Samwise Metro NYC Newsletter
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Mamdani Marks 100 Days with 48% Approval and Unfinished Budget Fight
Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked his first 100 days in office this week with a 48% approval rating in Marist polling and 30% disapproval. The city's first Muslim mayor and youngest to hold the office in a generation took office on January 1 and has moved quickly on key priorities: expanding free child care, filling over 100,000 potholes, establishing an Office of Community Safety, and pushing for expanded tenant protections. Mamdani faces a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit and has threatened to raise property taxes if Albany does not approve new taxes on the wealthy. An Emerson poll placed his approval slightly lower, at 43%.
LIRR Workers Warn of Potential Strike as Early as May 16
Five unions representing more than half of Long Island Rail Road's workforce warn of a potential strike as early as May 16 if a new contract is not reached with the MTA. Workers have gone more than three years without a raise or new agreement. Union leaders are demanding 16 percent in pay increases over three years — 6.5 percentage points above what other MTA bargaining units recently accepted. The MTA says it agrees on pay for the current period but dispute one future year. A strike would halt service on the country's busiest commuter railroad. The last major LIRR strike lasted 11 days, in 1987.
Mamdani Administration Moves to Intervene in East Harlem Rent-Stabilized Building Sales
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is pursuing a new effort to steer the sale of several dozen rent-stabilized apartment buildings in East Harlem facing foreclosure toward affordable-housing developers, according to Gothamist. The move comes after the administration failed to slow a similar high-profile transaction in January. City officials want to prevent buildings from passing to owners who may raise rents or convert units following a sale. East Harlem has faced escalating displacement pressure as landlords exit the rent-stabilized market. Officials have not announced a specific mechanism for intervention but say options including city acquisition and community land trusts are under review.
Congestion Pricing Collected $562M in First Year as Traffic Fell 11%
New York City's congestion pricing program generated $562 million in net toll revenue during its first year of operation, surpassing initial projections, the MTA announced. Tolls applied to most vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street resulted in 27 million fewer vehicles entering the zone — an 11 percent traffic reduction. Revenue is funding $15 billion in capital improvements, including Second Avenue Subway Phase 2, signal upgrades on the A and C lines in Brooklyn, and ADA upgrades at nine stations. As of January 2026, more than $6 billion in projects unlocked by the congestion relief program are under active construction.
NYC Proposes First-in-Nation Municipal Rule Targeting Subscription Traps
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection this week proposed a rule that would make New York City the first municipality in the nation to require businesses to make subscription cancellations as simple as sign-ups. The proposed "Click to Cancel" rule targets automatic renewals and continuous service offers, requiring that a cancel mechanism be just as accessible as the original sign-up. The announcement builds on a 2023 federal FTC rule covering larger companies; the NYC rule would be locally enforced by the DCWP. A public comment period is expected before the rule is finalized and takes effect.
MTA Completes Accessibility Elevator Upgrades Across 11 Subway Lines
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has completed accessibility upgrades to elevators and escalators at key stations across 11 subway lines, officials announced. The project replaced aging equipment at major transfer and hub stations including 14th Street-Union Square, DeKalb Avenue, 145th Street, and Lexington Avenue-63rd Street, finishing on budget and ahead of spring travel demand. Additional elevator replacement projects remain underway across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. However, two elevators at the 161st Street-Yankee Stadium station remain out of service despite contractors replacing five units there since late 2024. The MTA said those two elevators are expected to open in the coming weeks.
NYC Roadway Dining Returns for 2026 Season with 500 Approved Setups
Outdoor roadway dining is back in New York City for the 2026 season, with roughly 500 setups approved under the Dining Out NYC program, which runs from April 1 through November 29. The figure represents a fraction of the pandemic-era peak, when as many as 12,500 restaurants once occupied sidewalks and streets. Today's program requires annual applications, permit fees, and compliance with strict design standards. The City Council is separately advancing a bill to restore year-round outdoor dining, reversing Adams-era rules that barred roadside setups during winter months. Department of Transportation officials have expressed support for making the program permanent.
City Study Finds 62% of New Yorkers Cannot Meet True Cost of Living
A new report from Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office reveals that 62 percent of New York City residents do not earn enough to meet the city's true cost of living. The inaugural NYC True Cost of Living Measure, released alongside the administration's Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan, was designed to replace older poverty metrics that officials say undercount financial hardship. The measure accounts for housing, childcare, transportation, food, and other necessities at current city prices. The findings are intended to guide city budget priorities and evaluate the effectiveness of programs like free childcare, which Mamdani has expanded since taking office in January.
City Pulse
Yankees: Next: vs. Boston Red Sox — Tue Apr 21 at Fenway Park · (Off today; Boston series begins April 21.)
Mets: Next: vs. Oakland Athletics — Sat Apr 11 at 4:10 PM ET, Citi Field
Knicks: Next: vs. Toronto Raptors — Sat Apr 11 at Madison Square Garden (final week of regular season)
Rangers: Eliminated from 2026 playoff contention; regular season ends April 16.