Topics Reporting
A woman stands outside a brick building, looking away from the camera, with her hands clasped behind her back.
New York Hasn’t Raised Housing Allowances for Needy Residents in Decades. That’s Unconstitutional, a Lawsuit Says.

New York’s housing aid can’t cover rent anywhere in the state. A new lawsuit says that violates the state’s constitution.

Spencer Norris   ·   July 9, 2026
A blue sign reading "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Buffalo Detention Center, Batavia New York" sits on the grass in front of a tall metal fence with barbed wire at the top.
ICE Is Building a ‘Hard-Sided’ Detention Facility Near Buffalo. What Does That Mean?

The agency is adding 100 beds to the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility.

Isabelle Taft   ·   July 9, 2026
Hochul Extends Program to Hire Government Workers Faster. Mamdani Opts Out.

New York City has no plans to opt into NY HELPS, which has been extended to 2028 after filling 60,000 government jobs.

Nick Garber   ·   July 6, 2026
An air conditioner
Extreme Heat Is Rising. New York’s Cooling Aid Isn’t.

New York’s free air conditioner program ran out of funding before summer, even as extreme heat becomes a deadlier threat.

Amudalat Ajasa   ·   July 2, 2026
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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