N.Y. Today: Are New York’s Environmental Concerns Worsening a Housing Shortage?

March 29, 2026

Kathy Hochul at a construction site surrounded by four people in hard hats.

Mimi d’Autremont for The New York Times

Are New York’s Environmental Concerns Worsening a Housing Shortage?

Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing to exempt a majority of new housing from state environmental reviews, arguing that sufficient safeguards are in place at the local level.

By Grace Ashford

Elena Apostolides laughs while hosting a dinner party at a large dining table.

The ‘Hunger Games,’ Hamptons-Style: Hiring a Private Chef for Summer

On New York’s eastern shore, the wealthy are already competing to secure a chef for the season.

By Dionne Searcey

A man in a purple shirt sitting at an institutional table with a bag of documents.

He Spent Five Years in Solitary. He Came Out a Jailhouse Lawyer.

Obsessed with proving his innocence, Quentin Lewis devoted years in isolation to learning the law. Now he is taking on his captors in prison tribunals.

By Corey Kilgannon and Lauren Petracca

Boshir Khan writes on a notepad while a couple holding menus speak with him at Panna II.

‘Love Story’ Has People Falling for ’90s New York City Again

The show, about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, has fans flocking to restaurants and stores the couple visited during their romance.

By Brittany Loggins

Afsa Irfan, a seventh grader, raises her hand as she sits at a table in a classroom. Other students are writing. Flags hang on a wall behind her.

Jewish and Muslim People Face a Wave of Hate. Can Schools Turn the Tide?

New York City is rolling out lessons on Jewish and Muslim American history. Too often, some leaders say, what students know comes from TikTok and social media.

By Troy Closson

A woman stands in an office with a view of Manhattan. She is wearing a green wrap dress and has her hands folded.

Mamdani Just Hired Her. The Job? ‘The Country’s Hardest Problems.’

Erin Dalton, who is starting her job as New York City’s social services chief, laid out her plans to tackle homelessness, benefit cuts and a budget gap in an interview.

By Elizabeth A. Harris

Alex Steffen, a futurist and former journalist, stands under a tree in a meadow.

Fearing Chaos of Climate Change, Some Seek Answers in Virtual Classroom

A monthlong seminar offers lessons in how to anticipate and prepare for the mounting disruptions of global warming.

By Hilary Howard

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