Local Politics · Queens County
Queens voters will choose three judges for the Queens County Civil Court bench in the Nov. 3 General Election, with early voting beginning Oct. 24. Five candidates are competing for these seats: Julie Milner, Jasmine Valle-Bueno, and Edmond Wong on the Democratic line, and Thomas Barra and Michael Mossa on the Republican/Conservative lines. The Civil Court handles cases involving property disputes, contract breaches, personal injury suits, and actions by local officials.
Housing & Development · New York, NY
On Oct. 22, the New York City Council passed a scaled-back Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) by a vote of 38-9, resurrecting legislation previously vetoed by former Mayor Eric Adams. Sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Sandy Nurse, the bill gives qualified nonprofits a first opportunity to purchase certain distressed or affordable apartment buildings when owners decide to sell, though its scope was narrowed from roughly 10,000 to about 2,100 buildings. The measure now heads to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to sign it; it takes effect one year after becoming law.
Local Politics · New York, NY
New York City Council committees held a joint oversight hearing on Wednesday regarding conditions at the Borden Avenue veterans shelter in Long Island City. Testimony highlighted complaints about privacy, persistent leaks, and food quality, alongside allegations that officials were blocked from unannounced inspections. City administrators detailed planned repairs, including a $4.3 million roof replacement, while citing improvements in housing placements and reduced incident rates.
Housing & Development · New York, NY
Residents of Farragut Houses and other Downtown Brooklyn NYCHA developments attended a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) hearing on October 14 to oppose Alloy Development’s proposed 73- and 63-story towers. The project, located at the former Boys & Girls Navy Yard Clubhouse site, promises 1,502 new apartments, including 300 permanently affordable units, a new school, and community spaces. Opponents argue the scale threatens to displace working-class Black residents and demand enforceable protections against construction disruption. Supporters cite potential job training and youth programming benefits, while developers state that increased affordability requirements would jeopardize project funding.
Crime · New York, NY
Twins Alon and Oren Alexander, 39, and their older brother Tal Alexander, 40—luxury real estate agents in New York and Miami—face sentencing on Oct. 27 in Manhattan federal court after being convicted of sex trafficking conspiracy spanning 2008 to 2021. Prosecutors are seeking life sentences and fines up to $1.75 million per brother, while the defense requests 15 years each. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni denied nearly all defense objections at a Monday conference hearing and will hear victim impact statements from women who did not testify during trial. Oren Alexander also faces two pending state rape cases in Miami-Dade court, with a status hearing rescheduled to mid-November.
