NYC NOW

Mayor Mamdani filmed a video in front of the most expensive penthouse ever sold in the United States to celebrate a new tax on luxury second homes. It went viral, and the city's billionaires were not happy. WNYC reporter Elizabeth Kim takes us from Billionaire's Row to Fordham Road in the Bronx to speak to New Yorkers about the fight to tax the rich. Photo: Michael Lee/Moment via Getty Images -Got...

A New York law allows domestic violence survivors who commit crimes connected to their abuse to ask judges for reduced sentences. But the state’s highest court recently ruled that prosecutors cannot require survivors to waive that right as a condition of a plea deal. WNYC’s Samantha Max explains the cases at the center of the decision, why advocates say the practice is widespread, and what prosecu...

This year's Met Gala had plenty of bold looks, but the bigger story was who decided to stay home. Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper joins us to break it down, plus never before seen Keith Haring works going to auction, what's coming up at SummerStage, and the best frozen treats in the city this summer. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images -Got any questions, comments or story ideas...

New York City is legally required to provide shelter to anyone who needs it. But a new WNYC and Gothamist investigation finds that the Tillary Street Women’s Shelter in Downtown Brooklyn has become a place where violence, overdoses and chaos are part of daily life. WNYC and Gothamist editor Andrew Giambrone joins us to discuss months of reporting that uncovered more than 2,000 calls to 911 in a si...

For some New Yorkers, qualifying for a CityFHEPS housing voucher means first entering the shelter system. Reporter Karen Yi breaks down the fight over expanding the city’s rental assistance program and why advocates say delaying it could cost more in the long run. Photo: Lajoy Clark, Ciro Sollazzi, and Kevin Joseph Cuffy for Gothamist -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message...

Before Madonna was Madonna, she was working coat check. Before the Beastie Boys were the Beastie Boys, they were janitors. They worked at Danceteria, a five-story downtown Manhattan nightclub that became the unlikely launchpad for some of pop culture's biggest names in the 1980s. DJ Rafe Gomez runs Danceteria Rewind on Twitch every Thursday night, reconstructing the club's legendary playlists for...

When Meredith Trainor's 11-month-old daughter tested positive for cocaine at a hospital, New York City caseworkers removed the baby from her arms, without a court order, even though Meredith had been at work when it happened. Five days later, a family court judge ordered the baby returned. Now Meredith is suing the city. WNYC reporter Samantha Max walks us through her case and what it reveals abou...

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration plans to add more than 6,500 curbside trash containers across the five boroughs as part of a push to clean up streets and cut down on rats. WNYC and Gothamist reporter Liam Quigley explains where the new Empire Bins are going, why the rollout could cost parking spaces, and how the city hopes to fully containerize trash by 2032. Plus, WNYC health reporter Carol...

WNYC Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper is back with a rundown of what's worth your train swipes this week. We cover the Queens Night Market's last year of $6 food before prices go up, a Martha Cooper retrospective at the Bronx Documentary Center celebrating one of graffiti's earliest documenters, and whether the Lower East Side's booming vintage shops can sustain the hype. Plus: Mayor Mamdan...

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is 100 days into his historic term with sweeping plans to make New York City more affordable through an expansion of public services. In a live conversation at The Greene Space, WNYC’s Senior Politics Reporter Brigid Bergin speaks with the mayor about his first months in office, what he has accomplished so far, and what comes next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

A tourist who landed at JFK says she was charged $800 for a ride from the airport to Times Square after she fell victim to a notorious New York City scam. WNYC’s Ramsey Khalifeh joins us to explain how a network of unlicensed drivers and dispatchers target exhausted travelers in a hustle that's been going on for decades. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC...

It is a big week for basketball fans in New York. The Knicks are heading into a first round playoff matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, while the New York Liberty prepare for a new WNBA season with roster changes, new additions and a new coach. Sports reporter Priya Desai joins us to break it all down. Plus, WNYC producer Elizabeth Shwe explores tipping culture in New York City, from coffee counter...

