ABOUT NEW YORK FOCUS

New York Focus is an independent newsroom covering state and local politics in the Empire State.

Launched in October of 2020, New York Focus aims to help make state politics more democratic by publishing adversarial, in-depth reporting that cuts through the noise to explain how the Empire State really works.

New York State’s legislative process is notoriously conducted by ‘three men in a room,’ opaque to outsiders and murky even to its own rank-and-file legislators. New York consistently scores at or near the top of state corruption rankings. On many issues, New Yorkers lack the information and resources to hold their representatives accountable.

We publish stories that shed light on New York’s political process, broadly understood: from political fixers and lobbyists, to the inherited wisdom of legislative aides in Albany, to the institutional knowledge of advocates and the organizing strategies of popular movements.

We are guided by the belief that politics is not a sport. Decisions made in New York’s executive mansions, legislative chambers, state administrative offices, courts, nonprofits, union halls, and campaign headquarters don’t stay there. They determine how many New Yorkers sleep on the street each night; how large public college classes are; how many hospital beds are available during a pandemic.

We are particularly interested in pitches related to housing and homelessness, energy and climate, criminal justice and health, tax and budget, and the administration of Governor Kathy Hochul. 

To pitch New York Focus, send a story tip, or get in touch, please see editors’ contact information on our masthead. Editorial leadership can also be reached at editor@nysfocus.com.

We invite New Yorkers with original views on state politics—especially with insights underrepresented in legacy media—to contribute to our Perspectives section. Please send submissions to editor@nysfocus.com.

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Meet our team here
Ethics & Funders

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A Homeless Amazon Worker Tried to Organize a Union. Then Amazon Fired Him.
Labor, New York City, Reporting
A Homeless Amazon Worker Tried to Organize a Union. Then Amazon Fired Him.
Daequan Smith loved working at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island. After he started organizing with the Amazon Labor Union, he found himself out of a job....

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November 23
As Utility Shutoff Freeze Nears End, New Yorkers in Debt Fear Shutoffs
Budget, Housing, New York State, Reporting
As Utility Shutoff Freeze Nears End, New Yorkers in Debt Fear Shutoffs
Millions of New Yorkers are behind on their utility bills, and advocates say the state is doing a poor job distributing federal assistance....

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November 22
NYC Could Ban Gas in New Buildings This Year
Climate and Environment, Housing, New York City, Reporting
NYC Could Ban Gas in New Buildings This Year
The fight heated up at a hearing Wednesday, with debate centered on when, not if, a gas ban should go into effect....

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November 18
7,000 New Yorkers Need a Kidney. New Legislation Could Make it Easier to Donate.
Health, New York State, Reporting
7,000 New Yorkers Need a Kidney. New Legislation Could Make it Easier to Donate.
Two bills to incentivize kidney donations could save hundreds of lives a year – but supporters say it’s tough to get the legislature to prioritize the issue....

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November 15
State Senators, including Democratic #2, ask Hochul to Nominate Public Defender to New York’s Top Court
New York State, Reporting
State Senators, including Democratic #2, ask Hochul to Nominate Public Defender to New York’s Top Court
A 2021 retirement offers Hochul her first chance to shape New York’s Court of Appeals. Her pick will be an early indication of her ideological commitments, Senator Michael Gianaris said....

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November 14
Retired City Workers Voice Opposition to New City Health Plan in Chaotic Public Hearing
Budget, Health, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Retired City Workers Voice Opposition to New City Health Plan in Chaotic Public Hearing
More than 50 retirees said they opposed the plan. Zero said they supported it....

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November 11
“The Worst Prison in New York State”
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
“The Worst Prison in New York State”
The situation at Rikers is bad, but at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, a maximum security facility more than 200 miles north of New York City, it’s worse....

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November 10
Buffalo Nurses’ Successful Strike Highlights Union Divide and Doubts over New Staffing Law
Health, Labor, New York State, Reporting
Buffalo Nurses’ Successful Strike Highlights Union Divide and Doubts over New Staffing Law
The union’s focus on direct action reflects skepticism that an incoming staffing law will significantly increase staffing ratios....

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November 9
Rochester Looks to Renew 485-a Tax Break Before Critics Take Office
Electoral Politics, Housing, New York State, Reporting
Rochester Looks to Renew 485-a Tax Break Before Critics Take Office
Two progressive organizers opposed to the 485-a program just won City Council races but won't take their seats until next year. Mayor Lovely Warren has directed the Council to vote on the renewal this...

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November 8
A Year After Reforms were Promised, People Leaving New York Jails and Prisons Still Lack IDs
Criminal Justice, New York City, New York State, Reporting
A Year After Reforms were Promised, People Leaving New York Jails and Prisons Still Lack IDs
Reentering society without ID makes jobs and apartments almost impossible to get. Still, many people leaving prison lack the essential paperwork....

