Nineteen Properties and Districts Nominated for State and National Registers of Historic Places

 

New York City’s Hotel Chelsea recognized for its role in LGBTQ cultural and creative life

Framework established to evaluate historic public housing in New York City

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) announced recommendations by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to add 19 properties and districts and one Multiple Property Document Form to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The nominations include a nineteenth-century church in Jefferson County that developed and promoted Universalism in Upstate New York, a pre-Revolutionary War house owned by seven generations of the Hulse family on Long Island’s North Shore, and additional documentation for New York City’s Hotel Chelsea recognizing its significance as a center of LGBTQ cultural and creative life.

OPRHP Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “With new research, collaboration, and Our Whole History initiative, we are telling more complete histories of communities throughout New York State. This diverse group of nominations highlights the many ways historic places help us understand New York’s history and identity. Through the State and National Registers, we are committed to identifying and documenting these places while connecting communities and property owners with resources that support preservation and revitalization.”  

The nominations were reviewed June 4, 2026, at a meeting of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York. The nominations also included a Multiple Property Documentation Form that establishes a framework for evaluating New York City Housing Authority properties for listing in the State and National Registers of Historic Places. 

State and National Register listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits. 

OPRHP Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation Daniel Mackay said, “The Division for Historic Preservation works to expand the State and National Registers of Historic Places, so they reflect New York’s full history. As more New York City Housing Authority public housing properties become eligible for listing, this Multiple Property Documentation Form will provide an important framework for evaluating these resources, supporting continued investment in public and affordable housing. By connecting property owners with resources, we support the rehabilitation and continued use of these historic assets. Historic preservation is a shared statewide effort, and we are proud to advance this work.” 

New York State continues to lead the nation in the use of historic tax credits, with over $6.08 billion in total rehabilitation investments from 2020-2025. Since 2006, the historic tax credit program has stimulated over $16.4 billion in project expenditures in New York State, creating significant investment and new jobs. According to a report, between 2020 to 2024, the credits in New York State generated 93,144 jobs and over $1.775 billion in local, state and federal taxes.  

The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects, and sites significant in the history, architecture, archaeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are more than 131,000 historic properties throughout the state listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as components of historic districts. Property owners, municipalities, and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations. 

Once recommendations are approved by the Commissioner, who serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, the properties are listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed by the National Park Service and, once approved, entered in the National Register. More information, with photos of the nominations, is available on the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website. 

Capital Region

First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa, Ballston Spa, Saratoga County – The First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa unites mid-nineteenth-century Greek Revival and early twentieth-century Colonial Revival ecclesiastical architecture. The original Greek Revival portion was erected in 1835, and the Colonial Revival addition was constructed in 1924. Many of the exterior and interior details remain unchanged from their periods of construction. The church is a prominent landmark in the Ballston Spa Village Local Historic District due to its central location and soaring spire, and it has served as a significant cultural and religious center for the local community since the early 1800s. 

The Lake George Club, Diamond Point, Warren County – Located on the western shore of Lake George, the Lake George Club, also known as “the Club,” reflects the architectural distinction and leisure culture associated with New York’s upper class during the early twentieth century. Constructed in 1909 in what was known as “Millionaire’s Row,” the club was designed by prominent New York architect Charles S. Peabody in the Tudor Revival style with Romantic Medieval and vernacular elements seen in Continental Europe. It remains one of the longest-lasting seasonal sites on Lake George. The club shaped the region’s boating history, fostered a distinct summer society throughout the twentieth century, and continues to operate as one of the few remaining historic buildings in its original capacity on Lake George. 

Central NY

Pine Woods Union Church, Eaton, Madison County – Built in 1910 using local labor and funding, the Pine Woods Union Church is a traditional wood framed church with a distinctively decorative steeple that has functioned as the center of collective activities for the hamlet for much of the twentieth century. Almeda McQueen and the Ladies Aid Society built the interdenominational Union Church as a welcoming place. Over the years, it provided a meeting space for local groups such as the boy scouts and the Home Bureau and hosted many social events including the annual “Old Home Days” – a reunion gathering for all in the community. Today, the Pine Woods Union Church remains as a symbol of community for the people of Pine Woods who continue to care for the church and maintain its integrity. 

