NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Federal Budget Cuts Strain Immigrant Nonprofits, Striking Prison Guards Fired by State, and NJ Towns Push to Lower Affordable Housing Requirements

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

Nonprofit organizations that support immigrants in the tri-state area say they’re feeling the strain of the Trump administration’s budget cuts, impacting services and resources. Meanwhile, the New York State Department of Corrections is firing corrections officers and issuing fines to those who did not return to work by Sunday as the prison wildcat strike enters its third week. Plus, a legal battle over affordable housing in New Jersey is heating up, with dozens of town officials arguing they cannot meet the state’s housing targets, while advocates push for redistributing requirements to ensure the state meets its goal of 84,000 new affordable homes over the next decade.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, March 4th. Here's the morning headlines from David Furze. Non-profit organizations that serve immigrants in the tri-state area say they're feeling the effects of the Trump administration's budget cutting. WNYC's Arun Venigapal has more. After its federal contract for refugee resettlement was canceled, Church World Service furloughed around 60% of the 250 employees at its Upper West Side headquarters, and another 79 workers in Jersey City.

The organization also says it's yet to be reimbursed for tens of millions of dollars and expenses it incurred during the Biden era. Another group, the Reformed Church of Highland Park Affordable Housing Corporation, laid off or furloughed 62 people who helped with refugees. resettlement in New Jersey. The cuts to nonprofits are among the first in the region tied to Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. The State Department of Corrections is firing corrections officers and issuing fines to guards who did not return to work by Sunday. This comes as the prison Wildcat Strike enters its third

week. New York Public News Network's Jung-Yung Han has the report. Less than 10 officers have been terminated and more than 350, officers are facing civil contempt charges. The announcement from the Department of Corrections is a latest sign that the state is turning to punitive measures after a tentative deal struck last Thursday failed to convince hundreds of striking officers to return to work. Corrections officers say the tentative deal doesn't go far enough to repeal the Haltz Act, which sets limitations to solitary confinement. A legal fight is intensifying over building more affordable housing in New Jersey. The state has a goal to build 84,000 new low-priced homes in towns across the Garden State over the next decade.

But dozens of town officials say they can't meet the state's target and want their numbers reduced. An influential nonprofit called the Fair Share Housing Center says the state should redistribute affordable housing requirements so it can meet its own goal. That could meet an increase in some towns affordable housing targets like Franklin Lakes in Bergen County. Charles Cawati is the town's man at mayor. It's almost a punitive action to do this to municipalities. And I don't think it really achieves long-term objectives of affordable housing. A state panel of retired judges will make a decision later this month. Towns need to develop plans on how to deliver the mandated affordable units by the end of June.

Currently 35 degrees. Starting to warm up today, partly sunny skies with a high of 53. Thanks for listening. This is NYC Now from WNY. 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.