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November 4
Homeless Man Spent Over 800 Days in Rikers After Stealing Cold Medicine from Duane Reade
Criminal Justice, New York City, New York State, Reporting
Homeless Man Spent Over 800 Days in Rikers After Stealing Cold Medicine from Duane Reade
Blind in one eye and at risk of losing vision in the other, 58-year-old Reginald Randolph has spent much of the past three years in jail. Now he's on the verge of being sent to state prison for four m...

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November 2
Charges Filed Against Andrew Cuomo for Forcible Touching
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Charges Filed Against Andrew Cuomo for Forcible Touching
The Albany Criminal Court issued a criminal summons charging Cuomo with a Class A misdemeanor....

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October 28
Nine Years after Sandy, Cuomo’s Flagship Community-Led Climate Adaptation Program has Disappeared into a ‘Black Hole’
Climate and Environment, New York City, New York State, Reporting
Nine Years after Sandy, Cuomo’s Flagship Community-Led Climate Adaptation Program has Disappeared into a ‘Black Hole’
With $750 million from the federal government, Albany asked New Yorkers in 2013 to decide how to protect their communities from future storms. Planning participants say their projects have stalled....

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October 28
As Water Shutoff Moratorium Nears Expiration, Hochul Administration Isn’t Enforcing It — or Distributing Federal Water Aid
Climate and Environment, Housing, New York State, Reporting
As Water Shutoff Moratorium Nears Expiration, Hochul Administration Isn’t Enforcing It — or Distributing Federal Water Aid
The moratorium expires in December. But New York hasn’t distributed a single dollar of the $70 million of federal water assistance....

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October 26
Disabled and Abandoned in New York’s Prisons
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Disabled and Abandoned in New York’s Prisons
Incarcerated people with disabilities detail a labyrinth of humiliations in prison....

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October 25
Court Blocks Controversial Medicare Switch for Retired NYC Workers
Health, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Court Blocks Controversial Medicare Switch for Retired NYC Workers
A judge’s decision delays the Oct. 31 deadline for former city employees to decide whether they want to move to private Medicare Advantage or pay for alternatives....

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October 22
Illegal Evictions Are Rising Across The State, But Landlords Rarely Face Consequences
Criminal Justice, Housing, New York State, Reporting
Illegal Evictions Are Rising Across The State, But Landlords Rarely Face Consequences
There’s a growing trend of landlords changing locks and shutting off utilities to get tenants out without going to court, tenant organizers say....

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October 21
Retirees Flee City Medicare Program as Deadline Looms for Move to Private Health Plan
Health, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Retirees Flee City Medicare Program as Deadline Looms for Move to Private Health Plan
Uncertainty about coverage and costs under Medicare Advantage has a quarter million former city workers on edge. Two lawsuits seeking to block the move are slated to be heard in court Wednesday....

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October 20
Tenants Suffer As City Sells Landlords’ Tax Debt to Speculators
Housing, New York City, Reporting
Tenants Suffer As City Sells Landlords’ Tax Debt to Speculators
Critics of New York City’s tax lien sales system say it encourages landlords to evict tenants and ignore building violations....

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October 15
Legislators Push to Make Phone Calls in New York’s Jails and Prisons Free
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Legislators Push to Make Phone Calls in New York’s Jails and Prisons Free
Incarcerated New Yorkers pay some of the steepest rates for phone calls in the country, as high as $9.95 for a single 15-minute call....

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October 14
Prison Agency Resisting Oversight, Say Lawmakers and Watchdogs
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
Prison Agency Resisting Oversight, Say Lawmakers and Watchdogs
A dispute between the prison agency and the independent prison monitoring organization has left lawyers and advocates wondering whether Gov. Hochul’s commitment to transparency will extend to state ...

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October 13
Meet The New York City Taxi Drivers Protesting Outside City Hall
New York City, Perspectives, Transit
Meet The New York City Taxi Drivers Protesting Outside City Hall
Many drivers will face financial ruin if the city cannot help them refinance their debts. Below are eleven of their stories....

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October 8
New York’s Excluded Workers Fund is Running Out of Cash
Budget, Labor, New York State, Reporting
New York’s Excluded Workers Fund is Running Out of Cash
Tens of thousands of undocumented workers could be left out. Advocates are pushing to add more funds....

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October 6
Hundreds of Thousands of Co-op Residents Shut Out of State’s Rent Relief Program
Housing, New York City, New York State, Reporting
Hundreds of Thousands of Co-op Residents Shut Out of State’s Rent Relief Program
"Staff at OTDA seem to be ignoring the plain meaning of the law," said Senate Housing Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh....

