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A photo of part of the Camplain Hudson Power Express Converter station, a towering white structure featuring three blocks of twelve fans each.
Could Hydropower Credits Undermine New York City’s Climate Law?

Mayor Mamdani is facing pressure to limit an avenue for large building owners to buy credits instead of cutting emissions.

Benjy Sachs   ·   June 30, 2026
Three smiling people embrace collegially in an office hallway.
A Union for Home Care Workers? Many Are Wary.

New York’s biggest health care union wants 200,000 home health aides to join up.

Sam Mellins   ·   June 29, 2026
A motel is completely engulfed in flames, and black and gray smoke pours into the sky. A lone firefighter walks in the right side of the frame.
‘A Family Trying to Survive’: Six Die at Motel Used to House Broome County’s Homeless

The Knights Inn, profiled by New York Focus and ProPublica last year, had received health and safety complaints for years.

Spencer Norris and Isabelle Taft   ·   June 26, 2026
An illustration showing the New York State of Health logo and paperwork bearing several messages around essential plan eligibility and plan termination.
New York Essential Plan Users Worry: Am I Losing Coverage?

Unclear notices have left participants unsure about the status of their insurance and what steps to take next.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 26, 2026
A student's hand using a calculator on a math worksheet.
‘Math Wars’: New York Wants to Reform Math Instruction, but Experts Disagree on How

On the heels of a “Back to Basics” reading effort, New York is launching a similar initiative for math.

Melissa Manno   ·   June 25, 2026
Winning DSA candidates at a watch party
DSA Dominates Albany Elections Despite Super PAC Deluge

The DSA made gains in New York despite super PACs spending $9.6 million in state legislative races — nearly five times the total from 2024.

Nick Garber and Chris Bragg   ·   June 24, 2026
Theirno sits at a table, looking over his shoulder out of the window.
These Young New Yorkers Thought Their Future Was Secure. They’re Facing Deportation Instead.

Under Trump, a status for young immigrants who have experienced abuse or neglect no longer offers much protection.

Isabelle Taft   ·   June 23, 2026
At a press conference, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stands speaking at a podium, behind and to his left stands Cea Weaver, director of the New York City Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. Behind them stand people holding signs bearing the words "Hold bad landlords accountable" and "Invest in stables homes."
New York City’s Most Serious Housing Violations Stay Open for Months or Even Years

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has vowed to go after negligent landlords, but it’s wrestling with a huge backlog of complaints.

Keenan Chen   ·   June 22, 2026
A high-contrast photo of a rolled up graduation diploma closed with a tassel against an orange and black background.
New York High Schoolers Might Be Getting a New Diploma. Here’s What to Know.

At a Board of Regents meeting Monday, state officials proposed eliminating credit-based diploma requirements.

Melissa Manno   ·   June 19, 2026
A split-screen image showing a photo of New York state Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas speaking on the left and New York state Senator Jessica Ramos speaking on the right.
Mystery Donor Spends Record-Breaking $850K on Jessica Ramos’s Senate Challenger

The last-minute influx, the biggest ever for a legislative primary, is boosting her opponent, Jessica González-Rojas.

Nick Garber and Chris Bragg   ·   June 18, 2026
A child silhouetted in the foreground holds hands with an adult, who is separated from the child by a transparent layer composed of birth certificate paperwork.
Immigration Authorities Kept an 8-Year-Old US Citizen in a Brooklyn Shelter for Nearly Seven Months

A lawsuit accuses federal officials of ignoring evidence that the boy, born in Mexico, held US citizenship through his mother.

Isabelle Taft   ·   June 18, 2026
Mamdani and Hochul at a rally together
Mamdani World Readies for Next Year’s Tax-the-Rich Push

City budget gaps and an ambitious affordability agenda may require pressing Albany again for taxes and aid.

Nick Garber   ·   June 17, 2026
Advocates for survivors holding signs at a rally
New York May End Blame Game When Deciding Which Crime Survivors Get State Aid

A bill awaiting the governor’s signature would relax restrictions on who can qualify for victim compensation.

