A BRAD-ER NY: City Comptroller Brad Lander is in mayoral launch mode, and plans to flesh out a big campaign pledge to political power players this morning: “to end street homelessness for severely mentally ill people in New York City.” Lander is addressing an Association for a Better New York breakfast this morning in Times Square, and his team shared some remarks in advance.
Lander will say the city effectively ended military veteran homelessness with a “housing first” approach and can do the same for people with severe mental illness with better coordination among city agencies, hospitals and social service providers, and by reserving a few thousand of the existing housing vouchers specifically for that population. “It is sometimes necessary to commit people involuntarily,” Lander will add — aligning himself with an Adams policy peg that earned some criticism on civil liberties grounds — “But it will be necessary a lot less often if we have more safe haven beds, and more supportive housing.” Lander, a lefty, has avoided the term “progressive” in his campaign rollout and will do so again before the business group. “This is not a time for ideology or political ‘lanes,’” he’ll say. “This is about actually delivering that better-run city that New Yorkers are hungry for.” — Jeff Coltin TRUCK THIS: The Trucking Association of New York is taking aim at the Citizens Air Complaint Program amid concerns the effort is unfairly targeting their industry. The group rallied on Wednesday in the city against anti-idling measures that would make it harder for truckers to do basic deliveries. Larry Zogby, the CEO of RDS Same Day Delivery, pointed to the key sectors of the economy trucking touches like providing timely access to pharmaceuticals.
“Think about the cold, the heat, the rain, the snow, and safety systems such as AC, heat, and defrost,” Zogby said. “These often require more than three minutes of idling. Public safety must be a priority over rigid time limits.” Members of the public can claim rewards for submitting videos of idling trucks. Adams has defended the program and called it necessary to protect air quality.
“New Yorkers deserve clear streets and clean air, and the Citizens Air Complaint Program is helping us deliver,” he said as the program was rolled out. — Nick Reisman HOTEL FIGHT: A union-backed bill to regulate New York City’s hotel sector has been met with staunch pushback from the industry. But not every hotel owner is opposed. Hard Rock International, which operates a hotel in Times Square, is backing the City Council legislation introduced over the summer and described by some in the industry as a “nuclear bomb.” The measure would require hotels to obtain operating licenses and restrict their use of subcontracted workers.
The proposal “aligns with our longstanding commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all team members, guests, and the communities in which we operate,” James Allen, chairman of the company, said in a statement provided to Playbook.
Notably, Hard Rock’s Manhattan property employs members of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, so the bill — which would primarily affect non-union hotels — wouldn’t impact its operations all that much. Hard Rock is also competing for one of three highly-coveted state casino licenses, a process that will require winning over politicians with whom the union has sway. SH Hotels & Resorts, another hotel brand that operates union hotels in the city, also expressed openness to the council bill in a statement to Playbook.
The company “naturally supports the goals of the Safe Hotels Act,” a spokesperson said. “We trust that the New York City Council will take a thoughtful approach to refine and advance this important legislation.” Hard Rock’s and SH’s hotels are members of the Hotel Association of New York City, a trade group that is fighting the legislation.
“The hotel industry is overwhelmingly united in opposition to the current version of the legislation — and remains firmly opposed until there are significant changes to protect our tourism economy and the jobs it provides for New York,” Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the association, said in a statement. — Janaki Chadha More from the city: — The woman accusing Adams of sexual assault sent emails in 2021 to the Post and the Andrew Yang campaign mentioning her claim. (Daily News) — It can be hard to keep track of all the people around New York’s mayor who are under investigation. (The Economist) — A City Council bill seeking to undo Adams’ controversial elected official engagement form policy has earned the backing of a supermajority of the chamber’s members. (Daily News)
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