Latest news with #HousingWorks
CBS News
08-08-2025
- Business
- CBS News
New York pot shops mistakenly allowed to open near schools ask Gov. Kathy Hochul to make exceptions
Dozens of marijuana dispensaries ordered to close because New York state officials mistakenly let them open too close to schools are asking for an exception to the law. The state's troubled Office of Cannabis Management said it ordered more than 100 pot shops to shut down or relocate after it misinterpreted a law saying how far away from schools they must be. In a letter, New York's marijuana authority told 152 stores they were allowed to open because officials calculated they were at least 500 feet from a school's front door, but the law actually states they must be that far from the school's property line. The Housing Works Marijuana Dispensary was the first legal pot shop in New York City. The state now says it's too close to the Harvey Milk School in the East Village and cannot continue to operate there. "The distance from that [school's] door and the property line is about 32 feet," Caddanis Osmo said. "That's the distance between being legal and not legal." Gov. Kathy Hochul was said to be furious when the miscalculations were discovered. She said in a statement, in part, "We will correct this unacceptable oversight ... created by previous agency leadership," adding her office is "taking immediate action to support cannabis store owners impacted." The governor also heavily criticized the agency for its rollout of business licenses in 2024, when she called it a "disaster." City Council Member Gale Brewer, who led the fight to close illegal pot shops, says the state should grandfather these shops into compliance instead of forcing them to close because of the mess up. "These shops make our community safer," Brewer said. "They employ people and they believe in philanthropy." Meanwhile, shop owners who borrowed money and invested their life savings said they're livid at the state for trying to shut them down now. "In the blink of an eye ... Thousands of employees are impacted, our entire industry is impacted," Osbert Orduna said. Another shop owner said it's ironic the state is concerned about how close they are to a school, but not the liquor store across the street. "The system is working. Let it work. Why break me right now? Why? Is this a political stunt? I don't know, this is crazy," Cass Marte said. The shop owners also worry that if their legal marijuana businesses are forced to close, illegal ones will Prussin contributed to this report.
Time Out
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
You can shop Andy Cohen's designer suits, home furniture and more at Housing Works next week
After a teary departure from his West Village home of 22 years, Andy Cohen is downsizing and selling hundreds of items from his personal collection—including rare pop culture and Bravo memorabilia—to benefit Housing Works. And he'll even be manning the register himself. Next Tuesday, July 22, Cohen will transform Housing Works' Chelsea Thrift Shop (143 W 17th Street) into Andy's Clubhouse, a lively nighttime shopping experience with drinks and deals, with all proceeds benefitting the longstanding New York organization that fights for inclusive care, social justice, and an end to homelessness. 'I don't know how long Housing Works has been around, but certainly, in my 35 years in New York City, they've always been a presence,' Cohen tells Time Out. (Coincidentally, Housing Works was founded in 1990—35 years ago.) 'I think they're an incredibly well-run charity, which pivots with the times and the needs of people. There was no question in my mind that when I wound up downsizing all of my stuff, I would want to do a big partnership with them.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by 1stDibs (@1stdibs) Like his previous Pride Collection, the current assortment includes high-end furniture and decor. But Andy's Clubhouse is a wider-ranging and more accessible beast, with clothing, books and memorabilia from the star's decades-long career. The highlight for Cohen is his T-shirt collection, which he calls 'an unparalleled trip through the last 30 years of pop culture and New York.' These include pieces of vintage Diana Ross, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears merch, as well as classic Wigstock shirts from the '90s. Gifts from his beloved Bravolebrities are, of course, represented, including a 'Happy Eddie' hoodie, She by Shereé shirts, and merchandise from Vanderpump Rules and SUR Restaurant. On the higher-end range, there will be fashions the TV personality has previously worn to the Met Gala and around 30 designer suits and other garments he's worn on-air, including while hosting New Year's Eve Live with friend Anderson Cooper. 'The collection is really expansive, and if you are a size-40 regular, or you know a man that is a size-40 regular, this stuff is really good,' he winks, adding that his previous closet 'was the size of a generous master bedroom, so it was really built for hoarding. Anything that went in just never came out.' Even those not in the Bravosphere will find things to covet, including his 'incredible collection of Grateful Dead and Snoopy shirts,' as well as merch relating to bestie John Mayer.