Cassi Feldman   ·   June 16, 2026
What To Do If You’re Impacted By Changes to the Essential Plan

We’ve compiled information for the 450,000 New Yorkers who will lose health care coverage on July 1.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 15, 2026
A group of about 50 people pose for a photo taken from inside a garage housing a trash compactor.
At Hunter College, Students Tackle Garbage — And a New Way of Shaping Policy

The citizens assembly model, used for public decision-making around the world, is gaining traction in New York.

Karen Loew   ·   June 12, 2026
A photo of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie walking towards the camera while looking off to the side.
Plastics Bill Died in Assembly After Blitz By Lobbyists With Ties to Heastie

A lobbyist who has been romantically linked to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie led a rally opposing the legislation a week before the speaker declined to bring it to a vote.

Amudalat Ajasa and Chris Bragg   ·   June 11, 2026
The Haggle — a New York Focus breakdown of the state budget
The Haggle

In May, state lawmakers passed a $269 billion budget after haggling for months over thousands of line items and policies affecting New Yorkers.

New York Focus   ·   June 9, 2026
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman
Super PAC Forms to Boost Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s Republican Challenger

Millions in outside spending was a boon to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2022 opponent, Lee Zeldin, and influenced down-ballot races.

Chris Bragg   ·   June 8, 2026
A black and white photo of the New York state Capitol Buildling over a yellow-tinted background.
Bill Stalled in Assembly Could Determine Fate of Hundreds of Sexual Assault Cases

The legislation would make it easier for currently and formerly incarcerated people and child victims to sue the state over allegations of past abuse.

Chris Bragg   ·   June 5, 2026
Rows of empty seats watch a horse racing track with a lone harness racer and horse.
Hochul Moves to Protect Horseracing From Casino’s Tax Fight

State leaders are expected to pass a bill that avoids resolving how much Resorts World New York City needs to pay.

Nick Garber   ·   June 3, 2026
A website on an open laptop sucks in cash via a black hole.
Rochester’s Anti-Poverty Portal Struggles to Meet Promise

New York state has pumped millions of taxpayer dollars into an online portal that vowed to make life easier for Rochester’s neediest, but critics say it’s fallen short.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 3, 2026
A photo collage of a shopping basket full of groceries, in front of a yellow-tinted photo of a calendar with "work" written in many of the days.
New SNAP Rules in NY: What To Know If You Lost Benefits

We’ve compiled information for SNAP recipients in New York on the changing work requirements.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   June 2, 2026
Photo of a casino floor with rows of brightly lit video lottery terminals and a single player sitting to the left in front of a terminal.
New York’s Brand-New Casino Is in a $500M+ Fight With the State

Resorts World is floating legislation to avert more than $500 million in payments to the horseracing industry.

Nick Garber   ·   June 1, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul over a yellow-tinted photo of many tall stacks of paper superimposed onto the New York state Capitol.
What’s in the 2026 State Budget? Here’s What To Know.

Our searchable database breaks down the most consequential decisions Albany politicians made on climate, immigration, housing, schools, taxes, and more.

New York Focus   ·   May 29, 2026
Gove Kathy Hochul at a podium
State Budget Gives Prisons Half-Billion-Dollar Boost While Threatening Oversight Programs

It’s unclear whether the Correctional Association of New York will have to scale back its nascent reform initiatives.

Chris Gelardi   ·   May 28, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in the foreground, with a yellow-tinted photo of a school bus in the background.
NY Budget Brings Historic Child Care Investments — But Not for Its Workforce

Advocates welcomed the additional funding but said it falls short of need and doesn’t do enough to support workers.

Melissa Manno   ·   May 28, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in front of a yellow-tinted card explaining New York State of Health's Essential Plan.
No Solution to Health Coverage Cliff in Delayed State Budget

Despite last-ditch efforts by a coalition of lawmakers, the state failed to avert a health coverage cliff coming this summer.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   May 28, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in front of a yellow-tinted photo of four smokestacks.
State Budget Thrashes Landmark Climate Law

Governor Kathy Hochul was successful in her bid to upend the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act after legislators caved to finalize an overall budget deal.

