Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Finance
Day two of the Fiscal 2027 executive budget hearings, held jointly by the Committee on Finance, Committee on Civil and Human Rights, and Committee on Parks and Recreation. The first hearing covered the New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), where Commissioner Christine Clark testified about a roughly 6% FY27 budget decrease, a 22% vacancy rate, agency restructuring prioritizing enforcement, restitution and settlement achievements, a new case management system request, and the racial equity plan. The second hearing covered the Department of Parks and Recreation, where Commissioner Tricia Shimamura testified on a $685.4 million FY27 executive budget, the baseline of $15 million for formerly one-shot funded staff lines, unfunded one-shot positions (PEP officers, GreenThumb, stump removal), lifeguard staffing, capital project timelines, tree planting, concessions, and workforce equity data. Public testimony was not taken at this hearing; the chairs noted it is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10 at 9:30 a.m.
0:11 Where? Yeah. No.
0:11 Good morning. Good morning.
0:13 Welcome to the New York City
0:15 council executive budget
0:16 hearing on the committee on
0:17 finance joint with the
0:18 committee on civil and human
0:19 rights and the committee on
0:20 parks and recreation at this
0:23 time, please. Sounds
0:24 electronics and do not
0:25 approach the dais. Any
0:26 questions or concerns, please
0:27 reach a sergeant at arms.
0:29 Thank you for your cooperation
0:29 chairs you begin. Okay
0:41 , good morning, everyone and
0:44 welcome to day two of the
0:46 fiscal 27 executive budget
0:48 hearings on Council Member
0:50 Linda Lee, today's hearings
0:51 will begin with New York City
0:52 commission on human rights,
0:53 followed by department of
0:54 I'm pleased to be joined by my
0:57 colleague, Council Member
0:59 Sandy Nurse, committee on
1:00 civil and human rights, um,
1:03 and we've been joined today by
1:05 our colleagues, depyut speaker
1:07 Williams council marty council
1:10 wang councilmember Hudson and
1:11 Council Member j. Sanchez. And
1:14 I'm not missing anyone? No, I
1:15 think that's.
1:15 It. Um so welcome.
1:19 Commissioner christine clark
1:19 and your team and thank you
1:21 all for joining us today t
1:22 oanswer our questions on May 1
1:26 22026, the administration
1:27 really lewd 27, right, the
1:28 imminent no no. 26. Sorry, I'm
1:29 so confused with what you're
1:31 but I'm sorry, it's.
1:32 Only day two. Okay, um, the
1:36 administration released the
1:37 executive financial plan for
1:39 fiscal 2026 2 20 30 with a
1:42 proposed fiscal 27 budget of
1:46 $124.7 billion.
1:47 The New York City commission
1:47 on human rights proposed
1:48 fiscal 27 budget of represents
1:52 represents a point 0 1% of the
1:55 administration's proposed
1:56 fiscal 27 budget in the
2:00 executive plan. This is a
2:00 decrease of 900000 or 6% from
2:02 the originally budgeted in the
2:05 f 27 preliminary plan. This
2:08 decrease is a result of the
2:10 administration's vacancy
2:10 reductions, which decreased
2:13 budgeted head by nine as well
2:15 as unrestored ot funding as of
2:19 April 2026 hrs actual head
2:20 account was 29 less than their
2:22 fiscal 26 budgeted account in
2:24 the counsel's preliminary
2:25 budget response we called on
2:27 the Mayor to restore and
2:30 baseline, $410000 for general
2:33 operating support this funding
2:34 is essential to ensure that
2:35 the commission can adequately
2:36 reached New yorkers to inform
2:37 them of their rights,
2:41 responsibilities and reporting
2:41 options available to them. We
2:44 were disappointed to see that
2:45 our request was not included
2:46 in the plan and a time when
2:47 many New yorkers feel
2:49 uncertain about the state of
2:50 their civil rights protections
2:51 it is more important than eve