Finger Lakes

Cobb’s Hill Historic District, Rochester, Monroe County – The Cobb’s Hill Historic District in Rochester encompasses Cobb’s Hill Park, Washington Grove, and the Cobb’s Hill and Highland Heights neighborhoods and reflects the city’s planned suburban expansion and development during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As Rochester’s urban core grew denser, upper-middle class residents began seeking a more suburban lifestyle. Developers created planned neighborhoods southeast of Rochester’s core that provided these families with homes in a park-like setting with large lawns, designed landscapes, and curvilinear roads. At the same time, the city constructed the Cobb’s Hill Reservoir to provide city residents with increased access to drinking water and expanded public green spaces through Cobb’s Hill Park and Washington Grove. Today, the district tells a vibrant story of urban expansion and the impact that infrastructure development and recreational access have on community growth. 

Fall Brook Point, Niles, Cayuga County – Fall Brook Point in the town of Niles is an excellent example of an 1890s Shingle-style summer residence on Skaneateles Lake. Fall Brook Point is a rare and remarkably intact work by once prolific Syracuse-based architect Asa Lanfear Merrick, who designed Fall Brook Point’s main house. The main house is Merrick’s only known extant private residence and represents Merrick's fluency with fashionable late-nineteenth century styles.   

The Peters House, Medina, Orleans County – The Peters House is a Queen Anne style residence located a mile outside of Medina’s historic core. German immigrant George Peters, who owned a local meat and fish shop, built the house around 1910. The Queen Anne style appealed to financially successful merchants like George and Anna Peters, whose disposable income grew alongside the village’s expansion in the early 1900s. The flexibility and customizability of the Queen Anne style made it popular among the developing middle class. The house displays several notable features, including the polygonal tower, classical window surrounds, pent gables, textural variation and a wrap-around porch. On the interior, the house retains its historic finishes, and the plan reflects contemporary perspectives on domestic labor and use of space. 

Long Island

Edmund Wetmore Estate, Smithtown, Suffolk County – The Edmund Wetmore Estate in the hamlet of Fort Salonga represents an early residential project by noted architect Henry Killam Murphy. Murphy later became known for his educational campus designs in China that combined Eastern and Western architectural forms and construction methods, which he referred to as “adaptive architecture.” As a young architect, he primarily designed Colonial Revival residences for wealthy and middle-class clients in Connecticut and New York City. The Wetmore Estate, designed for prominent patent attorney Edmund Wetmore, is a rare, intact example of his residential work on Long Island. 

Hulse House, East Setauket, Suffolk County – Hulse House in East Setauket is an exceptionally intact example of a mid-eighteenth-century Cape Cod–form dwelling constructed ca. 1740-1750. The property reflects the inland expansion of English settlement on Long Island’s North Shore through the Hulse family, who owned the property for seven generations, and is a rare example of a surviving, intact, lived in pre-Revolutionary War house. It also reflects early historic preservation efforts on Long Island through the work of the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (Preservation Long Island) to rehabilitate the property during the 1960s. 

Mid-Hudson

Apple Hill Farm, Chappaqua, Westchester County – Located in the Hamlet of Chappaqua, Apple Hill Farm is an early twentieth century Tudor Revival-style estate designed ca. 1913 by architect Julian Clarence Levia for Albert and Lillie Lewisohn of New York City. The estate centers on an L-shaped residence, featuring a prominent terracotta tile roof, restrained yet prominent half-timbering, and striking dark stained woodwork. The interior retains much of its original hardware, dark wood paneling and trim, ornate fireplaces, and tile flooring still intact and/or restored to its original finish. Its original landscape includes a Tudor Revival-style pool house, an ace of spades terrace, and an in-ground pool enclosed by stone walls. 

Wilbur Historic District, Kingston, Ulster County – Located along the water’s edge of the Rondout Creek in Kingston, the Wilbur Historic District is a dynamic collection of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings that reflect the neighborhood’s period of successful bluestone finishing and bluestone distribution industries from 1836 through ca. 1900. Following the natural contours of the area’s topography, the neighborhood was first laid out in a street and block plan in 1836 and later realized in 1854. As such, class differences within the district developed, with residential, commercial and industrial buildings located within the valley and along Rondout Creek, while atop the plateau, residences and the stately Church of the Holy Name of Jesus were built to attract middle-class merchants, factory owners, tradesmen and their families.  A variety of building types, including Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, and Colonial Revival, illustrates this planned development and organic settlement. 

