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Mapping the Future

Mapping the Future investigates and explains the history, economics, politics and policies that shape the way land is used in the city of New York and beyond. It is supported by the Ford Foundation and the Neighborhoods First Fund.

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Must Reads

NYC Pays $122 Million to Turn Bronx Cluster Sites into Housing for Homeless Families

The 14-building deal marks the third time the city has purchased cluster site properties to convert into permanent homes.
By David Brand
NY’s Rent Relief Program Has Yet to Cut a Check Amid Inefficiencies and Frustrations

Sadef KullyThe scene from a June protest by Housing Justice for All.
By David Brand
Judge Halts Homeless Hotel Transfers Until City Accommodates Residents With Disabilities

The city must provide written notice to shelter residents at least a week before scheduled moves out of hotels, and ensure those with disabilities are informed of the right to request “reasonable accommodations” at least five days before a transfer, the judge ruled.
By David Brand
Formerly Homeless Families Go Two Months Without Gas at Harlem Apartment Complex

The property owner, a company connected to an infamous family of landlords, has yet to begin repairs, and tenants in six apartments say building staff have pressured them to return to shelters while they await a large-scale fix with no definitive timeline.
By David Brand
Shelter Residents Challenge de Blasio’s Homeless Hotel Clearance Policy in Court

The legal motion, filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court, accuses the city of a one-size-fits-all strategy that violates the rights of disabled shelter residents to accessible dwellings.
By David Brand
As They Return to Group Shelters, Homeless New Yorkers Make Vaccine Choices

Several people staying in hotels during the pandemic said the city’s plan to send them back to group shelters motivated them to get the shot.
By David Brand
LinkedIn Profiles, College Diplomas and Photos of Your Kid: The Invasive World of NYC Apartment Hunting

Adi TalwarThe skyline of lower Manhattan viewed from Governor's Island.
By David Brand
NYC’s New $98.7 Billion Budget Bolsters Rental Subsidy for Homeless Families

Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson Wednesday announcing a new budget deal for fiscal year 2022.
By David Brand

The Neighborhoods

Click on a neighborhood to get news, documents, opinions and videos about that community.

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Mapping the Future: Opinion

Opinion: It’s Time to Make Housing Vouchers Universal

'What low-income renters and homeless New Yorkers really need is Section 8 for all: housing assistance offered as an entitlement for everyone who qualifies.'
By Jacquelyn Simone
Opinion: Every Level of Government Must Step Up to Address Family Homelessness

‘We need to strengthen the safety-net for families at risk of homelessness, and make sure that even as people get jobs they don’t lose their rental assistance.’
By Catherine Trapani and Kim Maloney
Opinion: As Times Square Makes a Comeback, It’s Time to Help Those Still Struggling

'Many vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness or in need of other services are shuttled into the criminal justice system in a cruel and costly revolving door, often leaving them rightfully distrustful of social services providers.'
By Lauren Curatolo, Tom Harris, Brenda Rosen and Ashwin Vasan
Opinion: NYC’s Next Mayor Should Commit to Upholding the Right to Shelter

‘The right to shelter provides unshakeable protections for those who would otherwise have no choice but to sleep on the street. Threats to the right to shelter by New York mayors aren’t new—Both Giuliani and Bloomberg mounted strident challenges to modify and undo it.’
By Tony Hannigan and Joe DeGenova
Opinion: COVID-19 Taught Us That Housing is Healthcare—NYC Must Pass Intro 146

‘As we start to pick up the pieces from the last 15 months, we have the opportunity to build back better. We refuse to go back to normal, because normal was broken. We cannot continue to warehouse people in overcrowded shelters or police people in the streets with no plan to move them into permanent housing.’
By Amy Blumsack and Amanda Ramsdell