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Hochul Stays Mum on Sanctuary Bill: State of the State 2026

Immigrant rights advocates and some lawmakers welcomed her proposals, but said that the measures don’t go far enough.

Liv Veazey   ·   January 14, 2026
Hochul on New York’s Fraying Safety Net: State of the State 2026

The governor’s vision for tackling historic cuts to public benefit programs remains blurry.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   January 14, 2026
Hochul, Unions Rally in Defense of Offshore Wind

New York’s building trade unions are turning out in force to try to save the mammoth energy projects from Trump’s latest attack.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   January 13, 2026
magnifying glass illustration
Help Us Investigate Conviction Integrity Units in New York

Our investigation into conviction integrity units reveals that they reinforce a broken system. Help us expand on this reporting.

Willow Higgins, Ryan Kost, Curtis Brodner, Oishika Neogi and Alex Arriaga   ·   January 13, 2026
Kathy Hochul holding up papers in each hand. One hand has an official State of New York document and the other is a Bingo game card that was illustrated.
BINGO! 2026 State of the State

Follow along with New York Focus as we cover the governor’s annual address.

New York Focus   ·   January 12, 2026
Covering the 2026 State of the State

Here’s what our reporters will be watching for during Governor Kathy Hochul’s agenda-setting address that will kick off state budget negotiations.

New York Focus   ·   January 12, 2026
The State Is Locking Kids in Solitary Confinement Without Toilets, Lawsuit Alleges

Office of Children and Family Services facilities keep youth in small cells for days or weeks at a time, violating state regulations, the suit claims.

Chris Gelardi   ·   January 9, 2026
5 Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Horse Drugging

New York racing regulators have failed to take action against drug buyers for years, even after federal law enforcement gave them clear evidence of illegal activity.

Sam Mellins   ·   January 8, 2026
FBI Wiretaps, Illegal Drugs, and Dead Horses

The feds gave New York key evidence on horse racing’s largest doping ring. State regulators have done nothing with it for years.

Sam Mellins   ·   January 7, 2026
A photo collage of Representative Ritchie Torres and Michael Blake in front of images of tanks and screenshots of Blake's campaign video, lambasting Torres for his investments in weapons companies and his support of sending arms to Israel.
Bronx House Candidate Had Shadow Career at Defense Contractor

Michael Blake blasted Representative Ritchie Torres for his investments in firms serving the military — but has long worked for one himself, disclosures show.

Will Bredderman   ·   January 6, 2026
New York Counties Have Received Millions From Opioid Lawsuits, But Many Won’t Say How They’ve Spent It

Drug policy advocates are calling a new reporting mandate a missed opportunity for needed transparency and sustained action.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   January 5, 2026
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, seated, holds a document that has been edited to read "New York Focus Quiz!" in front of a background covered in question marks.
Who Ran New York in 2025?

You stuck with us through another rollercoaster year in New York politics. To show our gratitude, we’re giving you a test.

New York Focus   ·   December 31, 2025
A man wearing a mask installs pink fiberglass insulation on the inside of a home.
New York Shores Up Funding for Key Energy Efficiency Program

The state plans to stabilize the Empower+ program with a record amount of money from the pollution pricing program RGGI.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   December 23, 2025
Here’s Every Bill That Kathy Hochul Vetoed in 2025

One hundred and forty laws that almost were.

New York Focus   ·   December 23, 2025
Over 50 Incarcerated People Wrote to Us About Their Innocence Claims. Some Had Waited Years for a Conviction Review.

The letters paint a picture of a CIU process rife with roadblocks, especially for applicants who didn’t have lawyers.

Oishika Neogi and Curtis Brodner   ·   December 23, 2025
A Judge Tossed a Prison Sex Abuse Lawsuit Over Typos. Hundreds More Dismissals Could Be Coming.

The state plans to ask a court to dismiss some 500 prison sexual assault lawsuits for not strictly abiding by filing requirements.

Chris Gelardi and Jessy Edwards   ·   December 22, 2025
An illustration of Eric Adams against a rack of Chromebooks
Inside Eric Adams’s School Chromebook Spending Spree

The Adams administration is shelling out north of $320 million to give public school students Chromebooks that connect to the internet through cell service. Most already have internet at home.

Zachary Groz   ·   December 22, 2025
Governor Kathy Hochul stands at a podium in front of a field of solar panels. In the background, a large, looming clock ticks close to midnight.
Wetland Rules Slow Solar Buildout as Developers Rush for Tax Credits

Recently adopted environmental regulations have added months to New York’s already yearslong energy permitting process, colliding with new deadlines for federal subsidies.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   December 20, 2025
Photo collage of a desk with a notepad and voice recorder in a newsroom.
Hochul Pushes to Narrow Domestic Violence ‘Coerced Debt’ Bill

Eleventh-hour negotiations could decide the fate of legislation to make it easier for survivors to cancel debt caused by their abuse.

Chris Bragg   ·   December 19, 2025
Hochul May Veto Bill to Protect LLC Transparency Act from Trump

The governor is poised to veto a bill to insulate a business transparency law from federal shifts, according to the bill’s sponsor.