New York City

Public Housing in New York City, 1934-1973, Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF), Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond Counties  –  The MPDF documents all public housing properties built by or for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and planned, funded or constructed between NYCHA’s founding in 1934 and 1973, the year the federal government placed a moratorium on public housing programs. While not itself a nomination, the document provides a basis for evaluating all NYCHA complexes proposed for listing in the State and National Registers. The comprehensive MPDF provides a broad overview of the complex events, policies, influences, individuals, and groups that shaped the history of public housing in New York City as well as identifying and outlining the basic themes and major property types that defined each era. Public housing developments document critical records of social and political history, reflecting government commitments to address poverty and substandard housing, while also reflecting changing attitudes towards race and class in America. They capture a wide range of design and planning philosophies that chart the progression of modern urbanism; however, prejudice, discrimination, redlining, white flight, and anti-urban policies also shaped their history. By ensuring their continued recognition and protection, the preservation of public housing makes it possible to tell a fuller story of New York City’s history, one that acknowledges ambition and achievement alongside inequity and struggle. While the history of each NYCHA development is specific to its neighborhood and period and tells the story of those directly involved, this document will facilitate the evaluation of individual examples by placing them in the broad context of public housing theories, establishing typologies and comparative sets, and setting integrity and registration requirements for eligibility. 

Woodrow Wilson Houses, New York, New York County (Public Housing in New York City, 1934-1973, Multiple Property Document) – The Woodrow Wilson Houses is a public housing complex constructed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). It was completed in 1959-1961 and designed by architects Pomerance & Breines with landscape architects Clarke & Rapuano. Planning for the complex began as early as 1956, during a period of transition for NYCHA when the housing crisis following World War II diminished and criticism of large superblock developments and displacement was growing.  Within NYCHA’s trifecta of funding streams—federal, state, and city—the Wilson Houses were the product of New York State’s public housing program. It reflects the state’s and NYCHA’s recognition of the growing need for apartments for larger families. It is also emblematic of the slow shift in public housing away from superblock developments toward smaller interventions that would preserve existing neighborhood character and displace fewer people. It has all of the characteristics of what would later be known as “vest pocket” housing, occupying less than a city block or less and containing four or fewer residential buildings. 

Hotel Chelsea Additional Documentation, New York City, New York County – The Hotel Chelsea was listed on the National Register in 1977 with significance in architecture and literature. This additional documentation recognizes the Chelsea’s LGBTQ associations during its use as a residential hotel where many nationally and internationally significant LGBTQ cultural figures lived and worked through 1990. The documentation adds significance in Social History/LGBTQ, Art, Entertainment, Literature, Music, and Performing Arts and highlights the Chelsea’s role as a hub of creative activity and counterculture. Its tolerant atmosphere allowed many prominent LGBTQ figures to flourish creatively, thus solidifying the hotel’s status as an internationally renowned icon of New York City’s artistic, literary, and musical heritage. Stanley Bard, the Chelsea’s manager from 1964 to 2007, fostered this environment by supporting artists with discounted rents (including allowing them to fall behind on rent and accepting artwork in lieu of rent) and flexible living arrangements. The hotel’s open and accepting atmosphere enabled people of diverse backgrounds to gather and share ideas, fueling creative experiments and personal expression that were instrumental in advancing the artistic and social standing of LGBTQ people in American society. Many works completed by LGBTQ residents were essential in the development of abstract art, pop art, rock, glam rock, punk rock, underground film, reality tv, cinema verité, Beat literature, and the NY School of Poetry. This additional documentation recognizes the contributions of individuals whose sexual identities were previously overlooked and ensures a more inclusive and accurate representation of the hotel’s impact on the cultural heritage of New York and the United States. 

Linden Plaza, Brooklyn, Kings County – Built between 1969 and 1973 in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood, Linden Plaza is an affordable housing complex designed by the firm of Jerrald L. Karlan through the Mitchell-Lama program, which encouraged private developers to construct affordable, middle-income housing. Containing more than 1,500 apartments, the complex is also a notable example of an air rights development. Engineers Hertzberg & Cantor constructed the complex on a platform above the Pitkin Avenue Rail Yard of the New York City subway system, solving a number of novel problems including how to support the platform without disrupting operations on the subway tracks below. 

North Country

First Universalist Church of Henderson, Henderson, Jefferson County – The First Universalist Church of Henderson played a major role in the development and spread of Universalism in Jefferson County throughout the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Known regionally as a “mother church,” the church served as a training ground for students and ministers connected to the Theological School of St. Lawrence University from 1856 to 1965. The First Universalist Church of Henderson also remains strongly associated with the life, work, and contributions of the Reverend Pitt Morse, a significant figure in the development and promotion of Universalism in upstate New York. The Rev. Morse was the first pastor of the church in 1839 and continued to work at Henderson until he relocated in 1855. 

