If you’re thinking of how to give back, one way to consider is becoming an NYC Free Tax Prep Volunteer. As a volunteer preparer, you can have a real impact on New Yorkers’ lives. With just a few hours a week, you will help about five families complete their tax returns and claim valuable tax credits. By the end of the season, you’ll complete about 40 tax returns, helping your neighbors claim more than $90,000 in refunds and tax preparation fee savings.

Go to the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s website for information on how to become a NYC Free Tax Prep Volunteer.

CB6 wants to begin a discussion on the FDR Drive, which contains aging infrastructure and has a major impact on our district, as well as our city. CB6 therefore commissioned a report on the FDR Drive, a report done by WXY Architecture + Urban Design. At the March 13, 2024 Full Board meeting, WXY presented to the community board a summary of their findings on the FDR Drive’s current conditions, as well as potential visions for the highway. You can also access their report detailing all of the findings.

As you may’ve heard, the Central Business District Tolling Program, also known as congestion pricing, is restarting on midnight on January 5, 2025.

The toll amount will depend on the type of vehicle, time of day, whether any crossing credits apply, and the method of payment. For example, passenger vehicles with E-ZPass will be charged $9 in the peak period or $2.25 overnight, once daily. Discounts or exemptions may apply to your trip – visit mta.info/discounts for more details.

E-ZPass is the best way to pay the toll. Drivers will be able to pay with their existing E-ZPass transponder and account. If you already have an E-ZPass account, make sure it is up to date with your current license plate number, to ensure you are charged the E-ZPass toll rate and receive any peak period crossing credits.

There is a series of 8 public webinars on the Congestion Relief Zone tolling program (Central Business District Tolling Program). The 60-minute webinars will educate members of the public on the how the Congestion Relief Zone toll works, discounts and exemptions, and where to find more resources. One of the webinars will focus on the Low Income Discount Plan and one will focus on the Individual Disability Exemption Plan.

The webinar schedule and registration links are as follows and are linked here.

• Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 3 PM – 4 PM (Focused on the Individual Disability Exemption Plan)
• Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 4 PM – 5 PM
• Thursday, Dec. 5 from 2 PM – 3 PM (Focused on the Low Income Discount Plan)
• Friday, Dec. 6 from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
• Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 6 PM – 7 PM
• Thursday, Dec. 12 from 11 AM – 12 PM
• Monday, Dec. 16 from 6 PM – 7 PM
• Thursday, Dec. 19 from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

For more information, visit congestionreliefzone.mta.info.

The Mayor’s City of Yes initiative seeks to amend zoning rules to help the City recover more quickly from the pandemic, to create a greener city, to support small business growth, and to incentivize the creation of housing, at all levels, in all New York City neighborhoods. There are three proposed zoning text amendments that would be part of this initiative:

Zoning for Carbon Neutrality aims to modernize the zoning regulations in support of the City’s climate goals. The changes would focus on supporting a renewable energy grid, making our buildings clean and efficient, support for electric vehicle charging and micro-mobility options, and reducing waste and storm water. A resolution supporting this text amendment passed at our June 14, 2023 Full Board meeting. The text amendment was passed by the City Council on December 6, 2023.

Zoning for Economic Opportunity is focused on providing small businesses with the flexibility needed for them to change and grow, especially as the city recovers from the pandemic. The proposals would remove certain limitations on small businesses and ensure that our storefronts are occupied, and our neighborhoods remain lively spaces. A resolution regarding this text amendment passed at our January 10, 2024 Full Board meeting. Additionally, this text amendment was passed by the City Council with modifications on June 6, 2024.

Zoning for Housing Opportunity is a direct response to our City’s housing crisis. This text amendment will modernize our zoning rules to allow for a little more housing in every neighborhood, improving housing availability and affordability. There was public information session on Zoning for Housing Opportunity held remotely on Zoom on Tuesday, September 27, 2023; you can find the video of the public information session here. CB6 passed a resolution giving initial feedback on this text amendment at its May 8th Full Board meeting; you can find the resolution here. This text amendment has been referred to community boards, and a resolution issuing a favorable opinion to the text amendment package passed our June 12, 2024 Full Board meeting. The text amendment was passed by the City Council with modifications on December 5, 2024.

To learn more about City of Yes, visit the Department of City Planning’s website here. Flyers describing the proposals are directly available here.