2:53 r. That's sisi. Hr is
2:57 meaningfully supported a
2:57 reduction in the commission's
2:58 headcount raises concerns New
3:01 yorkers would benefit greatly
3:02 from quicker case processing
3:04 and maintaining and growing
3:06 staff capacity is key t
3:07 omaking that possible? We look
3:09 forward to hearing from the
3:10 commission today about the
3:11 impact of these budget
3:12 reductions on its operations
3:13 an howd it can work together
3:15 to better support the
3:16 commission's important work,
3:19 and I would now like to turn
3:19 over to my co chair for this
3:21 hearing council Nurse for her
3:27 opening statement. Oh, good
3:30 morning and tha younk. My name
3:33 is Sandy Nurse, I'm the chair
3:35 of this committee cc hr the
3:37 New York City human rights law
3:39 by bringing forward cases of
3:41 discrimination as well as
3:42 educating New yorkers about
3:43 their rights and obligations
3:47 this executive plan includes
3:48 detrimental cuts to the
3:51 commission's budget. And while
3:51 the administration is
3:52 instituting budget cuts across
3:55 agencies. The commission faces
3:56 one of the highest 10.8% in
3:59 fiscal 26 and 6% in fiscal 27
4:03 as charitably, said cc hrs
4:05 head count is down, which is
4:07 extremely worrying given the
4:10 commission's charter mandated
4:11 responsibilities. The
4:12 commission also faces a high
4:13 vacancy rate of 22% and at a
4:16 time when there are no federal
4:18 avenues for New yorkers
4:20 fighting human rights
4:21 violations. It is essential
4:23 that the administration
4:25 restores and expands cc hrs
4:29 head count. I'm eager to hear
4:29 how the odd man believes we
4:31 can carry out all the work
4:32 required here with less.
4:36 Resources. Additionally, as
4:37 charlie highlighted the
4:38 executive budget did not
4:40 include the restoration of
4:43 410000 in fiscal 27 for
4:44 general operating support,
4:46 which is extremely small
4:47 amount given the size of the
4:48 entire budget of this City.
4:51 This funding is essential for
4:52 the commission's outreach and
4:53 ability to educate New yorkers
4:54 on their rights and
4:56 responsibilities and I'm
4:57 frankly a little concerned and
4:59 disappointed that the Mayor
5:00 will not uphold his campaign
5:02 promise to expand the
5:05 commission's budget. In
5:06 addition to these issues, we
5:06 will discuss the commission's
5:08 preliminary racial equity pla
5:08 n, which was published as part
5:10 of the City wide preliminary
5:12 racial equity plan in the
5:14 racial equity plan is meant to
5:16 inform the city's budget, and
5:17 I think we can all agree that
5:19 there is a lot of concern to
5:20 see many of budget changes go
5:22 against these established
5:26 goals, so I would like to
5:27 thank the finance staff
5:27 committee staff, of course,
5:28 the chair and my own staff and
5:29 preparation for this hearing.
5:30 I'm looking forward to the
5:31 conversation. Thank you,
5:35 sherif
5:35 . Thank you. Before you
5:36 started, like to take a quick
5:37 moment to think the entire
5:39 council finance division staff
5:40 for their efforts praying for
5:42 these hearings, especially ali
5:43 stole four florentine cab and
5:45 caitlin know hagen fro
5:46 mcouncil finance for preparing
5:48 today's hearing committee
5:49 counsel brian store food. My
5:52 senior adviser is a and all
5:53 the finance analysts and
5:54 support staff who make it all
5:55 work and as a reminder for
5:57 this year's budget joint
5:58 hearings, we will take public
6:00 testimony on all agencies.
6:01 Executive budget onedne wsday,
6:05 June 10 beginning at 9 30 a. M
6:07 um so I will now turn it over
6:08 to committee counsel to swear
6:10 in the witnesses for their
6:13 testimony.
6:13 Good morning. Do you affirm
6:15 to tell the truth, the whole
6:16 truth and nothing but the
6:17 truth before this committee
6:18 and to respond honestly to
6:20 Council Member questions.
