What to Know
- NYC Mayor Eric Adams held a public hearing and bill signing ceremony on Tuesday to officially implement eight pieces of legislation passed by the NYC City Council.
- Three of the bills address pay equity, while the other five developed initiatives aimed at accessibility in city shelters and affordable housing locations
- These bills require action from several city departments, including the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).
New York City Mayor Eric Adams held a public hearing and bill signing ceremony Tuesday to officially implement eight pieces of legislation passed by the City Council. Three of the bills address pay equity, while the other five developed initiatives aimed at accessibility in city shelters and affordable housing locations.
Mayor Adams said that "the first package of bills will help address pay disparities within our city workforce, so every worker is paid fairly…This second package will bolster our efforts to support New Yorkers with disabilities."
Pay Disparity Legislation
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New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sponsored a bill mandating annual employment plans by the city address compensation and their work to better workforce pay disparities.
Two other bills, sponsored by Councilmembers Carmen De La Rosa and Farah N. Louis respectively, both require action from the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). Those bills instruct the DCAS to examine the equitable nature of its municipal application processes for diverse applicants. The latter amends the already-instated Pay Equity Law to expand what data the DCAS provides to the City Council regarding pay disparity.
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Accessibility Legislation
The first bill in the package, sponsored by Councilmember Diana Ayala, establishes a board that will advise government officials and agencies on accessibility for residents of city shelters.
Councilmember Ayala sponsored two additional bills on the same subject. One mandates that signage at every building entrance “to have power-operated or power-assisted and low-energy doors, directing people to that door,” according to a release from the Mayor’s office.
“As a city, we should strive to improve conditions for people with all abilities, and this is a step in the right direction.”
NYC Councilmember Diana Ayala
The other requires the city’s Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) office to give a report every three years regarding the number of affordable housing units that are both available and rented to those with disabilities.
Councilmember Ayala stated, “As a city, we should strive to improve conditions for people with all abilities, and this is a step in the right direction.”
Councilmember Crystal Hudson also incorporated the HPD into legislation that requires the department creates a list of design features that new housing development projects must use if they receive financial assistance from the city government.
Rounding out the second legislation package, Councilmember Kevin Riley sponsored legislation that says the NYC Department of Homeless Services must create a quarterly report that looks at various metrics for families with children living in homeless shelters.
