https://www.otdowntown.com/news/mayor-unveils-plan-to-lower-rent-for-poorest-build-housing-NA5882249 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-26T15:42:08-04:00 Mayor Unveils Plan to Lower Rent for Poorest, Build Housing https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-05-26-at-1-14-17-pm_4-10755957_20260526131759.png NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled his new housing plan ‘Block by Block’ at a press conference in Brooklyn May 26. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/yuh-line-niou-and-grace-lee-go-head-to-head-to-succeed-kavanagh-II5875758 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-26T16:29:31-04:00 Yuh-Line Niou and Grace Lee Go Head-to-Head to Succeed Kavanagh https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/senate-district-27_4-10749171_20260522125307.jpg This will be the second time Yuh-Line Niou (left) and Grace Lee (right) face each other in an election. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/chelsea-downtown-manhattan-events-may-28-jun-3-CE5886325 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-27T12:07:21-04:00 Chelsea & Downtown Manhattan Events: May. 28-Jun. 3 https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/whitney-via-www-whitney-org_4-10759191_20260527120723.jpg whitney via www.whitney.org https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/public-theater-via-publictheater-org_4-10759195_20260527120724.jpg Public Theater via publictheater.org https://www.otdowntown.com/news/proposal-that-could-add-gates-for-washington-square-park-advances-FD5885474 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-27T13:46:06-04:00 Proposal That Could Add Gates for Washington Square Park Advances https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/gates-1_4-10760192_20260527132132.jpg After a Community Board 2 Parks and Waterfront Committee meeting in early May, it became clear that there was widespread disdain for Washington Square Park’s current police barricades. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/gates-2_4-10760193_20260527132134.jpg Currently, the Parks Department has to manually move the police barricades twice a day to close and reopen the eleven entrances to the Park. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/grieving-family-of-teen-killed-subway-surfing-raises-money-for-funeral-BD5885641 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-27T14:18:46-04:00 Grieving Family of Teen Killed Subway Surfing Raises Money for Funeral https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/subway-surfing-teen-family-money-fune_4-10760751_20260527141426.webp The family of Akhi Butler, a 14 year-old, is currently raising money for a funeral after the teen fell from a J Train during a subway surfing incident. First reponders can be seen on the Manhattan side of the Williamsburg Bridge on May 22. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/akhi-butler_4-10758786_20260527113901.jpg The family of Akhi Butler, a 14 year-old, is currently raising money for a funeral after the teen fell from a J Train during a subway surfing incident May 22. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/first-responders-on-williamsburg-brid_4-10759624_20260527125427.png First responders on the Manhattan side of the Williamsburg Bridge on May 22, after two teens were injured while subway surfing. Fourteen year old Akhi Butler died as a result of his injuries while an 18 year old is in critical condition. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/housing-lottery-open-for-rialto-west-building-in-hell-s-kitchen-BD5885737 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-27T16:01:58-04:00 Housing Lottery Open for Rialto West Building in Hell’s Kitchen https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/img-0118_4-10759627_20260527125713.jpg The housing lottery for affordable apartments in Rialto West has begun. https://www.otdowntown.com/features/people/two-performing-arts-students-win-prestigious-high-school-musical-theatre-awards-FE5886676 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-27T17:10:08-04:00 Two Performing Arts Students Win Prestigious High School Musical Theatre Awards https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/2026-winner-emersyn-hunt-reaction-c_4-10760135_20260527130802.jpg Emersyn Hunt reacting to winning Outstanding Performer for her performance as Beverley Bass in “Come From Away” at the Roger Rees Awards. (Photo: Angela of York) https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/2026-emerging-artist-winners-gloria-m_4-10762753_20260527175648.jpg Gloria Manning was named an Emerging Artist at the Roger Rees Awards for her performance of Hannah in “Come From Away.” (Photo: Angela of York) https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/2026-roger-rees-award-winners_4-10759620_20260527130800.jpg Gloria Manning (far left) and Emersyn Hunt (far right) were among four NY high schoolers to win at the Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance May 19. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/menin-joins-student-fight-to-restore-afterschool-provider-KJ5874518 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-28T10:35:59-04:00 Menin Joins Student Fight to Restore Afterschool Provider https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tempimageg7reij_4-10747048_20260522090249.jpg Middle School Students seek signatures to a petition to the Department of Education, urging the city restore the provider of its after school arts program. The DOE’s Department of Youth & Community Development is switching from Manhattan Youth to another provider at some but not all middle schools. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/tempimagepqdawz_4-10747050_20260522090251.jpg QR code to sign the petition and read more information about what’s going on with the after school program. Some students are protesting the switch by the Department of Ed. to a new after-school provider. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/nearly-half-of-nyc-households-struggle-financially-study-GK5837877 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-28T11:33:30-04:00 Nearly Half of NYC Households Struggle Financially: Study https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-05-11-at-3-23-19-pm_4-10709864_20260511152549.png Dr. Aldrin Bonilla, executive vice president at the Fund for the City of New York, details the early findings of the “True Cost of Living” report during a press conference at the FCNY’s offices in Lower Manhattan. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-05-11-at-3-23-50-pm_4-10709867_20260511152553.png Lisette Nieves, president of the Fund for the City of New York, delivers remarks during a press conference on March 17, 2026, releasing the early findings of the “True Cost of Living” report at FCNY’s offices in Lower Manhattan. https://www.otdowntown.com/voices/most-plastics-still-end-up-in-landfills-FH5889799 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-05-28T13:04:10-04:00 Most Plastics Still End Up in Landfills https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/landfills_4-10764661_20260528124637.jpg Despite the recent push, the advocacy group Beyond Plastics said that only six percent of all plastics get recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or incinerators. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-05-28-125636_4-10766396_20260528125951.png Friends of Kristin Shevin call her “The Trash Talker” as she advocates for recycling programs.