New York City Council Stated Meeting, October 8, 2026

The New York City Council convened its Stated Meeting on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 1:25 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Acting President Pro Tempore Shekar Krishnan presided over the session. A quorum was established with 47 out of 51 members present. The agenda encompassed the adoption of previous minutes, land use call-ups, approval of committee reports, extensive voting on zoning and text amendments for multiple rezonings across the boroughs, and the introduction of 31 new bills and resolutions.

Consent Calendar

• Adoption of Minutes of September 24, 2026 were adopted as printed.
• Commissioner of Deeds appointment approved.
• Reports of Standing Committees: Adopted by consent roll call. This included the Reports of the Committees on Education (Int 0684-A), Finance, Land Use, Public Safety (Int 0489-A), and Small Business (Int 0799-A).
• Coupled on General Orders Calendar: A block of 47 items was adopted by a vote of 47 in the affirmative and 0 in the negative. Item Int 0489-A (Towed Vehicles) was separated from this block for an individual vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public gave testimony during the stated meeting. Per Council rules, only members of the Council may speak during the formal meeting. Several delegations of students and international visitors were welcomed in the chamber.

Discussion Items

• Communication from the Speaker: Speaker Julie Menin delivered a wide-ranging address. She reflected on the Council's recent Committee of the Whole hearing on AI safety, where whistleblowers testified about existential risks. She announced the expansion of a nonprofit grant program to serve over 800 organizations, stating it cut payment timelines by around 300% on average. The Speaker also detailed a new initiative installing panic buttons and security cameras for small businesses to combat retail theft. She commemorated the third anniversary of the October 7th attacks, recognized Italian Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples Day, World Teachers Day, and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, noting that nearly 40% of felony assaults are classified as domestic violence.
• Land Use Overview: The Speaker highlighted several key rezonings including the Sojourner Truth-Mapes Rezoning (457 units of 100% affordable housing), Fort Hamilton Mews (292 units), Park Avenue Brooklyn and 289 Kent Avenue (over 700 combined units and 2,500 school seats), and several others. Many applications were modified by the Council to require deeper affordability standards.
• Statements on Legislation: Council Member Susan Zhuang urged support for Int 0684-A, a study on language access and geographic barriers to gifted and talented programs. Council Member Inna Vernikov championed the towed vehicles database (Int 0489-A), calling the current system "outdated and non-functional". Council Member Lincoln Restler spoke in favor of two rezonings in his district, stressing the addition of school seats and housing units. Council Member Oswald Feliz recounted a personal anecdote of his car being moved to illustrate the need for the towed vehicle database.
• General Discussion & New Bill Introductions: Council Member Farah Louis highlighted the uterine fibroid crisis among Black women (over 80% incidence by age 50). Council Member Lynn Schulman introduced a bill requiring renewal of food protection certifications every five years. Council Members Virginia Maloney and Kayla Santosuosso introduced bills related to AI safety and transparency. Council Member Frank Morano introduced a bill requiring community impact statements for transient hotels. Council Member Harvey Epstein introduced bills to inform youth of their rights in the criminal legal process and to reclassify probation officers as uniformed officers. Council Member Amanda Farias introduced a bill to expand NYPD domestic violence reporting. Council Member Lincoln Restler introduced a resolution affirming support for Canada. Council Members David Carr and Rita Joseph spoke on Down syndrome awareness and transparency in school-based disability services. Council Member Yusef Salaam urged support for his legislation on business tax credits and construction support funds.

Key Outcomes

• Land Use Call-Up (Studio 54, M 0092-2026): Adopted by a vote of 46-0, initiating Council review of the City Planning Commission's action.
• Zoning and Text Amendments: Several rezonings were approved with modifications, including Fort Hamilton Mews, Park Avenue Brooklyn, 289 Kent Avenue, and 69-67 108th Street. The Sojourner Truth-Mapes rezoning was coupled on General Orders.
• Res 0328-2026 (Infrastructure Tax Credit): Adopted by voice vote.
• Res 0458-2026-A (Little Yemen Cultural District): Adopted by voice vote.
• Res 0646-2026 (Hindu American Awareness Month): Adopted by voice vote.
• Int 0489-2026-A (Towed Vehicle Database): Passed by a vote of 46 in the affirmative, 0 in the negative, with 1 abstention (Council Member Chi Ossé).
• Bills Introduced (Int 1100-1130, Res 0663-0668, LU 0146-0154): 31 new items were introduced and referred to their respective committees. Key themes included artificial intelligence regulation, worker and consumer protection, health equity, and government transparency.
• Next Steps: The next Stated Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2026. The meeting was adjourned by Speaker Menin.