Commentary

Original essays, new research and data analysis on many of the biggest questions facing New York and other cities

A man wearing a mask shaped like a computer over his head stands on a subway train

Transit

How the MTA Built Its New App In-House

Nicole Gelinas Apr. 22 2026

People cross a New York City crosswalk as a bus passes by behind them

City Planning

To Prioritize Pedestrians, We Need to Walk the Walk

Andres Sevtsuk Apr. 16 2026

A homeless man sits on the sidewalk next to a man standing behind an advertising board

Homelessness

Why It Takes Four New Housing Units to Get One Person Off the Street

Sherry Glied Apr. 16 2026

Sanitation workers and NYPD clear out a homeless encampment at the base of Manhattan Bridge

Homelessness

Homeless Encampments, Expenditures and the Evidence We Keep Ignoring

Amie Pospisil Apr. 16 2026

A police officer and a homeless outreach worker assist a homeless man sleeping on a bench on a Subway platform

Homelessness

Why It (Almost) Always Makes Sense to Send the Cops

Jerry Ratcliffe Apr. 16 2026

A dollar sign bike rack, designed by David Byrne, surrounded by scaffolding and construction material on Wall Street near the New York Stock Exchange

Podcast

When Push Comes to Budget

Jamie Rubin Apr. 15 2026

Mamdani’s First 100 Days: A Scorecard

Just Fix It

Mamdani’s First 100 Days: A Scorecard

Vital City Apr. 14 2026

Mamdani signs an executive order during a news conference at Grand Army Plaza with a row of supporters standing behind him

City Government

Good Government, Beyond the Couch Cushions

Robert Gordon Apr. 14 2026

NYC’s Fiscal Tightrope Act

Budget

NYC’s Fiscal Tightrope Act

Mark Levine Apr. 08 2026

Does When We're Born Make Us Who We Are? A New Way of Thinking About Crime and Success in America

Events

Does When We're Born Make Us Who We Are? A New Way of Thinking About Crime and Success in America

Vital City Apr. 08 2026

A traffic camera feed depicting a Manhattan street

Streets

A Road Safety Blueprint for the Mamdani Administration

Aaron Stagoff, Jonathan Ben-Menachem, Brenden Beck Apr. 07 2026

Karen B. Shaer 1959-2026

In Memoriam

Karen B. Shaer 1959-2026

Elizabeth Glazer Apr. 02 2026