Western NY

Bennett Apartments, Buffalo, Erie County – Buffalo’s Bennett Apartments, created in 1938 by the Buffalo Cement Company, embody Machine Age design through Art Deco and Art Moderne features including abstract orthogonal brick patterning and curved banded door hoods. Two residential blocks connected by a subterranean garage accommodate both residents and automobiles while drawing on European Modernist principles that replaced the lost building footprint with outdoor useable space. The garage roof doubles as an ornamental courtyard between the buildings,] and sculptural stair towers allow easy access to flat and habitable rooftops. The architectural significance of Bennett Apartments lies in the property’s ability to capture in its design a 1930s bold and optimistic vision for modern living. 

Dunkirk Macaroni and Supply Company Building, Dunkirk, Chautauqua County – The Dunkirk Macaroni and Supply Building on the Dunkirk’s Lake Erie waterfront reflects the growing popularity of Italian food at the turn of the twentieth century that resulted in over one hundred pasta factories scattered across New York by 1925. Dunkirk Macaroni is one of the rare surviving buildings to represent this phenomenon. Entrepreneur Fred C. Henning constructed the factory initially as a two-story building on a full stone basement in 1908 and expanded it in 1912 with the addition of a third and fourth floor to meet growing demand. The basement and first floor were used for mixing, kneading, rolling, cutting, and shaping, while the upper floors housed plentiful racks for pasta drying. The company operated successfully on the site until the early 1940s. The mid-twentieth century consolidation of food production into larger conglomerates meant that regional small-to-mid sized independent factories like this fell out of use. The Dunkirk Macaroni and Supply Building stands as a reminder to the important role they once played. 

Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank, Lockport, Niagara County – When the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank was built in 1905-1906 by Binghamton architects T. I. Lacey and Son, it introduced a new architectural style to Lockport. This six-story steel framed building was clad in the recently popularized Beaux Arts style and became the city’s tallest structure. Designed into a three-part vertical block, the building reflected a new academic approach to tall building design organizing the structure into three distinct stacked zones created by vertical divisions. The lowest zone usually housed the building’s most important public-facing functions, a public banking hall. The middle section is the most extensive and tends to have repetitious bays arranged with a vertical emphasis, generally signaling similar and more private office spaces. The topmost zone is often treated as an attic zone, with squatter proportions and housing some mechanical functions such as the elevator mechanisms and is capped with a prominent cornice to signal the building’s termination. Using an architectural language that conveyed both tradition and modernity, the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank used its building to create an image that would foster confidence in its clients and investors. 

Gates Manor Apartments, Buffalo, Erie County – Designed by architect Morton G. Wolfe and built in 1928, Buffalo’s Gates Manor Apartments illustrate changing attitudes toward apartment living in the early twentieth century.  Located in a desirable neighborhood with convenient transportation and employment opportunities, the small apartments attracted Buffalo’s middle-class professionals, particularly independent women. Records reveal that already in the early 1930s the majority of building residents were women. From the 1950s through the 1970s, 70 to 90 percent of the occupants of Gates Manor were women professionals. Gates Manor is a well-preserved example of an early twentieth-century efficiency apartment building serving an emerging professional class of single, independent women. 

Perry High School, Perry, Wyoming County – Constructed in 1906-1907, Perry High School represents the community’s transition from a rural, academy-based educational system to a modern public high school that provided free secondary education illustrative of the expansion of public secondary education in New York State. The building functioned as Perry’s high school from 1907 to 1955 and is an intact example of Colonial Revival institutional design by prominent Rochester architect Frank W. Kirkland, distinguished by its symmetrical brick facade, classical details, prominent central cupola, pediment-topped clock, and carefully proportioned fenestration. 

AIR QUALITY HEALTH ADVISORY FOR LONG ISLAND AND NEW YORK CITY METRO REGIONS

 

In Effect Through June 6, 2026

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Saturday, June 6, 2026, for ozone for the Long Island and New York City Metro regions.  

The pollutant of concern: Ozone  

The advisory will be in effect: 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. 

The Quality Health Advisory regions consist of: Long Island, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties; and New York City Metro, which includes New York City and Rockland and Westchester counties. 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern.

OZONE  

Increased heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

Ozone is not a direct emission and is produced indirectly when sunlight chemically reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from automobile exhaust and industrial emissions. High ozone is not as visible as PM2.5 because it is a colorless gas but will produce hazy skies and reduce visibility in high concentrations.

