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Senate Dems’ Leader Defends Judiciary Chair, Despite Long Record of Botched Cases

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says she sees “no reason” to remove Senator Luis Sepúlveda as judiciary chair.

Melissa Manno and Sam Mellins   ·   April 16, 2026
New York Is Funding Private Equity’s Real Estate Buying Spree

The Carlyle Group’s effort to buy up rental housing has gotten a $578 million boost from the city and state.

Nick Garber   ·   April 16, 2026
State Senator Luis Sepúlveda
State Senator Repeatedly Failed Clients in Court, Leading to Evictions and Lost Cases

One expert called Senator Luis Sepúlveda’s record of missed deadlines, incorrect paperwork, and no-shows “professional negligence.”

Sam Mellins   ·   April 9, 2026
New York’s Safety Net Workers Push for a Bigger Bump in Contracts

The governor, Senate, and Assembly all have different ideas for how to implement this year’s increases for human services contracts.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   March 25, 2026
State Senate Joins Hochul in Trying to Speed Up New Housing

It remains to be seen whether the Assembly will get on board.

Sam Mellins   ·   March 10, 2026
Eric Adams's failed attempt to fix New York City's broken property tax system shows why it won’t be easy for Mamdani to do so either.
Mamdani Wants to Fix Property Taxes. Eric Adams’s Failure Is a Warning Sign.

As Zohran Mamdani prepares to unveil property tax reforms, he must weigh a plan he inherited from his predecessor.

Nick Garber   ·   March 2, 2026
Why a NIMBY Councilmember Said Yes to Affordable Housing

The threat of a new appeals board pushed Vickie Paladino to approve a new development.

Nick Garber   ·   February 24, 2026
Photo of the bank of the Amawalk Reservoir
A Real Estate Battle Tests the State’s New Superfund Powers

New York environmental regulators have deemed a developer liable for an $18 million Westchester cleanup — but they haven’t yet made the company pay.

David McKay Wilson   ·   February 10, 2026
For Sale: Brooklyn Five-Bedroom. Price: $100

New York Focus identified more than a thousand cases where a disputed interest formula increased a home’s bidding price at auction, allowing a bank to obtain it for a pittance.

Chris Bragg   ·   February 5, 2026
Landlord That Won Big in Cuomo’s Penn Station Plan Makes a Comeback Under Trump

Vornado Realty Trust has a stake in Halmar’s proposal to rebuild the Manhattan rail hub.

Nick Garber   ·   February 2, 2026
An adult and child wearing winter coats walk across a motel parking lot with three cars parked in it. The child is smiling and turns back to look at the adult, who is facing away from the camera.
New York Homeless Families Placed in Hotels Weren’t Guaranteed Social Services. New Regulations Could Change That.

The proposal follows a New York Focus and ProPublica investigation that found counties had placed thousands of adults and children in often-dilapidated hotels as the main response to homelessness.

Spencer Norris   ·   January 28, 2026
Mamdani and Hochul are Looking Cozy. Can it Last?

A sweeping child care expansion and opposition to President Trump have united them, but significant divisions remain.

Sam Mellins   ·   January 15, 2026
Covering the 2026 State of the State

Here’s what our reporters will be watching for during Governor Kathy Hochul’s agenda-setting address that will kick off state budget negotiations.

New York Focus   ·   January 12, 2026
New York Counties Have Received Millions From Opioid Lawsuits, But Many Won’t Say How They’ve Spent It

Drug policy advocates are calling a new reporting mandate a missed opportunity for needed transparency and sustained action.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   January 5, 2026
State Senator Vows to Tackle Foreclosure ‘Injustice’ After NY Focus-Gothamist Investigation

In response to reporting by New York Focus and Gothamist, State Senator Zellnor Myrie has introduced a bill to standardize debt calculations.

Chris Bragg and David Brand   ·   December 4, 2025
Big Banks Accused of ‘Systematic Fraud’ in New York Foreclosure Auctions

An investigation by New York Focus and Gothamist found lenders are using a disputed method of calculating debts in thousands of foreclosures and taking money from hundreds of former homeowners.

Chris Bragg and David Brand   ·   December 3, 2025
Two city officials at a council hearing
NYPD Plans Massive Expansion of Real-Time Surveillance in NYCHA Housing

The City Council held an emergency hearing on the NYPD’s use of a free internet program to gain real-time access to public housing cameras, in response to New York Focus’s reporting.

Zachary Groz   ·   October 1, 2025
The NYC City Hall
Councilmembers Demand NYPD Halt its Public Housing Surveillance Expansion, Following New York Focus Reporting

“New Yorkers did not agree to trade their right to privacy for the promise of free internet,” key committee chairs wrote to city officials.

Zachary Groz   ·   August 25, 2025
Mayor Eric Adams standing in front of an apartment building.
Has Mayor Eric Adams Built More Affordable Housing Than Bloomberg and de Blasio Combined?

The New York City mayor made the claim during a press conference in late July.

Ferdi Ferhat Özsoy   ·   August 19, 2025
A NYPD camera set against a public housing building
Adams Quietly Uses Free Internet at NYCHA to Expand Police Surveillance

The Adams administration is using its flagship broadband program to give police real-time access to NYCHA camera feeds — without telling anyone.

Zachary Groz   ·   August 11, 2025
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