Amudalat Ajasa and Nick Garber   ·   May 27, 2026
Photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in front of a yellow-tinted photo of New York City.
Mamdani Gets a New York City Bailout, but Not the One He Wanted

Some of the city’s new aid will be canceled out by pension boosts.

Nick Garber   ·   May 27, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in front of a yellow-tinted photo of three new apartment buildings under construction.
New York State Budget Set to Remove Major Barrier to New Housing

A law designed to protect the environment will be partially rolled back to pave the way for much-needed homes.

Sam Mellins   ·   May 27, 2026
Trump Administration Fires Two More New York City Immigration Judges as New Hires Take the Bench

The Department of Justice has terminated more than 100 immigration judges since last year as it has pressured courts to order more deportations.

Isabelle Taft   ·   May 23, 2026
A photo collage of Governor Kathy Hochul in the foreground, over a yellow-tinted photo of an Oswego Sheriff's car in the background.
Albany Reins in Police Collaboration With ICE but Doesn’t Ban Informal Cooperation

The legislation comes after months of haggling over how best to protect New Yorkers from President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Isabelle Taft   ·   May 22, 2026
Videos Reignite Fight Over Oswego County Border Patrol Calls

Footage published by New York Focus sparked a debate over deputies’ practice of calling Border Patrol on Spanish-speaking drivers.

Sammy Sussman   ·   May 21, 2026
Photo of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries overlaid on top of a map of New York state congressional districts.
Cautious Maps in New York Haunt Democrats’ Redistricting War

Hakeem Jeffries urged Albany to avoid maps that aggressively boosted Democrats, sources told New York Focus.

Nick Garber   ·   May 20, 2026
A map showing locations where layoffs have occurred in New York programs overlaid with a photo of a sign stating "permanently closed."
New York’s Beds for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Evaporate as Feds End Contracts

Shelter providers have had to lay off staff, while the children’s already uncertain futures have become even murkier.

Isabelle Taft   ·   May 19, 2026
Image of a legislative chamber with many empty chairs.
Jail Oversight Body Hamstrung Until Hochul Staffs Its Leadership

The governor has yet to nominate heads of the State Commission of Correction, which now lacks a quorum.

Chris Gelardi   ·   May 18, 2026
Close-up photo of a man from behind wearing a suit, kufi, and mask. In the background, many other people attending a funeral.
Bronx Fire Relief Funds Finally Reach Families, Four Years After Catastrophic Blaze

After a New York Focus investigation, a Bronx charity distributed nearly $400,000 to survivors of a deadly 2022 fire.

Sam Mellins   ·   May 15, 2026
A diptych of two photos: a DoorDash delivery worker and a photo of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
DoorDash Starts Super PAC to Repel Progressive Challengers to Assembly Incumbents

Also: Michael Bloomberg gives $1.5 million to a pro-charter school group.

Nick Garber and Chris Bragg   ·   May 14, 2026
Visitors bundled up against the cold stand in line outdoors in the early morning before visiting starts at Five Points Correctional Facility, on Nov. 22, 2025.
‘I Just Need to Hug Him’: Families Say New York Is Illegally Delaying Prison Transfers

The prison system often postpones or rejects incarcerated people’s requests to be closer to their children, jeopardizing family ties.

Indy Scholtens   ·   May 14, 2026
A zoomed-in silhouette of a child and adult holding hands. In the background, paperwork for habeas corpus petitions.
These Kids Trekked Hundreds of Miles to Reunite With Their Parents. The Feds Kept Them Separated for Months.

Trump administration rules are keeping immigrant kids detained, even when their parents are available to care for them. Families are using a new legal tool to free them.

Isabelle Taft   ·   May 13, 2026
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