Gianna Palmer

When Bombs Besieged New York City In Early 20th Century: U.S. Explosions Once Common

It’s the most intense period of American terrorism you’ve likely never heard of. At the turn of the 20th century, bombings were a fixture of urban life in America, with frequent violent incidents reminiscent of Monday’s Boston Marathon attack. “You would’ve actually been a lot more accustomed to [bombings] in New York 100 years ago […]

Gianna Palmer
By Gianna Palmer

It’s the most intense period of American terrorism you’ve likely never heard of. At the turn of the 20th century, bombings were a fixture of urban life in America, with frequent violent incidents reminiscent of Monday’s Boston Marathon attack. “You would’ve actually been a lot more accustomed to [bombings] in New York 100 years ago than people are

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East Coast Residents Resist Evacuation Orders, Some With Regret

Like everyone living in the lowest-lying areas of New York City, the more than 6,100 residents of the Red Hook Houses — Brooklyn’s largest public housing development — were under orders from City Hall to evacuate the zone by Sunday evening. The New York City Housing Authority gave those who lived in public housing an […]

Gianna Palmer
By Gianna Palmer
With the aid of New Jersey State police, a man walks with his dog to a National Guard vehicle after leaving his flooded home at the Metropolitan Trailer Park in Moonachie, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in the wake of superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Like everyone living in the lowest-lying areas of New York City, the more than 6,100 residents of the Red Hook Houses — Brooklyn’s largest public housing development — were under orders from City Hall to evacuate the zone by Sunday evening. The New York City Housing Authority gave those who lived in public housing an extra push to get out:

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Construction Permit Middlemen Face New Hurdle To Getting The Job

Just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning Steve Ruotolo, 57, had been standing outside the Department of Building’s Manhattan Borough Office for several hours. He carried a large olive-green tote bag stuffed with rolls of building plans and stacks of associated forms. Though he expected a stressful day, he was in good spirits. “It’s not […]

Gianna Palmer
By Gianna Palmer
Construction workers walk through a construction area on June 20, 2011. (Photo by the US Army Corps of Engineers via Flikr)

Just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning Steve Ruotolo, 57, had been standing outside the Department of Building’s Manhattan Borough Office for several hours. He carried a large olive-green tote bag stuffed with rolls of building plans and stacks of associated forms. Though he expected a stressful day, he was in good spirits. “It’s not bad — the

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City Councils Try ‘Participatory Budgeting’ To Get Citizens More Involved In Community, Politics

After a dynamic inaugural year of inviting the public to help decide how the New York City Council spends some of its funds, four council members who pioneered the practice are about to have some company. In contrast to the typical closed-door, opaque decision-making behind council members’ individual member-item spending, under “participatory budgeting” four City […]

Gianna Palmer
By Gianna Palmer
New York City Council members Jumaane Williams, second left, and Ydanis Rodriguez, center, join Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York's Zuccotti Park. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

After a dynamic inaugural year of inviting the public to help decide how the New York City Council spends some of its funds, four council members who pioneered the practice are about to have some company. In contrast to the typical closed-door, opaque decision-making behind council members’ individual member-item spending, under “participatory

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As Homeless Pack Shelters, Storage Brokers Seek Their Stuff

Two years after the city’s Human Resources Administration vowed to save money by finding a single company to provide storage services for homeless New Yorkers, it continues to force clients to find their own facilities. With the city’s homeless population now at record levels, vying to store their possessions is a booming business. Enter HRA. Not the city […]

Gianna Palmer
By Gianna Palmer
Homeless - Photo by Julie Jordan Scott

Two years after the city’s Human Resources Administration vowed to save money by finding a single company to provide storage services for homeless New Yorkers, it continues to force clients to find their own facilities. With the city’s homeless population now at record levels, vying to store their possessions is a booming business. Enter HRA.

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