Chris Bragg   ·   December 17, 2025
Will New York City Drop BlackRock Over Climate?

Outgoing Comptroller Brad Lander wants the city’s pension funds to reconsider $42 billion in investments with the firm, but it may fall to his successor to take action.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   December 15, 2025
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is back on track for now, but even more changes could be on the way.
What’s Next for New Yorkers on SNAP?

New Yorkers who rely on federal food assistance could see more program disruptions in upcoming months.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   December 12, 2025
Inside NYC’s Overstretched Social Services Agency

With nearly 1,500 unfilled jobs, New York City’s Department of Social Services is leaning on mandatory overtime to keep up.

Keenan Chen and Reuven Blau, THE CITY   ·   December 11, 2025
AmeriCorps Cuts Leave New York Trails in Trouble

Some of downstate New York’s most used hiking trails are badly eroding. President Trump’s cuts have slashed the crews working to save them.

Sam Mellins   ·   December 11, 2025
One Year Since Robert Brooks’s Killing, Prison Chaos Has No End in Sight

The murder has led to more tumult than New York’s prison system has seen since the Attica prison uprising over five decades ago.

Chris Gelardi   ·   December 10, 2025
Following New York Focus Investigation, Home Health Aides Will Get New Insurance

A health insurer offering shoddy coverage to low-wage workers at taxpayer expense will be replaced next year. But will what comes next be any better?

Sam Mellins   ·   December 9, 2025
As Lawmakers Push to Regulate AI in Advertising, This State Agency is Running AI Ads

New York’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports is running television ads featuring AI-generated faces without disclosing the technology to viewers.

Finn Hartnett   ·   December 8, 2025
State Prisons Are Turning Away Visitors After Scanners Pick Up Their Tampons

Guards demanded body scanners to cut down on contraband. Now they’re turning visitors away over their hygiene and medical supplies.

Raina Lipsitz, Chris Gelardi and Sydney Umstead   ·   December 6, 2025
State Senator Vows to Tackle Foreclosure ‘Injustice’ After NY Focus-Gothamist Investigation

In response to reporting by New York Focus and Gothamist, State Senator Zellnor Myrie has introduced a bill to standardize debt calculations.

Chris Bragg and David Brand   ·   December 4, 2025
Hochul Buys Time on Pollution Rules

New York is ready to collect data on emissions, but is fighting a court order to cut them.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   December 3, 2025
Big Banks Accused of ‘Systematic Fraud’ in New York Foreclosure Auctions

An investigation by New York Focus and Gothamist found lenders are using a disputed method of calculating debts in thousands of foreclosures and taking money from hundreds of former homeowners.

Chris Bragg and David Brand   ·   December 3, 2025
Renewable Developers Press Hochul to Settle Tax Dispute Before Key Deadline

New Yorkers will pay more for wind and solar if Hochul doesn’t sign property tax legislation in the coming days, the industry says.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   December 1, 2025
Health Care Sticker Shock Coming for 450,000 New Yorkers

Federal budget cuts will force hundreds of thousands off New York’s free Essential Plan, with some families facing $10,000 annual premium increases.

Clara Hemphill   ·   December 1, 2025
Why Did Hochul Back Down on New York’s Gas Ban?

Just last month, the state argued in court that it couldn’t halt the all-electric buildings law even if it wanted to. Then it abruptly changed course.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   November 26, 2025
In This Buffalo Suburb, a Brush With Mall Security Can Lead to Arrest by Border Patrol

In at least one case, police may have violated a state court ruling prohibiting local law enforcement from conducting civil immigration enforcement.

Isabelle Taft   ·   November 26, 2025
Trump Administration Illegally Scrapped Protections for Abused Immigrant Youth, Judge Finds

The ruling allows young immigrants who have suffered abuse and neglect to apply for protections from deportation — at least for now.

Isabelle Taft   ·   November 20, 2025
Crossing Coalitions on the New York City Council: A Q&A With Susan Zhuang

The conservative Democrat is sounding more like her progressive colleagues as she tries to protect immigrant constituents from the Trump administration.

Isabelle Taft   ·   November 19, 2025
A boy looks out over Jamaica Bay in the Edgemere neighborhood of New York City. The community, which is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the bay, is at growing risk of coastal flooding due to sea level rise.
‘We Are Forgotten Here’: As NYC Builds Seawalls, This Queens Community Feels Left Behind

A decade after city officials promised to protect Edgemere against floods, residents say the neighborhood remains just as vulnerable.

Evan Simon   ·   November 18, 2025
A photograph of a Yates County Sheriff car parked in front of the Yates County Public Safety Building.
An Officer Bungled a Teen Rape Case. The Victim Was Abused Again.

The investigator, who did not believe the teen, faced little punishment, illustrating the different ways that officers in New York State are disciplined for misconduct.

Sammy Sussman   ·   November 17, 2025
Heating Assistance Still on Hold as Federal Government Reopens

Federal HEAP funding will not reach New Yorkers until at least November 24, state officials say.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   November 15, 2025
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