHA’s aging housing stock. Rep. Dan Goldman has a plan to divert resources to repair the agency’s boilers, arguing that heat is a basic safety issue.

SPONSORED In 2025, Uber riders took nearly 180 million trips in New York City. More than just a ride, Uber has become a reliable lifeline for New Yorkers and visitors, providing essential access to critical services like doctor’s visits and bridging the gap in outer-borough transit deserts. Over the course of last year, Uber drivers completed almost 180,000 Access-A-Ride trips, and close to 500,000 trips in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, while the average wait time in the outer boroughs was about three and a half minutes. Uber is committed to keeping New York connected and accessible, and supports the City through more than $700 million in taxes and fees, including more than $260 million to the MTA in congestion pricing fees.

Things To Do

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

Monday, Feb. 9: Astoria Horror Club celebrates Black History Month with a showing of the 1998 vampire film “Blade.” Free admission, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9: See an advanced screening of the new "Wuthering Heights” film at Regal Union Square at 6:00 p.m. Free, but passes are first-come, first-served with doors opening at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10: Attend a discussion at Columbia University on urban planning throughout time, focused on the Iroquois, Romans and the Manhattan Project. Free, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

THE KICKER: Time Out’s global list of best pizzas gave its top spot to a slice in the Upper West Side, declaring Mama’s TOO’s “Cacio e Pepe” the best slice in the world.

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

Love,

THE CITY

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