Permits Filed for 529 Saint Ann’s Avenue in Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 529 Saint Ann’s Avenue in Mott Haven, The Bronx. Located between East 148th Street and East 149th Street, the lot is near the 3 Avenue-149th Street subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Abraham Robenzadeh of Praxis Workshop is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 50-foot-tall development will yield 4,967 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have eight units, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 620 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and a 24-foot-long rear yard.

Danny Chen of D&E Build Evergreen INC. is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Executive Budget Report

 

State's Outyear Budget Gaps Grow to $27.3B Through State Fiscal Year 2028-29; Federal Actions Could Lead to Cuts in Key Programs

In his annual report assessing the proposed Executive Budget, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli identifies risks and concerns that underscore the importance of taking action to address the trajectory of state spending and improve the state’s structural imbalance, while continuing to bolster the state’s rainy day reserves. Cumulative outyear budget gaps projected by the Division of Budget (DOB) have increased to a total of $27.3 billion through State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2028-29 and state spending is projected to rise at a rate that outpaces revenues.

“Uncertainty over federal funding and the ending of federal pandemic aid creates an urgent need to strengthen the state’s fiscal position,” DiNapoli said. “Federal funding provides the backbone of the safety net and funds for a wide array of essential services including health care, education, transportation and clean water programs. Potential cuts or significant policy changes in Washington may have a large impact on the state’s finances and on New Yorkers’ quality of life. Preserving state services and maintaining long-term budget balance will require a careful examination of the state’s spending trajectory on major programs in ways that do not harm services, but ensures their long-term fiscal viability.”

Spending Growth

DOB projects All Funds spending in SFY 2025-26 to total $252 billion, an increase of $8.6 billion, or 3.6%, compared to updated projections for SFY 2024-25. State Operating Funds (SOF) spending is expected to grow by $10.5 billion, or 7.9%. General Fund (including transfers to other funds) spending is expected to grow by $7.9 billion, or 7.3%.

While General Fund surpluses are anticipated currently for SFY 2024-25 and SFY 2025-26, these are projected to give way to budget gaps that cumulatively total $27.3 billion from SFY 2026-27 through SFY 2028-29. Over the Financial Plan period, General Fund disbursements are projected to grow by 24.9%, over four times as fast as receipts, which are projected to grow 5.3% – twice as much as average annual inflation projected for the period.

Over a 10-year period, from SFY 2018-19 through DOB’s projections for SFY 2028-29, General Fund disbursements are projected to increase by $62.6 billion, or 86%. Similarly, over the 10-year period, SOF spending is projected to increase by $64.5 billion (64.4%). Medicaid is $21.6 billion (33.5%) of this projected increase with School Aid almost $14 billion (21.6%).

The state has struggled to contain Medicaid costs. A significant change in federal policy or an economic shock might result in having to make decisions quickly relating to healthcare funding. Making prudent financial decisions now and putting Medicaid spending growth on a more sustainable path is in the best interests of all New Yorkers.

Similarly, continued efforts are necessary to review the Foundation Aid formula, the largest component of school aid, to allocate resources to districts with the greatest needs while providing stability for school districts planning and ensuring the state’s long-term financial viability.

Federal Funding and Risks

DOB projections for federal receipts reflect the significant decrease of pandemic-related spending (and corresponding federal aid). Since SFY 2020-21, a total of $60.7 billion in pandemic assistance – plus $12.8 billion in state aid from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund – flowed through the Financial Plan, which averages approximately $14.7 billion in each of the past five years.

Federal funding is the state’s largest source of revenue. In total, DOB is projecting $93.1 billion in federal receipts for SFY 2025-26. Of this, Medicaid is projected to account for $57.6 billion (61.9%). An additional $13.2 billion is projected for costs related to the Essential Plan (EP), which is a federally subsidized health insurance program authorized under the Affordable Care Act. In total, approximately $70.9 billion (76.1%) of the projected federal receipts are for the provision of healthcare to approximately 8.5 million New Yorkers. 

