NYC NOW - November 12, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: November 12, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: New York City saw its first measurable rain in weeks over the weekend, but dry conditions persist across the region. WNYC’s Giulia Heyward reports. Meanwhile, New Jersey officials have announced a plan to create over 150,000 affordable homes in the next decade, though there’s still confusion about who qualifies. Plus, New York Cares begins its annual winter coat drive Tuesday, distributing hundreds of coats to students at P.S. 20 on the Lower East Side, starting at 9 a.m.

Welcome to NYC now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Tuesday, November 12th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. New York City got his first bout of measurable rain in weeks over the holiday weekend, but the dry conditions facing the region are far from over. WNYC's Julia Hayward. Has more. Just under a quarter of an inch of rain fell on the city as of Monday morning.

The merciful shower came after weeks of no substantial rain. According to the National Weather Service, the last time the city recorded any measurable precipitation was on October 29th. But meteorologists say the dry spell is likely to continue this week, with only a 20% chance of rain on Thursday. Meanwhile, the city remains under a drought watch, falling a historically dry October, as officials urge New Yorkers to conserve water. Officials say people should take shorter showers, run dishwashers only when, full and not leave faucets running while brushing their teeth. New Jersey officials have put forth a plan to create more than 150,000 affordable homes over the next decade, but those working on the initiative say there's still a lot of misunderstanding

over who qualifies for affordable housing. Sharon Clark is the executive director of the Central Jersey Housing Resource Center. It's a nonprofit that helps people find homes. She says many people still think affordable housing is only for the most low-eastern. income people. People think these are units for people that are on the system or on welfare, and it's just totally not true. There are school teachers. There are government workers. Clark says in parts of Jersey, individuals can make $80,000 and families around $120,000 and still qualify for affordable housing. The volunteer organization New York Cares is kicking off its annual

winter coat drive today and will give out hundreds of coats to students in Manhattan. The group says the giveaway starts at 9 this morning at PS20 on the Lower East Side. And if you go there, representatives from New York area sports teams, well, you might find some there joining the event. It's part of a campaign to give away 85,000 winter coats and raise more than a million dollars for anti-poverty programs. New York CARES says people can donate gently used, freshly laundered coats at collection sites citywide to support the 36th annual Drive. Those locations are available on the organization's website. And folks will need those winter coats certainly this morning. Right now, it's 51, but the real feel is in the upper 30s. So it feels

like a blast of winter undoubtedly right now. Sunny and 56 for a high today and gusty and then tomorrow's sunny and just 48 and gusty. First chance of some showers come on Thursday. 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.