Justin Ramirez

Living in the New York City metro area usually means compromising on space or amenities. But for many, the ultimate "I’ve made it" amenity isn't a doorman or a dishwasher, it’s a swimming pool. Whether you are looking for a morning lap swim or a weekend lounge deck, finding a building with a pool that doesn't cost a fortune is a challenge.

A new housing lottery is underway for Ruby Square, a 12-story development in Jamaica, Queens. Designed by Perkins Eastman and developed by BRP Companies, it includes 614 units, of which 185 are slated as “affordable” under the city’s Housing Connect program. But when you dig into the numbers (especially what people actually make in New York) the term “affordable” begins to look like a bait-and-switch.

In the wake of the pandemic, a surge of empty offices in Manhattan has triggered a wave of conversions into apartments. City data shows that by early 2025, some 44 projects were under way or planned, potentially creating about 17,400 new homes (mostly studios and one-bedrooms) from surplus office space.

Adam Neumann is back. Yes, that Adam Neumann—the co-founder of WeWork who once promised to change the way we work, live, and even think, only to be ousted after one of the most infamous startup collapses in recent memory. Now, he’s pivoting to housing with a brand-new venture that aims to reshape how people rent and live in America. But after everything that happened with WeWork, people are understandably skeptical. Neumann’s new company is called Flow , and while it hasn’t launched in full yet, it’s already raised a staggering $350 million from Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley’s biggest venture capital firms. That single investment is the largest individual check the firm has ever written. The goal? To disrupt the rental housing industry and inject a sense of community, tech, and “soul” into the often impersonal world of multifamily living. So far, Flow has been acquiring thousands of rental units in cities like Miami, Nashville, Atlanta , and elsewhere. The exact detail...

City lawmakers are pressing the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) over the unexpectedly high number of vacant public housing units, which far exceeds previous estimates. While there are about 240,000 families on the waitlist for NYCHA apartments, the authority’s dashboard shows roughly 6,000 units are empty. However, when including units held for resident relocations, those needing major repairs, and units repurposed for community use, the total vacant count rises to over 8,600. A major issue highlighted is the lengthy turnaround time to fill these vacancies, which averages nearly a year due to extensive necessary repairs and upgrades. The slow unit turnover exacerbates the housing crisis, leaving many shelter residents and vulnerable households waiting for relocation. Only 500 shelter residents moved into NYCHA apartments last year, with expectations to double that this year—still below the 1,500 who relocated in 2021. Additionally, about 2,000 households seekin...