Aside from healthcare, federal aid provides funding for school meals, K-12 education, clean water and drinking water, public assistance (e.g., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Home Energy Assistance Program), child and foster care, and grants for transportation and roadways.

The President has issued several executive orders with implications for federal funding. As Congress works on the federal budget, there may be additional and significant changes to law and rules affecting the economy and eligibility and the level of state funding, directly or indirectly, for programs that provide support and assistance to New Yorkers. Any such changes could negatively affect the state’s finances and the finances of New York households.

The Executive Budget does not include any contingency measures for any potentially adverse federal action. In the event of federal cuts, the state may choose to cut programs or services or to increase state-sourced funding to maintain services; however, it does not have the taxing capacity to replace federal spending in total, especially in health and social services. Furthermore, short-term use of reserves cannot solve for a restructuring of the federal-state relationship regarding key programs.

Economic and Revenue Risks

The predominant risks for DOB’s forecast are policies that may be implemented by the new federal administration, including those related to tariffs and the extension of the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as risks from the geopolitical landscape.

On Feb. 1, the Trump Administration announced tariffs on the U.S.’s largest trading partners, Canada, Mexico and China. The proposed tariffs on Canada would be particularly impactful on the state, since it is New York’s top trading partner. In 2023, New York exported $21.7 billion in goods to Canada and imported $22.5 billion. Continued inflation, potentially exacerbated by the impact of these tariffs on the price of goods, could reduce spending power, resulting in lower consumption, the largest component of GDP.

Changes in the labor market as well as the overall population are also a risk to the state’s economy and, in turn, its revenues. According to the most recent U.S. Census estimates, there were over 336,500 fewer people in 2024 than in 2020. Between 2020 and 2024, New York benefitted from the international in-migration of more than 519,000 people, offsetting much steeper losses of domestic out-migration of more than 966,000 people.

Immigration has also been important for sustaining the labor force across the state. Foreign-born New Yorkers are enrolled in higher education at twice the rate of native-born, and are in the labor force and employed at higher rates, as well. Restrictions on immigration may pose challenges for employers, universities seeking students, and communities relying on new residents to remain vibrant.

Competitive Tax Policy

During the pandemic period, the state enacted “temporary” surcharges under both corporate franchise and personal income taxes. While the Executive Budget does not propose extending the higher corporate franchise tax rates, which are to expire at the end of 2026, it includes an extension of the PIT surcharges on high income taxpayers, currently set to expire at the end of 2027, until the end of 2032. This rate extension is channeled into maintaining existing state spending.

While the extent of migration of taxpayers in response to tax changes remains debatable, behavior is less likely to be affected by temporary changes than permanent ones. An early extension of what was supposed to be a temporary surcharge, solidifying high tax rates for another seven years, may alter some decision making. The impact of state policy decisions on taxpayers may also be affected by imminent federal tax changes.

Reserves

DOB’s Financial Plan indicates the state will deposit or transfer a total of $2.5 billion into the statutorily rainy day reserve funds to bring the combined total to $8.8 billion in SFY 2024-25. This will consist of a $1.5 billion deposit and a shift of $1 billion from the “economic uncertainties” unrestricted reserve into the Rainy Day Reserve Fund (RDRF). At the current level, statutory rainy day reserves, both in dollar amounts and as a share of spending, are the highest the state has ever amassed, a welcome reversal of decades of their underfunding. In addition, DOB plans to continue shifting funds from the unrestricted “economic uncertainties” reserve into the RDRF over the subsequent three state fiscal years: $1 billion in SFY 2025-26, $1 billion in SFY 2026-27, and $862 million in SFY 2027-28, as fiscal conditions permit.

Presuming all these deposits are made, statutory rainy day reserves will be a little over $11.6 billion with unrestricted reserves of $9.5 billion by SFY 2027-28, The planned shift to greater reliance on statutory reserves over the course of the Financial Plan is something State Comptroller DiNapoli has repeatedly recommended to guard the funds against premature or inappropriate use. Further improvements could include employing a more consistent approach by making monthly deposits to the statutory rainy day reserves, instead of waiting for fiscal year end, and further increasing resources beyond what the Financial Plan currently anticipates.

