NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: NYC Doctors’ Strike Delayed, Changes to Home Care Program, and Community Board Rejects Hudson Yards Casino Plan

Episode Date: January 8, 2025

A planned doctors’ strike at four NYC public hospitals has been postponed until January 21 as contract negotiations continue. Meanwhile, New York is making significant changes to a popular home care program, requiring consumers to act soon to avoid service interruptions, WNYC’s Caroline Lewis reports. Plus, Manhattan’s Community Board 4 has rejected a proposed casino, entertainment complex, and housing plan at Hudson Yards by Wynn New York City and the developer Related, though the vote is advisory.

Welcome to NYC now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Wednesday, January 8th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. A New York City doctor strike has been postponed as contract negotiations continue. Members of the Doctors Council, SEIU, originally planned to go on strike Monday at four public hospitals in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Yesterday, the union said it's putting the strike off

until January 21st, with the goal of reaching an agreement before then. The city funds the doctor's salaries, but Mount Sinai and the physician-affiliate group of New York employ them. The doctors agree to mediated talks with their employers after Mayor Adams urged the parties to find a resolution. New York is making big changes to a popular home care program. The consumers who use it will have to take steps in the coming weeks to make sure their services have no interruption. WNIC's Caroline Lewis explains. More than 250,000 New Yorkers with disabilities have caregivers through the state's consumer-directed personal assistance program. About 600 different companies help administer the Medicaid-funded program, but by the end of March, it will be run by just one firm, public partnerships LLC.

New Yorkers enrolled in the program have to register with public partnerships by March 28 to keep their services. The company started doing outreach this week and says it's prepared for the transition, but some advocates worry people will fall through the cracks. Manhattan's Community Board 4 has rejected plans for casino, entertainment, and new housing, and huts and yards, but the vote on the win New York City and developer relate its plan is just advisory. Alan Van Capel is the executive director of Friends of the Highline, and he opposes the project. He says, an earlier proposal contests.

thousands more housing units. We're in the middle of a housing crisis. It's probably among the largest issues the city is facing. And there has to be better use for this land that's owned by the people of New York. A spokesperson for Related said many suggestions from the community were not fiscally feasible, but the company welcomed more feedback. The matter now heads to the Manhattan Borough President as part of the city's lengthy land use review process. 26 and partly cloudy now sunny and 27 for a high today,

but it feels like it's going to be 10 degrees because the winds will be gusting up to 32 miles an hour. So take care out there. Cold tonight, cold again tomorrow. 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.