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September 30
Death at Rikers: How NYC Judges Fueled the Swelling Jail Population
Criminal Justice, New York City, Reporting
Death at Rikers: How NYC Judges Fueled the Swelling Jail Population
An analysis by New York Focus and Gothamist/WNYC reveals the judges who set bail most frequently, driving up the jail population as it entered crisis....

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September 27
As Rikers Crisis Persists, Prosecutors Continue to Request High Bail
Criminal Justice, New York City, Reporting
As Rikers Crisis Persists, Prosecutors Continue to Request High Bail
"We only ask, and the court sets the bail," the president of the state prosecutors' association said....

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September 24
He Says He Was Wrongfully Convicted. His Trial Prosecutor Led The Unit That Rejected His Petition.
Criminal Justice, New York City, Reporting
He Says He Was Wrongfully Convicted. His Trial Prosecutor Led The Unit That Rejected His Petition.
Anthony Sims’ case shows the conflict of interest inherent in Conviction Review Units led by former prosecutors, critics say....

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September 23
Cab Drivers Are Drowning in Debt. The City’s Plan Won’t Help.
Labor, New York City, Perspectives, Transit
Cab Drivers Are Drowning in Debt. The City’s Plan Won’t Help.
The city's taxi agency has ignored drivers' demands and proposed a plan that the comptroller warns 'would spend more money to forgive less debt.'...

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September 23
Will ‘Blue Collar Mayor’ Adams Give City Unions What They Want?
Budget, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Will ‘Blue Collar Mayor’ Adams Give City Unions What They Want?
With deep ties to both organized labor and the city’s business elite, Mayor Eric Adams will face tough tradeoffs on union contracts....

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September 21
Senate #2 Joins Mounting Opposition to Hochul’s Pick for Top Financial Regulator
New York State, Reporting
Senate #2 Joins Mounting Opposition to Hochul’s Pick for Top Financial Regulator
Adrienne Harris has worked for over a dozen financial technology firms that Hochul would put her in charge of regulating....

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September 14
Inside New York’s Messy Push to Clean Up Concrete
Climate and Environment, New York State, Reporting
Inside New York’s Messy Push to Clean Up Concrete
If concrete production were a country, it would be the world’s third largest carbon emitter. New York legislators want to clean it up....

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September 9
Governor Hochul Promised a “New Era of Transparency.” So Far, Details are Scarce.
New York State, Reporting
Governor Hochul Promised a “New Era of Transparency.” So Far, Details are Scarce.
New York’s new leader has pledged to improve access to public records – but hasn’t yet committed to the policy reforms transparency experts say are needed....

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September 8
Why Isn’t New York Offering Paper Applications for COVID Rent Relief?
Budget, Housing, New York State, Reporting
Why Isn’t New York Offering Paper Applications for COVID Rent Relief?
The $115 million state contract for administering the program required a paper application. Without it, tenants who can’t access technology may be getting left behind....

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September 2
How New York Lets Prosecutors Off The Hook for Misconduct
Criminal Justice, New York State, Reporting
How New York Lets Prosecutors Off The Hook for Misconduct
Not a single prosecutor appeared to have been disciplined for on-the-job misconduct in 2019. Even the state prosecutors association supports reforms....

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September 1
Lessons to be learned from New York’s climate policy laboratory
Climate and Environment, New York State, Reporting
Lessons to be learned from New York’s climate policy laboratory
New York is seen as a model - but it also shows the challenges of green public-private partnerships ...

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September 1
Nobody knows it, but Bill de Blasio is America’s best climate mayor
Climate and Environment, New York City, Perspectives
Nobody knows it, but Bill de Blasio is America’s best climate mayor
And that’s still vastly short of what’s needed....

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August 31
Rikers Staffing Crisis Limits Access to Medical Care
Criminal Justice, Health, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Rikers Staffing Crisis Limits Access to Medical Care
With thousands of officers not coming into work, incarcerated people aren’t getting escorted to their medical appointments, a New York Focus investigation finds....

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August 26
Retired City Workers Brace for Shift to Privatized Health Care
Health, Labor, New York City, Reporting
Retired City Workers Brace for Shift to Privatized Health Care
City leaders have awarded a contract to provide city retirees private Medicare-like insurance to a corporate coalition termed “The Alliance.” Former public workers worry their coverage may change....

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August 19
Renters Powered India Walton’s Upset Win
Electoral Politics, Housing, New York State, Perspectives
Renters Powered India Walton’s Upset Win
Renters broke decisively for India Walton in Buffalo's June Democratic primary, favoring an affordable housing advocate with a tenant-centered housing platform over a developer-friendly incumbent....

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August 17
Cuomo Leaves, But a Corrupt Political Culture Remains in New York
Electoral Politics, New York State, Reporting
Cuomo Leaves, But a Corrupt Political Culture Remains in New York
The structure of state government, with its centralized power and few ethical checks, invites scandal after scandal....

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August 11
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