Government briefs

Harlem parcel heightens scrutiny on de Blasio

On the heels of multiple investigations into the $16 million sale of a Lower East Side nursing home, a similar land deal process involving a Harlem property is spurring more questions about the city’s deed restriction policy and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s relationship with developers. In November, the city lifted the deed restriction for a plot at 841 St. Nicholas Avenue in exchange for $875,000, according to the New York Times. The property, which was owned by the Dance Theatre of Harlem, had previously been designated for use only by nonprofit cultural organizations in the area. The plot was later sold for $3.1 million to BRP Companies, an affordable-housing developer. BRP gave $10,000 to the Putnam County Democratic Committee at a time when de Blasio had been trying to sway results in state Senate races. This is the second instance of a deed change resulting in a controversial sale. In March, news broke on the city’s lifting of a deed restriction on 45 Rivington Street, a former nursing home that was subsequently sold to a group of luxury-housing developers.

Rumors swirl about city planner’s future

Carl Weisbrod

Speculation over whether the chairman of the City Planning Commission, Carl Weisbrod, is preparing to step down intensified last month in the wake of Weisbrod’s vague response to the rumors, Crain’s New York reported. In an e-mail that followed an official statement from the Department of Planning, Weisbrod said he planned to leave his posts “someday.” Crain’s, noting that the reply was not quite a denial, cited a source as saying that Weisbrod has grown frustrated with criticisms of the de Blasio administration’s housing agenda. Sources also said that Weisbrod might consider it an opportune time to move on before de Blasio’s re-election campaign next year. Yet other sources disputed the notion that the veteran city official would leave, because his to-do list still includes the rezoning of Midtown East.

City rent board proposes rent freeze

A sharp drop in energy prices has prompted New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board to propose leaving government-regulated rents unchanged for the second year in a row, based on a preliminary vote in early May. The board is scheduled to take a final vote on June 27. The result will affect more than 1 million rent-stabilized tenants and their landlords, the Wall Street Journal reported. Up for consideration is either an outright freeze for one-year lease renewals beginning Oct. 1, or an increase of up to 2 percent. In 2015, rents on one-year leases were left unchanged, compared to a 1 percent increase in 2014. Regulated rents had risen in each of the 47 preceding years. Rents on two-year leases may rise between 0.5 percent to 3.5 percent this year, according to the tentative vote.

Report: NYC economy grew slower in first quarter

Scott Stringer

New York City’s economy expanded at an annualized rate of 3.4 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to a report released by Comptroller Scott Stringer. That’s slower than the 4.3 percent rate of expansion a year ago, albeit higher than the national growth rate of 0.5 percent. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent from 6.2 percent. “More city residents than ever before are now employed, but too many of the jobs we’re gaining are in low-wage industries,” Stringer said in a news release. The report noted that average hourly earnings for private-sector workers remained stagnant, while Wall Street bonus payouts dropped nearly 16 percent in 2015 from the previous year, to a total of $23 billion.