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can’t continue withholding tens of millions of dollars in funding over the school district’s policies on transgender students. WNYC reporter Giulia Heyward chats with us about what this means for schools, students, and the city. Also, WNYC’s Arun Venugopal talks about the new city council proposal for a $30 minimum wage, and what its supporters a...

In his first 100 days, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has tried to turn big progressive promises into policy while managing the day to day demands of running New York City. Political scientist Dr. Christina Greer joins us to break down the mayor’s early wins, his “pothole politics” approach, and where he has already had to compromise. Plus, what the city’s $5.4 billion budget deficit could mean for his plan...

Spring is here, and there's plenty to do without leaving the city. Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper chats with us about staycation alternatives to pricey travel destinations, the New Directors/New Films Festival at MoMA and Lincoln Center, and what it's like to show up to a 24-hour Brooklyn techno party in corduroys at 8am. -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at N...

Jabbar Collins was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1994 and spent years teaching himself the law before winning his freedom in 2010. Before leaving prison, he made a promise to fellow inmate Allen Porter, who was serving time for a double murder in a separate case, that he would help prove his innocence. Porter had been incarcerated since 1995. After his release, Collins kept that promise, conti...

Starting this month, a new campaign from the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence will appear across subways, ferries, and sidewalks, calling out street harassment and encouraging New Yorkers to step in when they see it happening. Janae speaks with Commissioner Saloni Sethi of NYC's Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence about what the campaign aims to change...

A film series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music is spotlighting a Brooklyn subway station that has doubled as the backdrop for iconic movie scenes for decades. WNYC producer Verónica Del Valle explains how Hoyt Schermerhorn has been used in films from The Warriors to Coming to America. Also, WNYC reporter Brittany Kriegstein tells the story of Ellen Baum, a Brooklyn Heights resident who has spent w...

New York City is opening newer shelters while closing older, deteriorating sites, signaling a shift in how the system is run. WNYC reporter Karen Yi explains what Mayor Mamdani's approach looks like, and how it is affecting people in the system as the city continues to face a homelessness crisis. Plus, WNYC reporter Samantha Max looks at Joey Skaggs, the New York artist behind some of the city’s m...

Finding an affordable apartment in New York City can take years, and for many renters, the process feels confusing and out of reach. Troy Kingston, also known as @scourgebliss, shares what it took to finally land a place after years of searching, navigating housing lotteries, strict income requirements, and multiple rejections. Plus tenants rights attorney Leah Goodridge shares best practices on w...

WNYC arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper joins us for a trip to the Whitney Biennial, where we hear from co curator Drew Sawyer about this year’s exhibition and the strong New York connections among its artists. Then we look at what’s coming from his desk this week, including a new dating series called “Date My Friend,” a documentary screening, and New York State’s meme filled Instagram. — G...

The 2026 World Cup is expected to bring millions of visitors and billions of dollars to the New York and New Jersey region, with MetLife Stadium set to host the final. But some tourism and business leaders are raising concerns that international fans may stay away, citing shifts in how the United States is perceived abroad. WNYC reporter Arun Venugopal explains new data showing a drop in internati...

Some of New York City’s newer “luxury” apartment buildings are facing complaints from tenants who say the reality doesn’t match the price. WNYC reporter David Brand joins us to explain new data showing a share of recently built buildings have serious housing code violations, including heat outages, leaks, and flooding.  Plus, sports reporter Priya Desai breaks down the new WNBA labor agreement tha...

The Comedy Cellar launched the careers Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Ray Romano, and its talent booker Estee Adoram has been deciding who gets on that stage for four decades. Janae heads to Greenwich Village to talk with Estee about what it takes to get five minutes on one of the most competitive stages in the country, and how the club is still going strong at 45. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pushing to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations as part of state budget negotiations in Albany, setting up a clash with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who opposes increasing income taxes. WNYC reporter Jon Campbell explains what lawmakers are proposing and how the fight could shape the city’s finances. Plus, the NYPD is changing how it reports hate crimes a...