NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: James Sues Trump Administration Over SNAP Benefits, NYC May Require Graphic Gun Warnings, and Report Finds Bronx Outpacing Rest of City in Affordable Housing Construction

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

Attorney General Letitia James is suing the Trump administration to force it to continue food stamp payments despite the ongoing federal shutdown. Meanwhile, lawmakers in Albany are weighing a proposal to require graphic warning labels in city gun shops. Plus, a new report finds major disparities in affordable housing construction across New York City, with two Bronx districts producing more units than nearly 30 others combined.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Wednesday, October 29th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. New York Attorney General Tish James is suing the Trump administration to force it to continue paying food stamp benefits next week despite the government shutdown. WMIC's Karen Yee reports. James says the Trump administration should use contingency funding to pay next month's food stamp benefits. The USDA, which oversees the SNAP program, announced it'll stop all payments on Saturday because of the ongoing shutdown and won't use contingency funds to cover the costs. James joins 24 other states and the District of Columbia who are challenging the administration.

About one in five New Yorkers rely on SNAP to afford their groceries, including half a million children. Food pantries say they're already bracing for a surge in demand when benefits dry up next month. In its statement, the Federal Agriculture Department blamed Senate Democrats for the ongoing shutdown. Graphic images warning about the dangers of keeping a gun at home could soon appear in New York City gun shops, similar to cigarette labels in other countries. Manhattan Council Member Eric Botcher sponsored the bill.

He says it's about safety. Guns kill tens of thousands of people every year, and a gun in the home is so much more likely to kill someone in that home rather than to be used in self-defense. State law already requires written warnings when someone gets a gun license. This bill adds graphic visuals showing the risks of suicide and accidental death. If it passes today and gets signed into the law, it'll be the first of its kind in the USA. A new report reveals the deep disparities in affordable housing construction across New York City.

The group New York Housing Conference analyzed six. city data and found two council districts covering the south and central sections of the Bronx have produced more affordable housing than 28 others combined since 2014. Rachel Fee runs the policy group and says some communities oppose almost every project. They are no-go areas for building any housing at all. Voters are considering four ballot questions this election meant to speed up housing construction, mainly by reducing the authority of the city councils. City council spokesperson says members are committed to approving new housing,

but the ballot measures will undermine their influence as voices for the community. We'll have more on this coming up, more about creating affordable housing. And what's on the ballot next week. Delays are number three trains both ways this morning and possible delays on some NJ transit lines. 50 with clouds right now, partly sunny today, mid-50, strong winds gusting up to 21 miles an hour, and then tomorrow storming. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC.

Check us out for updates every weekday, three times a date, for the latest news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back this evening.