NYC NOW - January 2, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: January 2, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: The New York State Legislature returns to Albany to kick off the 2024 legislative session. Also, Columbia University business professor Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh says as much as 30 percent of Manhattan office buildings could be converted into green housing. Plus, New York City's new professional women's hockey team wins their first game of the Professional Women's Hockey League against Toronto.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. Happy New Year. It's Tuesday, January 2nd. Here's the morning headlines for Michael Hill. The New York State Legislature tomorrow returns to Albany to kick off the 2024 legislative session. WNIC's John Campbell reports. Lawmakers and Governor Hokel are facing pressure to strike a deal on housing. policy after talks fell through last year. One idea that's been floated, tying a tax break for housing developers to a law that would prevent landlords from evicting tenants without good cause. So far, Governor Hokel has been wary of accepting the eviction protections.

I'm willing to work with the legislature, but I'm not going to have policies that will suppress the urgent need we have for more developers to put shovels in the ground and build more housing. The legislative session runs through the first week of June. The governor, will deliver her state of the state address next week. A Columbia University business professor says as much as 30% of Manhattan office buildings could be converted into green housing. Stan Van Neuerberger says doing so would help lower New York's carbon emissions while at the same time address the city's excess office space in the work-from-home era.

Buildings account for something like 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. So this is an opportunity for us to green these buildings. we're at it, we might as well convert them from offices to residential use whenever feasible. Van Nuoberger co-authored a recent paper on the issue. He says while the problem of empty offices has put a dent in municipal revenues, the city has been recovering and is a good time to rethink the future of Midtown and Lower Manhattan. New York City's new professional women's hockey team is celebrating after winning the first game of the Professional Women's Hockey League. New York shutout Toronto yesterday in Canada, 4-0-0.

Goalie Corrine Schroeder made 29 saves for the shutout, and New York's Ella Shelton scored the first goal in league history. New York will host Toronto on Friday. They'll play most of their home games in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but we'll play a handful of games at UBS Arena later this season. 31 in clear. It's cold out there this morning. Grab a coat, a hat, a scarf, some gloves.

Sunny and 43 today with a slight breeze in the north. that will keep it cooled then tonight just above freezing in the city. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.