This year's worst landlords list includes bump in violations

Public advocate warns budget cuts could make things worse [View this email in a browser.]( Our Gift to You! Get this T-shirt when you [donate & help fund]( our non-profit newsroom. [Donate Now]( [Public advocate unveils NYC’s landlord shame list, warns budget cuts could make it worse]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter curated by James Ramsay]( Weather: ☀️ Sunny, with highs in the lower 40s. It's Thursday in New York City, where the annual worst landlords list just dropped. Combined, the 100 names on the list amassed a total of 73,866 violations, a 7% increase over last year. And Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is warning that [pending budget cuts]( could further [weaken the city's ability to crack down on negligent landlords](. Here's what else is happening: - A mid-February special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. George Santos will be the first test of a new state law allowing [early voting by mail](. - The NYPD says it'll turn over evidence in police misconduct cases to an oversight agency within 90 days — a stark shift in policy that, if followed, will [make it easier to punish officers who break the rules](. - A 14-block stretch of 10th Avenue in Manhattan now has [a wider bike lane](. - Brick-and-mortar business owners and street vendors are in rare agreement over a set of City Council bills that would [ban vending in bike lanes]( but give vendors more flexibility in how they display their goods. - [An anonymous donor]( has temporarily saved the GrowNYC compost collection sites at the city’s greenmarkets after Mayor Eric Adams’ budget cuts threatened to shut them down entirely. - A partial building collapse in the Bronx earlier this week has raised broader concerns about [the state of New York City's aging housing stock](. - New Jersey’s minimum wage is set to increase by $1 to $15.13 an hour for most workers on Jan. 1 — and Gov. Phil Murphy said he's open to [raising it to $20 in the coming years](. - New York Democrats told the New York Times that when the state's congressional map gets redrawn — likely in their favor — [they don't intend to mess with the Republican-friendly district]( that includes Staten Island. - The FDNY said someone on Wednesday [lit papers on fire]( inside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump's fraud trial has been taking place, forcing the judge in the case to evacuate the building. - Police are searching for a man who allegedly [climbed through the window of a Staten Island apartment]( and stole 20 pairs of sneakers and a gold chain necklace earlier this month. - The Facebook group for [this Crown Heights hospital-turned-apartment-building]( sounds like a headache in several ways. - The Margaritaville in Times Square is [seeking a new director of operations]( who can lift 30 pounds, spend most of the shift standing, "work in a constant state of alertness" and "work in an unfatigued state." - KFC for dinner: [a Christmas tradition in Japan](. - Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green [has been indefinitely suspended]( by the NBA for repeatedly hitting (and in one case, choking) other players during games. - Shifting weather patterns that have resulted from global warming are causing [heavier rains in western India]( turning the Great Indian Desert green. - Have some time for a game? [Play]( our mini local news crossword. - Sign up for reminders when we publish new games [here](. “[It benefits us because it allows us to go faster. We don’t take too long on orders when they’re wide like this]( - Delivery worker Brayan Yat on [THE 10TH AVENUE RENOVATIONS]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [11 last-minute, affordable gifts to buy from local NYC artists and stores]( The Brian Lehrer Show put together a gift guide with an interactive map highlighting local artists and merchants. [How a Bronx woman transformed meat-heavy Latin and soul food recipes into vegan options]( Bronx chef Lyana Blount, owner of the pop-up Black Rican Vegan, shares her recipe for pernil made with jackfruit in place of pork shoulder. [We Rely On Your Support]( [Is your NYC building at risk of collapse? Here are a few signs to look out for.]( "I can give you a litany of things that people should look out for, but it's all related to if you see something changing in a relatively short period of time," said Allyn Kilsheimer, a structural engineer who has studied collapsed buildings. [Why are NYC's Christmas trees so expensive? For starters, blame the 2008 Great Recession.]( Because Christmas trees typically take a decade to grow, the closure of farms and an underplanting of trees following the 2008 crisis are just now affecting supply. [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [New York Public Radio] [WNYC]( | [WQXR]( | [NJPR]( | [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( | [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 [TERMS OF USE]( You can update your [PREFERENCES]( or [UNSUBSCRIBE]( from this list.