6:23 Commissioner clark. I do and
6:26 oh, chief of staff rios.
6:27 Louisa. I do, you begin.
6:33 Hello. Good morning and thank
6:34 you all my name is christine
6:36 clark, the chair and
6:36 commissioner of the New York
6:38 City commission on human
6:39 rights. Thank you to the
6:40 chairs and the committees for
6:41 holding this hearing on our
6:45 annual budget since joining
6:45 the commission on human rights
6:46 as part of the madonna
6:48 administration. I've worked
6:49 hard, supported by my talented
6:51 and hardworking team
6:52 ,including the person I forgot
6:53 to introduce our achieve of
6:54 staff from commissioner for
6:56 external affairs jose rios
6:58 blew up, supported by the
6:59 talented and hardworking tea
7:01 mi was lucky enough to inherit
7:02 .I've worked hard to show up
7:03 for New yorkers every single
7:04 day and to make real the hopes
7:05 and dreams of the civil rights
7:09 movements, ensuring that all
7:09 the rights and privileges that
7:10 come with being a resident of
7:11 this great City are shared
7:12 equally among all while the
7:15 department of transportation
7:16 fills potholes we make sure
7:17 that New yorkers who used
7:18 wheelchairs and service dogs
7:19 are able to utilize the buses
7:21 that drive over those now
7:24 patched potholes while
7:25 provides housing vouchers for
7:26 people we work to ensure that
7:27 landlords do not turn those
7:28 people away so that the
7:29 promise of those bachelors are
7:32 fully realized and stable,
7:35 affordable tendencies while
7:35 fights to create affordable
7:36 housing in the City we fight
7:37 to make sure that people can
7:39 keep the jobs they need to pay
7:40 for that housing and that
7:41 families can actually access
7:43 that housing, regardless of
7:44 their race religion, national
7:46 origin disability, pregnancy
7:49 and more under the leadership
7:50 of Mayor mamdani. We are
7:50 working hand in hand with
7:52 other agencies and community
7:52 partners to make this City
7:54 more affordable, more
7:55 began earlier this year, the
8:02 commission on human rights has
8:02 obtained over a million
8:03 dollars in restitution for
8:04 victims of discrimination,
8:05 almost all of whom are
8:07 struggling to make ends meet
8:07 in this City and to put food
8:09 on the table every night
8:10 .we've also obtained over
8:12 $200000 in civil penalties
8:13 just since we've obtained
8:16 almost $350000 in damages for
8:19 victims of disability
8:20 discrimination in housing
8:21 while in that their landlords
8:23 actually build the accessible
8:25 ramps and rails that they need
8:26 to keep to stay in their homes
8:30 . We've obtained over $600000
8:30 in damages for victims of
8:32 employment discrimination from
8:33 race discrimination t
8:35 opregnancy discrimination t
8:35 osexual harassment and more.
8:38 We've also reached a
8:39 settlement with the that
8:40 applies to every single public
8:41 bus in the City to ensure that
8:43 people of service animals are
8:44 able to ride the bus without
8:44 fear of harassment or
8:49 intimidation since I began
8:49 earlier this year. We've also
8:50 secured a long term affordable
8:52 tendencies for 31 households
8:54 who experienced discrimination
8:55 by landlords because of their
8:58 housing vouchers, given that
8:58 the cost of housing adrienne
8:59 family shelter for one year in
9:00 the City costs on $95000 a
9:04 year by keeping these 31
9:04 family's house and out of
9:05 shelter we've saved the City
9:06 nearly $3 million in averted
9:10 shelter costs. We have secured
9:11 another 70 set aside
9:12 departments just this year
9:13 that landlords have agreed as
9:14 part of settling a
9:15 nenforcement action with the
9:16 commission to hold exclusively
9:18 for mental by voucher holders,
9:19 each of those apartments and
9:21 set asides, expands and
9:22 preserves the stock o
9:23 faffordable housing in the City
9:24 for the entire life of that
9:28 tendency another, almost 100
9:29 0apartments are currently
9:29 either occupied by voucher
9:31 holders or being held
9:32 exclusively for such renters
9:33 as part of prior settlements
9:34 with the commission again had
9:38 those families ended up in
9:38 shelter as happens too far too
9:39 many housing voucher holders
9:40 every year due to unlawful
9:42 discrimination, the City would
9:43 be paying over a hundred
9:44 million dollars a year in
9:47 shelter costs the commission's
9:48 enforcement actions have saved
9:49 the City of those, while most
9:50 importantly, ensuring stable
9:51 long term affordable housing
9:53 for families in need since
9:56 starting at the commission
9:57 .we've also begun
9:58 systematically overhauling
10:00 this agency's approach to
10:01 handling complaints.