People, especially those with cardiovascular disease (such as pre-existing heart disease or high blood pressure) and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma), young children, the elderly, those who exercise outdoors, and those involved in vigorous outdoor work should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing should consider consulting their personal physician.

Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available.

New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps: 

• use mass transit or carpool instead of driving, as feasible, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities; 
• conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips; 
• turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas; 
• use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees; 
• close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air; 
• limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters; 
• set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures; 
• purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and 
• reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking.

Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website (PM 2.5) / DOH's website (ozone). A new DEC fact sheet about the Air Quality Index is available on DEC’s website or by PDF download https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/aqiweb.pdf.

To stay up-to-date with announcements from DEC, sign up to receive Air Quality Alerts through DEC Delivers: DEC's Premier Email Service. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) was also established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest air quality situation.

Mayor Mamdani Extends Field Lighting This Summer, Adding 4,000 More Hours of Play on Basketball Courts, Soccer Fields and Athletic Fields Citywide

 

Sports lighting will stay on for an extra hour at 50 free and low-cost recreation sites across the five boroughs  

As the Knicks carry New York City’s hopes into the NBA Finals and the city prepares to welcome the world for the World Cup, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura announced that sports lighting will remain on for an additional hour at 50 locations citywide this summer, extending permitted use until 11 p.m.   

  

Beginning June 11, 2026, through Labor Day weekend, New Yorkers will be able to apply for extended permits at select fields and courts in every borough.   

  

The expanded hours will create more than 4,000 additional hours of evening recreation, giving New Yorkers more opportunities to stay active, connect with their communities and enjoy neighborhood parks. With many residents only able to access athletic fields after work or during cooler evening temperatures, the program will help meet growing demand for recreational space while supporting youth sports, adult leagues and community programming.  

  

“My hope is that twenty years from now we have world-class strikers and power forwards whose journeys began right here in New York City when they found their neighborhood pitches and courts lit up late at night,” said Mayor Mamdani. “These 4,000 additional hours of play time will unlock opportunities for neighbors to enjoy the cool night air, for young New Yorkers to imitate the skills they just watched on TV, to both live in our city and play in our city. Our parks are our backyards, and local sports fields are our stadiums.”   

  

“By adding 4,000 hours of free and low-cost recreation, NYC Parks prove it is one of the City’s most important affordability agencies,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “Extended lighting means more people can spend more time outdoors, building community and enjoying their local parks. And for those perfecting their jump shot, it means a little more time under the lights.”  

  

“After the school year ends, summer should be a time when young people — and all New Yorkers — have safe, fun places to gather with friends and family,” said Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois. “Too often, we tell kids what not to do with their free time without creating enough opportunities for what they can do. By expanding access to well-lit athletic fields and courts across the five boroughs, the Mamdani administration is investing in places where young New Yorkers can stay active, and most importantly, have fun.”  

  

“New Yorkers are feeling the excitement of an historic sports summer — from the Knicks’ run to the NBA Finals, to the anticipation of this year’s World Cup. At NYC Parks, we’re making sure that excitement translates into more opportunities for people to get outside, stay active and play the sports they love,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “By extending lighting hours at select fields and courts across the city this summer, we’re creating more access for young athletes, adult leagues and neighborhood groups who rely on our parks after work or school and during the cooler evening hours. These additional hours mean more than just time on the field — they mean stronger communities, healthier New Yorkers and more opportunities for people to enjoy their local parks. We’re grateful to Council Member Hankerson for his advocacy to ensure our parks and recreational spaces are the best they can be.”  

  

“New York is at the top of the sports world right now. The Knicks have the whole city locked in, FIFA is coming here and you can feel that excitement in every borough,” said Council Member Ty Hankerson, Chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation. “Our parks are the outlet for that excitement, giving New Yorkers a safe place to carry it from the screen and the stadium into their own neighborhoods. Studies show that safe, active nighttime park programming can help people feel safer and reduce crime, so extending sports lighting is a smart public safety investment. I thank Commissioner Shimamura for listening to our call and giving communities more time and more access. Parks are for everyone, and this summer, New Yorkers will have even more time to enjoy them safely.”     

 

A full list of participating fields is available through NYC Parks permitting offices in each borough.    

 

At nonparticipating locations, standard field permitting hours remain 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. New Yorkers can apply for field permits through the NYC Parks website. Use the Field and Court Permit Availability Map to view current permit availability and seasonal schedules.   