Transparency and Oversight

The Executive Budget includes several problematic provisions that, in the aggregate, exempt a minimum of $500 million from the Office of the State Comptroller oversight and the state’s competitive procurement process. There is also an additional $2.8 billion that would be distributed based on a plan that DOB approves but does not require a competitive process or objective criteria. These proposed changes reduce transparency, competition, and State Comptroller oversight over a significant amount of state spending.

Report

Report on the State Fiscal Year 2025-26 Executive Budget

Related Reports

A Roadmap for Debt Reform

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF SIX MORE EMERGENCY ASYLUM SEEKER SITES, END OF TENT-BASED SHELTERING SITES WITH CLOSURE OF CREEDMOOR HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RELIEF CENTER

 

Adams Administration’s Asylum Seeker Management Strategies and Border Policy Advocacy Have Helped Lead to Over Seven Months of Shelter Census Decreases, 

Total Savings Reaching $5.2 Billion Over Three Fiscal Years 

  

80 Percent of Migrants That Have Sought Care from City Have Taken Next Steps in Journeys 

  

Between June 2024 and June 2025, Adams Administration Will Have Closed 52 Migrant Shelters 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city will soon close six additional emergency sites dedicated to sheltering and caring for asylum seekers— including the Creedmoor Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center, the last of the city’s large tent-based emergency response shelters. The closure of the final tent-based migrant shelter marks a powerful milestone in the nearly three years New York City has responded to the asylum seeker humanitarian crisis.  

  

The ability to soon shutter operations at Creedmoor, along with the five other sites announced today, brings the total number of closures between June 2024 and June 2025 to 52— a direct result of the Adams administration’s tireless efforts to mitigate this crisis and help asylum seekers take the next steps in their journeys towards the American Dream. These efforts include expanding work authorization and pathways — leading to more than 83 percent of adults eligible for work authorization receiving or applying for it in the city’s system — and the administration’s successful asylum seeker management strategies — including reticketing, case management, and 30- and 60-day notices — resulting in sustained decreases in the number of asylum seekers in city shelters arriving at its lowest point since the height of the humanitarian response. There are currently less than 45,000 migrants receiving city shelter services, down from a high of 69,000 in January of 2024 and out of the more than 231,000 that have arrived in New York City seeking city services since the spring of 2022. The city’s efforts have directly resulted in approximately 24,000 fewer asylum seekers in the city’s care on a day-to-day basis, and allowed the Adams administration to announce multiple additional site closures in December 2024 and January 2025. 

  

“There was never a playbook for this unprecedented response to a humanitarian crisis in our city; and no other municipality had to deal with the scale and burden of more than 230,000 people arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs and hope,” said Mayor Adams. “Because of the decisions we have made and the policies we have implemented, including opening up our tent based humanitarian relief centers and advocating for changes to national border policies, our administration has effectively moved us to the opposite side of the mountain we were forced to climb. The fact that within a span of year we will soon be closing 52 sites and shuttering the last of the tent-based facilities show both our continued progress and our continued commitment to effectively care for those who are still within our system and the communities who have supported them during their journeys.”  

  

“Caring for these newest New Yorkers who came to us over the last few years has been a shared responsibility among all of us who love New York City and call it home,” said Mayor’s Office of Asylum Seeker Operations Executive Director Molly Schaeffer. “This announcement, coupled with the dozens of other closures we are making this year, including the recently announced closures of Randall’s Island and Floyd Bennett Field, is a significant milestone and a reflection of both the hard work and effective management of an unprecedented crisis, as well as the grace of the communities that opened their arms to people in their most vulnerable moments. We could not have been successful without our local communities taking on the powerful responsibility we asked of them. As we navigate the future of our response, we continue to find creative ways to meet the needs of our guests and look to partner with the communities they now call home to do so.” 