10:01 From soup to nuts. We
10:03 restructured the agency t
10:05 omove every available resource
10:06 into intake enforcement
10:09 training, making sure that w
10:09 ededicate as many resources as
10:10 we can to enforce complaints
10:12 obtaining justice for New
10:13 yorkers and preventing future
10:16 unlawful acts. In so doing we
10:17 are streamlining our and
10:18 taking enforcement process t
10:19 oensure that as many complaints
10:20 are resolved as quickly as
10:22 possible and ensuring that our
10:23 processes remain accessible t
10:24 oall people, no matter wtha
10:26 language they speak over
10:26 resources they have. We are
10:29 investing in our intake team
10:30 moving more resources than
10:31 into that department and
10:32 frontloading much of our
10:34 investigatory work there, too
10:34 ensure that we're able to mov
10:36 efaster and get people the
10:37 answers they are seeking from
10:38 us more quickly. Similarly, we
10:41 continue to invest in our
10:42 spectacularly successful pre
10:44 complete interventions team,
10:45 which focuses on resolving a
10:46 source of income
10:47 discrimination, disability
10:48 access discrimination and
10:49 other forms of discriminatio
10:51 nbefore litigation has started.
10:54 These are some of our most
10:54 successful
10:55 . Programs where we resolve
10:56 someone's situation entirely
10:57 ,including getting voucher
10:59 holders fully leased up on
11:00 average within three and a
11:01 half weeks after they first
11:02 reached out to us. We're also
11:05 looking for other ways t
11:05 ospeed up our case
11:07 investigation processes and
11:07 ensure that we're able to
11:09 bring compassionate, cultural,
11:10 competent and community our
11:12 industry specific expertise
11:13 into our investigations
11:14 process as a result, we've
11:15 moved some of our community
11:17 relations experts into our
11:18 enforcement division as not
11:19 attorney case specialists
11:22 .this allows people with
11:22 specialized talent and
11:23 speaking to the public to lean
11:24 into those talents in case
11:26 investigations and
11:27 . Allows our attorneys to lea
11:28 ninto their expertise,
11:29 litigation and trials. Overall
11:32 , this allows us to move cases
11:32 better communicate more
11:33 frequently and more
11:34 excessively to complainants
11:35 and allows us to better meet
11:36 people where they are and
11:37 provide them with timely
11:38 answers they're looking for
11:41 .we've also finally been able
11:41 to fully staff up our impact
11:43 litigation team known as our
11:46 commissioner initiated
11:46 complaints team allowing fro
11:47 mour targeted strategic
11:50 enforcement. We're also
11:50 growing our mediations program
11:52 and are in the process of
11:52 hiring a New director of
11:53 mediations who will lead the
11:55 work of expanding and
11:56 rethinking our mediation
11:57 program to allow more people
11:59 to receive just resolutions
12:02 more quickly. Finally, we are
12:02 investing in providing more
12:03 targeted an accessible
12:04 trainings with a specialized
12:05 trained team as well as
12:07 creating deeper partnerships
12:08 of trust with movement and
12:09 community based organizations