New York State Announces $6.1 Million to Repair and Preserve Homeless Housing Across the State

State Funding Will Rehabilitate Supportive, Transitional, and Emergency Housing in Albany, Niagara, and Suffolk Counties

Supplements New York State's Ongoing Efforts to Address Homelessness and Expand Permanent Supportive Housing Options Across the State

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) announced $6.1 million has been awarded to six projects that will rehabilitate and preserve 56 units, consisting of 184 beds, of emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing in Albany, Niagara, and Suffolk counties for individuals and families that have experienced homelessness.

“The combination of affordable housing and supportive services is the most effective tool we have in addressing chronic homelessness while ensuring all New Yorkers have an opportunity to live independently and thrive,” OTDA Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said. “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State continues to make landmark investments to expand and preserve the supply of permanent supportive housing options across the state, recognizing that stable housing is the foundation for healthier lives and stronger communities.”

The grants—awarded through a competitive process by OTDA’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP)—are an important component of Governor Hochul's $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will help create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York State, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations. The six projects awarded funding had been constructed with funding previously provided by HHAP.

The SFY 2027 State Budget includes a $153 million appropriation for HHAP, continuing the $25 million increase in funding from SFY 2026 that Governor Hochul secured for the stabilization of existing HHAP projects that meet certain criteria, to shore up the existing supply of supportive housing units. In addition, for several years, HHAP’s budget has included $1 million in funding set aside for emergency shelter repairs and that funding is again included.

The projects awarded funding include:

Long Island

Community Housing Innovations, Inc. (CHI) - $600,000 in HHAP stabilization funds to rehabilitate four single-family homes consisting of 17 beds of permanent supportive housing in Suffolk County for families that have experienced homelessness. The project proposes repairs to the interiors and exteriors of the homes, including new roofs, windows, siding, boilers, hot water heaters, kitchens, bathrooms, and pavement and driveways; upgrades to the electrical system and fixtures; repairs to the fencing and the removal of trees; and an operating and replacement reserve.

Support services provided to residents of these homes include case management, referrals, supportive counseling, and advocacy services as needed.

CHI - $1.35 million in HHAP stabilization funds to rehabilitate nine single family homes consisting of 36 beds of permanent supportive housing in Suffolk County for families that have experienced homelessness. The project proposes repairs to the interiors and exteriors of the homes, including new roofs, windows, siding, boilers, hot water heaters, kitchens, bathrooms, and pavement and driveways; upgrades to the electrical system and fixtures; repairs to the fencing and the removal of trees.

Support services provided to residents of these homes include case management, referrals, supportive counseling, and advocacy services as needed.

CHI - $750,000 in HHAP stabilization funds to rehabilitate five single family homes consisting of 15 beds of permanent supportive housing in Suffolk County for families that have experienced homelessness. The project proposes repairs to the interiors and exteriors of the homes, including new roofs, windows, siding, boilers, hot water heaters, kitchens, bathrooms, pavement and driveways; upgrades to the electrical system and fixtures; repairs to the fencing and the removal of trees.

Support services provided to residents of these homes include case management, referrals, supportive counseling, and advocacy services as needed.

Western New York

YWCA of the Niagara Frontier (YWCA) - $674,737 in HHAP stabilization funds for the moderate rehabilitation of Carolyn’s House, which provides 19 units/78 beds of transitional housing in Niagara County for women who have experienced homelessness and their children.

This building was originally constructed in 1915 and rehabilitated by HHAP in 2005. Proposed work includes repairing or replacing the roof, elevator, fire system, camera system, two 20-year-old boilers, and carpeting.

Support services provided to residents of these homes include individualized case management, referrals, legal advocacy, benefits assistance, employment enhancement, parenting assistance, financial literacy training, and life skills management.

Capital Region

Equinox, Inc. - $750,000 in HHAP stabilization funds to substantially rehabilitate five units/eight beds of transitional housing in Albany for youth who have experienced homelessness. Proposed work includes the substantial rehabilitation of the interior and exterior of the building, including installation of energy efficient mini-split heat pumps and heat pump water heaters; removal of old boilers, baseboard heaters, and abandoned piping; replacement of 36 windows and the roof; masonry repointing and brick repairs; lintel replacement; reconstruction of the basement access and foundation wall; installation of new LED exterior lighting and modernized security camera system; kitchen and bathroom upgrades; driveway and parking reconstruction to improve accessibility; rear yard and ramp replacement; and installation of rooftop solar panels.