  

Based in Queens, on the state-run Creedmoor Mental Health Hospital campus, the facility was one of several unique tent-based structures brought online — including similar facilities on Randall’s Island and at Floyd Bennett field — to handle the unprecedented influx of asylum seeking migrants to New York City. At its height, the Creedmoor Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center sheltered more than 1,200 migrants.  

  

Building off of the previously announced schedule of closures, the city will shutter six more sites by June 2025, bringing the total number of closures between June 2024 and June 2025 to 52. The administration is making final determinations on what new sites to close and hopes to have those sites finalized in the coming days. 

  

Since the first asylum seekers arrived in the five boroughs in the spring of 2022, New York City has continued to focus on building the structures needed to help migrants take their next steps towards self-sufficiency. The city’s Asylum Application Help Center — a first-in-the-nation entity — has helped complete more than 96,000 applications for work authorization, temporary protected status, and asylum. The work of the New York City Department of Small Business Services and workforce development teams have secured hundreds of job opportunities for current and former asylum seekers in the city’s care, and the administration’s case management and resettlement teams — in conjunction with teams across multiple city agencies — continue to find creative ways to assist recent arrivals through direct outreach, resource fairs, and onsite English as a Second Language courses at shelters, to name a few examples.  

  

Over 83 percent of eligible adults in the city’s care either have or have applied for work authorization thanks to the Adams administration’s efforts. The city has also purchased more than 53,200 tickets to help migrants reach their preferred destinations and help reduce long-term costs for New York City taxpayers. Additionally, staff have conducted over 855,000 case management sessions with migrants, dedicated to helping them identify self-sufficient pathways out of city shelter, in addition to implementing the city’s 30- and 60-day notice policies.   

  

As a result, more than 186,000 migrants who requested services from the city in the last three years have taken the next steps in their journeys towards self-sufficiency. Since intensive case management services began in October 2023, 40 percent more families with children in humanitarian relief centers each week have taken their next steps. Additionally, Mayor Adams successfully reduced the city’s asylum seeker spending over Fiscal Years 2024 through Fiscal Year 2026 by nearly $5.2 billion.  

  

Governor Hochul Announces Nearly 50,000 Tickets Issued During Statewide Super Bowl Enforcement Mobilization

8,536 Tickets Issued Statewide for Speeding

1,021 Tickets Issued Statewide for Impaired Driving

Governor Kathy Hochul announced law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 49,948 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 1,021 tickets for impaired driving, during a statewide mobilization surrounding Super Bowl celebrations. The campaign ran from Monday, February 3, 2025 through Sunday, February 9, 2025.

“New York has zero tolerance for impaired or reckless drivers who put themselves and others sharing the road in danger," Governor Hochul said. “I thank our law enforcement officers for their vigilance in removing these individuals from our roadways.”

Sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers were conducted throughout the campaign by State and local law enforcement officers.

As part of the enforcement, law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Below is a breakdown of the total tickets that were issued.  

Violation	Number of Tickets
Impaired Driving	1,021
Distracted Driving	1,914
Move Over	227
Speeding	8,536
Seatbelt	1,083
Other Violations	37,167
Grand Total	49,948

Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “The results of this campaign show the need for these enforcement campaigns that encourage safe celebrations. Making the right decision is an easy decision. Plan for a sober ride home. It’s not worth the risk of an arrest, injury or death.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The injuries and deaths caused by impaired and drunk drivers are completely preventable. Through continued education and enforcement, the New York State Police remains committed to keeping New York’s roads safe, by discouraging, detecting, and arresting impaired motorists. I thank our law enforcement partners at the Department of Motor Vehicles for their partnership in combating drunk and impaired driving.”

During the 2024 Super Bowl weekend campaign, law enforcement officers arrested 262 people for impaired driving and issued 8,388 total tickets. 

