🌱Adams Wants To Build 500K Housing Units + 'Just Cause' Firing In NYC

Good morning, New York City!

• 🏗 Mayor Eric Adams has a new plan to build housing over the next decade.
• ⚖️ Employers could soon need to show "just cause" before firing their employees.
• 🗣 New York City's "conversational" subway cars are on their way out.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 48 Low: 31.

Here are the top five stories today in New York City:

1. Mayor Eric Adams unveiled an ambitious plan on Thursday to construct 500,000 new housing units in New York City over the next decade, a feat he likened to landing on the moon. In order to do so, he's proposing eliminating the environmental review process for some new developments and supporting two neighborhood planning efforts in Brooklyn and The Bronx. (New York City Patch)
2. A new bill introduced by City Council Member Tiffany Cabán would require employers to show "just cause" before firing their employees. It dovetails with a law passed by former council member and current City Comptroller Brad Lander that similarly protected fast food workers against arbitrary firings. However, Lander himself, as the New York Daily News reported, fired two employees with apparently no notice. (New York City Patch)
3. Sixteen CUNY students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity are participating in a Manhattan-based nonprofit's pilot program, which will pay their rent over the course of a year. The nonprofit, The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, estimates the cost of paying their rent will be less than if they were to be housed in shelters. (Gothamist)
4. With the MTA warning recently that it may need to implement steep fare hikes on subways and buses in coming years, some of the transit agency's board members are questioning whether it could be funded within the city or state's tax base, similar to other services deemed essential like police and fire fighters. (THE CITY)
5. Close to 14 percent of New Yorkers, or 2.7 million people, were living in poverty in 2021, a report from the state comptroller found. That's a higher poverty rate than in pre-pandemic 2019, with Hispanic New Yorkers experiencing poverty at double the rate of white, non-Hispanic residents. In The Bronx the poverty rate was 24.4 percent. (AMNY)

New York City pic of the day:

Remember to submit a photo from your neighborhood to newyorkcity@patch.com for a chance to be featured! We love skylines, bodega cats, coffee shops, streetscapes, parks and everything else that makes this city great. Please include your full name and an optional description.

Today in New York City:

• Celebrate the Season with Flatiron NoMad Holiday Cheer! (12 p.m.)
• Sparkling the Heart of Fordham holiday celebration and tree lighting (4 p.m.)
• "Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion" Book Launch: Conversation & Celebration — Strand Bookstore (7 p.m.)
• The SymphoNYChorus presents "All is Well": A Christmas Concert (8 p.m.)
• Dessoff Choirs Presents Welcome Yule: Mother and Child (8:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The subway's "conversational" seating arrangement, which allows straphangers to look out the window or talk to their neighbor while on their morning commute, will soon be completely phased out. The MTA just purchased $1.7 billion worth of “futuristic” train cars. (Gothamist)
• Meet the NYU sophomore that's throwing parties at Lower Manhattan barbershops. (Time Out)
• A Queens woman is being accused of not returning the deeds to 5,000 plots in a Jewish cemetery, according to a new lawsuit. (New York City Patch)
• Security guards and IT specialists were among the over 1,000 workers employed by The New York Times that walked out of the company's Midtown offices on Thursday during a strike. Some workers earn as little as $52,000 per year, with one of the union's demands being to raise the Times' salary floor to $65,000. (THE CITY)
• "Loudmouth," a new documentary out today, tells the life of racial justice activist Rev. Al Sharpton. (Subscription/New York Daily News)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Chronic Foot Pain Center - Dr. Robert Kornfeld — (Visit website)
• Silver Stars Fitness — (Visit Website)
• Church of the Heavenly Rest — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• The SymphoNYChorus presents "All is Well": A Christmas Concert (December 9)
• Make more and earn with Travel in 2023 (December 9)
• "Murdered By The Mob" Dinner Theater Show / Party (December 9)
• NYC Santacon Pub Crawl 2022 only $20 (December 10)
• Darryl's Dream Holiday Benefit Brunch (December 10)
• Holiday Tree Lighting in St. Nicholas Park (December 10)
• "Murdered By The Mob" Dinner Theater Show / Party (December 10)
• Annual KJ/Ramaz Blood (December 11)
• Screening and Conversation: Living | Starring Bill Nighy (December 11)
• Revolution Books Holiday Open House & Fundraiser (December 11)
• A Service of Lessons & Carols (December 11)
• Bach Vespers presents J.S. Bach's Magnificat (December 11)
• You Can’t Go WRONG this Holiday Season with Broadway’s Funniest Smash Hit! (December 11)
• The Landscape of Secular Organizations (December 12)
• NYC Candle Making Class — Dec. 13 (December 13)
• Cold Process Soap Making Class NYC (December 13)
• Berkeley College Legal and Justice Studies/National Security Career Seminar (December 14)
• Mid-Century Modern and Design | Online Auction (December 15)
• Live at W83 featuring Musicians from the New York Philharmonic with pianist Eileen Buck (December 16)
• Arts & Jazzfest NYC — Community Christmas Caroling At Montefiore Park & Year End Holiday Celebration (December 18)
• Posada y Parranda — A Celebration of Holiday Traditions & Community with Los Pleneros de la 21 (December 22)
• Holiday Lights At The Bronx Zoo (December 23)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• John’s Crazy Socks Celebrates the Holidays with 12 Days of Giving Back (Details)
• Dementia Caregivers Needed for Research Study (Details)
• Demos Parneros Talks About Evolving Leadership (Details)
• Add your announcement

Housing:

• Large Furnished studio on 89th between Ams/Columbus to sublet (Details)
• Add your listing

Other classifieds:

• Start-up Investment Tips by Demos Parneros (Details)
• Add your classified

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— Dashiell Allen

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming New York City Daily? Contact me at patchnyc@patch.com