Support services provided to residents include case management, referrals for health and mental health care, and assistance securing permanent housing. 

Equinox, Inc. - $2 million in HHAP stabilization funds to substantially rehabilitate 14 units/30 beds of emergency housing at their domestic violence (DV) shelter in Albany for survivors of domestic violence who have experienced homelessness. The shelter was originally constructed in 1900 and rehabilitated by HHAP in 2006. This project proposes the substantial rehabilitation of the interior and exterior of the DV shelter. The scope of work includes restoring the integrity of the building envelope; addressing structural deficiencies; modernizing building systems; window replacement; repairing damaged stained-glass windows; roof replacement; sewer line and backflow system replacement; bathroom, kitchen. and laundry room renovations; replacement of flooring; wiring and lighting upgrades to improve security; replacement and renovation of the front entry door; and construction of a covered outdoor area for children’s play programming.

Support services provided to residents include wrap-around case management to assist in securing permanent housing, legal services, and referrals to counseling and health care.

WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Rapists, Violent Assailants, and Drug Traffickers

 

ICE officers truly are the best of the best who put their lives on the line to remove criminals from our communities

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more dangerous public safety threats convicted for rape, domestic violence, and selling heroin and cocaine, among other crimes.

“Our ICE law enforcement officers truly are the best of the best. They put their lives on the line every day to arrest the worst of the worst,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Yesterday, they arrested rapists, violent assailants, and drug traffickers. Despite their best efforts to keep our communities safe, sanctuary politicians continue spreading falsehoods about the men and women of ICE law enforcement and ICE facilities around the country. If you see an ICE officer, thank them for their service.”

Arrests include:

Esteban Morales-Cruz, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for lewd acts with a child under 14 years old in Santa Ana, California.

Gabriel Olivares, a criminal illegal alien from Argentina, convicted for sodomy in Goshen, New York.

Wilson Avila-Perez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted for assault – domestic violence and forgery – possession of a forged instrument in Phoenix, Arizona.

Juan Carlos Herrera-Salazar, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for selling heroin and cocaine in Salt Lake City, Utah.

David Livingston Attoh, a criminal illegal alien from Ghana, convicted for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud in Baltimore, Maryland.

Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage WOW.DHS.Gov.

Indictments, Convictions, and Sentencings in HSTF Prosecutions

 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of May 26 through May 29, 2026.  The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.  

Indictments:

• On May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging three Dominican nationals with conspiracy and attempt to import cocaine into the United States from the Dominican Republic. According to court documents, on May 15, 2026, defendants José Manuel Clase-Montilla, Daniel Luis Cuevas, and Pedro Emmanuel Carrión-Sánchez knowingly and intentionally conspired to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Specifically, HSTF seized approximately 178 kilograms of cocaine that the defendants were smuggling in a vessel. Defendant Carrión-Sánchez is facing one count of failure to heave because, while being the person in charge of the vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, he knowingly and unlawfully failed to obey an order by an authorized Federal Law enforcement officer to heave that vessel. In addition, the three defendants are each facing an immigration charge of improper entry by alien. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Luis A. Valentín is in charge of the prosecution of the case. A copy of the indictment is attached to this press release.

Convictions through Guilty Pleas:

• On May 27, 2026, Paola Romero-Marín pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in Criminal Case No. 25-277 (RAM). According to court documents, the defendant attempted to transport kilograms of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The defendant was arrested on June 13, 2025. AUSA Ryan R. McCabe is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Paul Herrera-Rivera, Jazhiel Ocasio-Herrera, Jean Fernández-Garay and Yander Santos-Ramos pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Paul Herrera-Rivera, Jazhiel Ocasio-Herrera and Yander Santos-Ramos also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking in Criminal Case No. 24-453 (MAJ).  According to the indictment, the defendants were charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of several public housing projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, including the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project.  Defendants were arrested on December 11, 2024. The court set defendants’ sentencing date for August 26, 2026. AUSA Laura Diaz and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, José David Serrano-Santiago pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (Count One) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count Seven) in Criminal Case No. 25-392 (SCC).  According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Defendant was arrested on September 26, 2026.AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Christopher J. Fontanez-Vega pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (Count One) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy (Count Seven) in Criminal Case No. 25-392 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico, and with using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Defendant was arrested on September 25, 2026. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Melvin Germán-Muñoz pleaded guilty to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 2199 and 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a) in Criminal Case No. 26-160. According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with stowing away on a vessel and improper entry by an alien.  Defendant was arrested on April 17, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing for June 29, 2026. U.S. Coast Guard SAUSA Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