This impaired driving enforcement campaign is one of the several coordinated initiatives sponsored by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. These targeted mobilizations provide resources to law enforcement statewide to target underage drinking and increase DWI patrols and sobriety check points during the campaign period. Other impaired driving campaigns occur around St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and periods of time from August to September and December to January.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. 

For more information about GTSC, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter). 

DEC RELEASES HUNTING SAFETY STATISTICS FOR 2024

 

Second Safest Season on Record in New York State

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar announced another safe year of hunting seasons, with 2024-25 seasons being the second safest on record. DEC released its annual report documenting hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) and tree stand/elevated hunting incidents and the numbers are consistent with the low incident rates observed across the state in recent years.

“Hunting-related incidents are preventable when hunters follow safe and legal hunting practices and proper tree-stand safety measures,” Interim Commissioner Mahar said. “Thanks to New York’s exceptional Hunter Education Program and hunters adhering to New York’s hunting regulations, requirements, and firearm safety, hunting continues to be a safe and enjoyable activity for hundreds of New Yorkers and visitors each year.”

DEC documented 11 HRSIs in 2024, including four two-party firearm incidents and seven self-inflicted incidents. Unfortunately, one of the incidents was a self-inflicted fatality. Two incidents involved individuals who were not legally hunting. Hunting Safety Statistics are available on DEC’s website.

All first-time hunters, bowhunters, and trappers are required to successfully complete a hunter or trapper safety course and pass the final exam before being eligible to purchase a hunting or trapping license. These additional efforts to increase public awareness about hunting safety has resulted in a sharp decrease in hunting-related incidents from decades ago. For example, 166 HRSIs were reported in 1966.

DEC also documented 11 Elevated Hunting Incidents (EHIs) in 2024, though not all falls are reported. Of these incidents, nine involved hunters failing to wear a safety harness or failing to connect the harness to a tree. Two of the falls were fatal; the others resulted in serious injuries. All incidents could have been prevented by proper use of a fall-arrest harness system that remains connected to the tree. Additional information about EHIs is available on DEC’s website. 

Elevated stand safety has become a regular part of New York’s Hunter Safety Program due to EHIs remaining a major cause of hunting-related injuries. The proper use of elevated stands and stand safety equipment helps to prevent injuries and fatalities. Used correctly, a harness and fall-arrest system keep the hunter connected from the time they leave the ground to the moment they get back down. Many, if not all, tree stand incidents are preventable when hunters follow the “ABCs” of tree stand safety:

• Always remove and inspect tree stand before use;
• Buckle full-body harness securely; and
• Connect to tree before feet leave the ground and stay connected until descent.

Additional safety tips for hunters:

• Inspect tree stand before use/replace worn or broken parts and straps;
• Buckle full-body harness securely and use a tether and lifeline;
• Check harness expiration date and replace if expired or damaged;
• Notify other person/persons about the location of the tree stand and expected time of return;
• Use haul line to raise firearm or crossbow with quiver into the stand; and
• Always carry emergency equipment such as a knife, cell phone, flashlight, and whistle inside a pocket (not inside a pack in the stand).

A video showing the proper way to climb into and out of a tree stand can be viewed on DEC's YouTube channel. 

Youth Deer Hunting Pilot Program

In 2021, New York State authorized 12- and 13-year-olds with hunting licenses to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloading firearm under the supervision of an experienced adult mentor in eligible counties. DEC recently released the latest Deer Hunting by 12- and 13-Year-Old Hunters report, highlighting the success of the first four years of the pilot program, as well as recommendations to make the program permanent. Visit DEC’s website to read the report and learn more about youth big game hunting in New York State.

DEC encourages hunters to remember that every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable if hunters follow the primary rules of hunter safety:

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded;
• Control the muzzle, keep it pointed in a safe direction;
• Identify target and what lies beyond;
• Keep finger off trigger until ready to fire; and
• Wear hunter orange or pink.

More information on 2024 Hunting Safety Statistics and Elevated Stand Safety Statistics are available on DEC's website.