Dan Garodnick on What Comes After Yes, in @VitalCityNYC vitalcitynyc.org/dan-garodni…

Until the 1920s Park Ave had an actual park running through it. Then cars took over. Now the park is coming back. @NYC_DOT just unveiled the final vision for transformation of the avenue (from E.46th to E.57th). With reduction of two lanes of traffic, there will be wider sidewalks, an urban forrest in the median, benches, space for cultural programming, a bike lane etc.

We just got one step closer into turning Park Ave into a marquee boulevard for people, not just cars. After extensive engagement with Community Boards 5 and 6, I’m thrilled @NYC_DOT’s latest design widens the median and creates more space for pedestrians, public art and landscaping. I’m also glad DOT listened to community feedback by moving the proposed two-way bike lane alongside the median while preserving expanded pedestrian space.

New renderings of the MTA's IBX project serving Brooklyn, Queens are out gothamist.com/news/new-rende…

.@DanGarodnick: Why the City Council Must Confirm John Mangin - via @VitalCityNYC vitalcitynyc.org/john-mangin…

From the best @DanGarodnick: "In the two decades since I first joined the NYC Council, I have seen a significant transformation— for the better— in our city’s conversation around housing. In the coming weeks, the Council has a chance to continue that momentum" by confirming John.

Why the City Council Must Confirm John Mangin vitalcitynyc.org/john-mangin…

John Galiano said "I love Hitler" and told people their families would have been "gassed", among other vile antisemitic statements. Artistic genius is no excuse for bigotry. And bigotry should not be honored. Not at the Met Gala or anywhere. I am relieved this error has been corrected.

A third of all of the new housing permitted in 2026 is from office to residential conversions — throwing a lifeline to struggling office buildings & creating homes. An important tool enabled by #CityofYes for Housing, and a tax incentive from Albany. nytimes.com/2026/08/30/nyreg…

The biggest problem we know pretty clearly how to solve: build a lot more housing! Remove obstacles. Encourage density. TOD. Government investment — more of it, and more creatively — in truly affordable housing. Do it all!

From 73 swastikas defacing a Brooklyn playground to a Jewish man stabbed after leaving Tisha B’Av services last month, horrifying acts of antisemitism are soaring in our city. From Hebrew school to my father’s memorial service, Central Synagogue is where my family and thousands of others worship. It is our sanctuary and a place of solace. Armed guards stand outside on the High Holidays as we have to explain to our children why they are there. Now, a congregant was assaulted during Shabbat services in an incident that has resulted in hate crime charges. When my mother and grandmother came to New York City after surviving the Holocaust they were welcomed with open arms. What is happening now in our city is unrecognizable and horrifying. We will not allow hate to divide us or fear to silence us. We will continue fighting for a city where every New Yorker can live safely and proudly, no matter their faith.

Last night at Central Synagogue on the Upper East Side, in the middle of a crowded Shabbat service, a man started screaming, hit a 63-year old woman, spat at and headbutted a security guard, and damaged synagogue property. The assailant is in custody and has been charged with hate crimes. This is not even remotely an isolated incident. There have been 205 antisemitic hate crimes in NYC so far this year—far more than every other category of hate crime combined, and a 2.3% increase over last year. Jews in NYC are forced to attend worship services with armed guards. We are subjected to venomous rhetoric online, in the street, in the subway. We are only 10% of the city but are the target 57% of the time when someone commits a hate crime here. We are not asking for anything beyond what every other community in this city wants and deserves. We want to feel safe. We don't want to be the target of so much hate. We don't want to be forced to rely on armed guards to protect us in worship services. We deserve better. We demand better. We won't stop fighting against this scourge.

Earlier this evening, an individual disrupted Shabbat services at Central Synagogue in Manhattan. As synagogue security was escorting him out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team. An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue immediately stepped in and took the individual into custody. I have spoken with the rabbi of the synagogue, and I’m relieved that no one was seriously injured. Those who were hurt were evaluated at the scene and are doing well. There are no known additional threats at this time, and additional NYPD resources have been deployed to the synagogue. The investigation is ongoing. I understand the sanctity of this space and its meaning for congregants. Central Synagogue is where I grew up. In joy and in sorrow, it has always been a place of comfort and peace. What happened there tonight is deeply painful. A place of worship should never be a crime scene.

What happened at Central Synagogue tonight is appalling. Jewish New Yorkers have every right to worship openly, proudly, and without fear. I’m grateful the suspect is in custody and that no one was seriously injured.

July data is out: Median rents in Manhattan remain at a record high $5,295/month for market rate units. Brooklyn's at $4,257. Why is this happening? Lack of supply. * Vacancy rate for July was only 1.56% * Total apartment listings are down 22% year-over-year * The average Manhattan apartment took only 33 days to lease in July, down 3% from last year. There is no way out of NYC's affordability crisis without fixing this. We need to push on every front to build more housing.

The average rent in Manhattan just crossed $6,650 a month — an all-time high. Up 10% in a single year. There is no version of solving this without building more housing. We need a Congress willing to treat the housing shortage like the crisis it is.

One of the most beautiful spots in NYC: Green-Wood Cemetery. Thanks @NYCComptroller for highlighting its role in strengthening climate resilience, and the work of @MeeraCJoshi. (In addition to Basquiat, Boss Tweed & Bernstein, my mom Barbara Garodnick rests there too.)

It would be hard to imagine a more qualified person to lead the BSA than @nycmayor’s nominee, John Mangin. He currently heads the housing division at @nycplanning. He was a major force behind the passage of City of Yes, a zoning modernization that has already enabled many new housing developments that otherwise would not have been possible. He was also a leader on the commission that put forward historic changes to the City Charter removing major obstacles to housing creation—measures voters approved by huge margins. The BSA (Board of Standards and Appeals) has an obscure name, and most New Yorkers have never heard of it. But it plays a key role in greenlighting new housing, with expanded powers following the recent Charter changes. We are in the midst of the worst housing affordability crisis in NYC history. We urgently need to pick up the pace of housing construction of in all five boroughs. John Mangin is an excellent choice to lead the BSA at this critical moment.

It’s disappointing that some in the City Council may reject a highly qualified nominee because he’s perceived as *too* pro-housing. We should be confirming people who are bold in their approach to solving the housing crisis, not punishing them for it.

Truly horrible and alarming. Sorry your son experienced this.

Subway riders: @MTA surveys show that the top-rated lines by customers are the 7, G, Q and L. At the bottom of the pack: the 5, D and W.