Sentencings:

• On May 26, 2026, Yomvier Torres-Ruiz was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 121 months’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently with the state-level sentence in Cr. Nos. ISCR-2022-00597; ISCR-2022-00598; ISCR-2022-00599; ISCR-2022-00600 and ISCR-2022-00601. The Court imposed a term of supervised release of five years. The defendant was sentenced for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on March 22, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-114 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. AUSA Corinne Cordero-Romo is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 26, 2026, Luis J. Alvarado-De La Cruz was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to five years’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 3.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 22, 2024, in Criminal Case No. 24-188 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 26, 2026, Luis Marino Medina-Martínez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 87 months of imprisonment for drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 4, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-178 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on February 11, 2026. AUSA Antonio Pérez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Jeorge Jhonney Lara was re-sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 96 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 4, 2023, in Criminal Case No. 23-139 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on October 31, 2023. AUSA Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 27, 2026, Antonio López-Olivencia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 33 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• Ezequiel Soto Bonilla was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 60 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on February 12, 2025.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Juan Ortiz-Mendoza was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colon to 144 months of imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty January 30, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Jonathan Rodríguez-Acosta was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 120 months of imprisonment and 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the defendant was charged on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 30, 2026.  AUSA Laura Díaz González and Andres Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 28, 2026, Argelis Marcano-Zerpa was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 30 months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was charged on March 6, 2025, in Criminal Case No. 25-114 (SCC), and pleaded guilty to the charges on February 19, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

• On May 29, 2026, Wanda Vargas-Álvarez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to 12 months and 1 day of imprisonment followed by supervised release term of 6 years for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 200 to 300 grams of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged on May 22, 2024, in Criminal Case No. 24-188 (GMM), and pleaded guilty on October 21, 2025. AUSAs R. Vance Eaton and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

Uzbek Nationals Charged In Human Smuggling And Money Laundering Scheme

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pete Gizas, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging AKMAL RASULOV and ISKANDER SHUKUROV, both Uzbek nationals, with alien smuggling and money laundering.  RASULOV and SHUKUROV were arrested, SHUKUROV was ordered detained, and RASULOV has been released on bond. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.  

“Smuggling foreign nationals into the United States is a serious crime that puts every American at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Human smuggling also often involves exploitation, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse.  It must be stopped.  Drug cartels, foreign terrorist organizations, and anyone else who seeks to undermine our sovereignty and security through human trafficking and smuggling will be prosecuted.” 

“Akmal Rasulov and Iskander Shukurov allegedly jeopardized our country’s security by providing foreign nationals illegal entry into the United States for a hefty fee,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.  “Alongside our federal partners, the FBI is committed to disrupting networks attempting to infiltrate our nation's borders.”

“These charges reflect an alleged calculated effort to move people illegally into this country and wash the profits through our financial system, with no regard for the risks to our communities or our national security,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas.  “By arresting these defendants, we are cutting into the command structure of an alleged smuggling operation that treated our borders as a business model.  HSI New York, as a leading member of the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to relentlessly pursue human smugglers and the money they need to operate.”

As alleged in the Indictment:

Between at least 2021 and 2025, RASULOV and SHUKUROV operated an alien-smuggling business.  RASULOV, SHUKUROV, and others charged thousands of dollars per person for each foreign national—principally citizens of Uzbekistan—in order to illegally transport them into the United States.  RASULOV, SHUKUROV, and their co-conspirators arranged for the foreign nationals to either arrive at a U.S. port of entry without prior permission to enter the United States, or sneak across a land border without the required examination or inspection by immigration officers. 

RASULOV and SHUKUROV worked with co-conspirators, including a Mexican citizen living in Mexico (“CC-1”).  RASULOV and SHUKUROV repeatedly sent money to CC-1 so that CC-1 would connect aliens and smugglers in Mexico and then facilitate the transportation of the aliens from Mexico into the United States.  RASULOV and SHUKUROV used international wire transfers to pay CC-1 for these services, including transfers from financial accounts in New York, New York. Some of the wire transfers included false information indicating that the payments were for “loan repayment” or “legal fees” to conceal the true purpose of the transactions.

RASULOV, 39, and SHUKUROV, 52, both of Brooklyn, New York, are each charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The statutory maximum and minimum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of the FBI and HSI.  He added that the investigation is ongoing.   

The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josiah Pertz is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.