Time Out
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
You can shop Andy Cohen's designer suits, furniture and more at Housing Works next week
After a teary departure from his West Village home of 22 years, Andy Cohen is downsizing and selling hundreds of items from his personal collection—including rare pop culture and Bravo memorabilia—to benefit Housing Works. And he'll even be manning the register himself. Next Tuesday, July 22, Cohen will transform Housing Works' Chelsea Thrift Shop (143 W 17th Street) into Andy's Clubhouse, a lively nighttime shopping experience with drinks and deals, with all proceeds benefitting the longstanding New York organization that fights for inclusive care, social justice, and an end to homelessness. 'I don't know how long Housing Works has been around, but certainly, in my 35 years in New York City, they've always been a presence,' Cohen tells Time Out. (Coincidentally, Housing Works was founded in 1990—35 years ago.) 'I think they're an incredibly well-run charity, which pivots with the times and the needs of people. There was no question in my mind that when I wound up downsizing all of my stuff, I would want to do a big partnership with them.' Like his previous Pride Collection, the current assortment includes high-end furniture and decor. But Andy's Clubhouse is a wider-ranging and more accessible beast, with clothing, books and memorabilia from the star's decades-long career. The highlight for Cohen is his T-shirt collection, which he calls 'an unparalleled trip through the last 30 years of pop culture and New York.' These include pieces of vintage Diana Ross, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears merch, as well as classic Wigstock shirts from the '90s. Gifts from his beloved Bravolebrities are, of course, represented, including a 'Happy Eddie' hoodie, She by Shereé shirts, and merchandise from Vanderpump Rules and SUR Restaurant. On the higher-end range, there will be fashions the TV personality has previously worn to the Met Gala and around 30 designer suits and other garments he's worn on-air, including while hosting New Year's Eve Live with friend Anderson Cooper. 'The collection is really expansive, and if you are a size-40 regular, or you know a man that is a size-40 regular, this stuff is really good,' he winks, adding that his previous closet 'was the size of a generous master bedroom, so it was really built for hoarding. Anything that went in just never came out.' Even those not in the Bravosphere will find things to covet, including his 'incredible collection of Grateful Dead and Snoopy shirts,' as well as merch relating to bestie John Mayer.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Andy Cohen Selling Furniture, Décor and ‘Other Treasures' from His Home for N.Y. Charity
Andy Cohen is selling items from his personal collection The sale is to benefit the New York non-profit Housing Works Housing Works is a "healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS"Andy Cohen is selling valuable items from his personal collection for a good cause. On Thursday, July 3, Cohen, 57, shared an advertisement for the event, called Andy Cohen's Clubhouse, on his Instagram Stories. "Come by my stuff! For a great cause! @housingworks," the Watch What Happens Live host wrote. He later shared a humorous video apologizing for the error he made in sharing the event flyer – the Bravo star accidentally wrote "by" instead of "buy." "I'm so embarrassed. I wrote, 'come by my stuff', 'b-y.' I meant 'come buy my stuff.' 'B-u-y.' I typed it while I was watching Love Island, so I was distracted," he said. The event will be held on July 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time at Housing Works Thrift Shops in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. The sale will benefit Housing Works, a "healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts," per the official Eventbrite page. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The charitable fundraiser comes shortly following Pride month. The HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 1980s had a profound impact on the LGBTQ community of N.Y.C. Among the items available for purchase are "furniture, fashion, décor, and other treasures from his home, work, and storied career in entertainment," per the event advertisement. Tickets are $40 when purchased in advance, and $50 when purchased at the door the day of the event. During Pride Month, Cohen teamed up with 1stDibs to sell pieces of his personal collection to benefit Housing Works. Some items from the collection are still available at 'Working with 1stDibs on this campaign to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and support Housing Works' charitable mission has been an absolute pleasure,' Cohen told Furniture Today in June, adding that the sire was the "natural choice for selling the pieces I love the most from my treasure trove." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Worries fuel push to elevate water woes on policy agenda
