NYC NOW - September 5, 2023: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: September 5, 2023

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Starting today, New Yorkers using platforms like AirBNB for short-term rentals must register with the city or face fines up to $5,000. Meanwhile, New Jersey schools are introducing new discipline guidelines to combat discrimination. Lastly, New York families have averaged a spend of $865 on back-to-school shopping, as reported by the National Retail Federation.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Tuesday, September 5th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. New Yorkers who've used Airbnb or other sites to rent their homes out for short periods are set to see big changes. A new law takes effect today that requires them to register with the city or risk being fined up to $5,000. dollars. Michael McKees with the coalition against illegal hotels, he says he expects thousands of units will go back to the residential market thanks to the new law.

We are feeling very, very good about where we are right now. We have worked for more than a decade to get a law on the books of this nature. An Airbnb spokesperson says the new rules will hurt the livelihoods of thousands of New Yorkers who depend on income from their short-term rentals. Student discipline in New Jersey schools could look different this year. W. Admicese Karen Ye reports the state released the new guidelines to prevent discrimination. The new guidelines warns school leaders against policies targeting LGBTQ students, those with a disability, or students of a particular race. That can include penalizing students for wearing their hair in braids, cornrows, or afros that are associated with being black.

Schools should also avoid secluding or using restraints against students with disabilities when their non-disabled peers aren't subject to the same punishment. The rules are meant to address ongoing disparities in school discipline. Black students are more than three times as likely to be suspended than their white peers, even though they don't misbehave at different rates. And students with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be suspended than those without a disability. Back to school shopping is wrapping up for New York Public School students and their families. Classes start Thursday, just days after many of their charter, private parochial, and their New Jersey school counterparts return.

Together, they'll leave behind a long trail of receipts, an average of $865 for each household with school-age kids. That's according to the National Retail Federation. The spending is not all on notebooks, new notebooks, backpacks, and pencils. The retailer's group says back-to-school spending will reach a record $41.5 billion. this year. 77 with some clouds right now, a heat advisory, 11 o'clock this morning until 6 o'clock Wednesday, and watch out for the rip currents on the Jersey shore. Mostly sunny and 91 today. 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.