BOSTON (SHNS) – The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources got its feet wet Tuesday, diving into testimony on bills dealing with water. Water and water infrastructure generally do not grab the spotlight in the way that other policy areas like transportation, education and housing do, but lawmakers and advocates who testified before the committee stressed their major economic, public health and environmental implications. Testimony Tuesday touched on issues related to PFAS, lead and other contaminants; water quality standards for private wells; drought management strategies; and the future of the networks of pipes that move water to and from homes. 'Massachusetts is facing a growing water infrastructure crisis. The pipes that deliver drinking water, the systems that treat wastewater and the stormwater infrastructure that protects our neighborhoods is decades or even centuries old. The U.S. EPA estimates that Massachusetts needs almost $37 billion in drinking water and clean water investment over the next 20 years. That is billion, not million,' Jennifer Peterson, executive director of the Massachusetts Water Works Association, told lawmakers. Peterson pitched a bill (H 1022 / S 563) that would establish a program for upgrading and expanding water infrastructure and would call for $200 million in annual state funding. She said state assistance is critical since 'water infrastructure investment is a shared responsibility among rate payers, the state and the federal government.' Local ratepayers have been burdened by, in some cases, double-digit water rate increases in recent years and the Trump administration's fiscal 2026 budget proposes to reduce funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by 90%, she said. The bill, filed by Rep. Ted Philips of Sharon and Sen. John Cronin of Fitchburg, would dedicate $2 billion to expand the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's capacity with an emphasis on 'improving drinking water quality and increasing housing capacity,' designate $375 million for the HousingWorks infrastructure program, allocate $138 million for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust, and provide $78.5 million for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund, according to a summary from Cronin. 'The infrastructure is aging, and we really need to start investing in it. And there's not enough money on the local level, there just isn't. Certainly not with Proposition 2 1/2, that makes it crushing,' Paul Anderson, vice president of the Barnstable County Water Utilities Association, told the committee. Sen. Becca Rausch, the Senate co-chair of the committee, pressed Peterson, Anderson and others on where the roughly $3 billion contemplated in the bill should come from. 'I'll be very frank, right, having done this role and for a number of years now … nobody ever wants to pay more taxes. So where would we get $3 billion for this?' she asked. Peterson responded that the bill calls for a revival of the Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee that was created in a 2014 water law but has been mostly dormant since about 2018. She said that group would 'discuss where the new revenue sources would come from.' She said the conversation in previous years revolved around taxes on products that have a connection to water infrastructure. 'Back in 2012 when Representative [Carolyn] Dykema and Senator [James] Eldridge were leading the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission, toilet paper tax, pharmaceutical tax — things that had a nexus to water — were discussed, but there was never any consensus around how to move those forward,' she said. Rep. Mike Connolly of Cambridge was joined by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan to support legislation (H 920) that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to create and administer a voucher program to cover the costs of PFAS filtration equipment for households in municipalities where PFAS levels exceed the maximum contamination levels. Citing the Sierra Club, Connolly said 96 communities in Massachusetts had water systems that exceed that maximum containment level for PFAS as of February, up from 56 communities a few years earlier. 'There may be a question as to why the district attorney's office is involved in this water issue. It is what Representative Connolly referenced. I feel that part of the privilege of serving as the district attorney is to be looking at really a whole menu of prevention efforts,' Ryan said. 'We know, as the representative just mentioned, the problem with PFAS in water has grown by 47% in the last four years. Many of those communities are in my county.' The bill got a favorable report from the Environment Committee last session but then died in House Ways and Means, according to the committee's summary. Connolly said the version he filed this session has been updated to reflect feedback from key stakeholder groups. Ryan said the bill would provide vouchers for people to obtain two PFAS filtration devices in a five-year period, and it would cover the costs to change the filters every six months as recommended. She said the filters are placed at the point of water service, like faucets, washing machines, tub spouts and more. The district attorney said a set of filtration devices for a household costs about $300, and the replacement filters cost less than $50 each. Rep. Danillo Sena of Acton focused his testimony on well water, which he said is common throughout his district. Across Massachusetts, about 500,000 people rely on private wells for their water service, he said, but the state has no standards for private well testing or water quality. 'Because of this, many families don't know what is in their water. They purchase their home with no guarantee that their water is safe. Contaminants like lead, arsenic, bacteria and PFAS have been found in wells across Massachusetts. These have long-term effects on health, and with children at more risk than adults,' he said, testifying in support of a bill (H 1049) he filed. 'This legislation ensures that homeowners do not need to worry about the quality of their water through creating standards of wells [and requiring] testing. The Massachusetts Constitution established the right of clean air and water. We must uphold that right and protect 500,000 residents that currently do not have any legal protection.' Similar legislation from Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Reps. Natalie Blais and Meghan Kilcoyne (S 585 / H 900) was also on the committee docket Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
