Rachel Holliday Smith
Rachel is an associate editor for THE CITY. She leads explanatory and service journalism in the newsroom. Formerly, Rachel covered Manhattan for THE CITY. She is proud to have previously worked for WNYC, DNAinfo and NY1 News and written for The New York Times, Curbed New York, Gotham Gazette and others. Email Rachel at rsmith@thecity.nyc or follow her on Twitter: @rachelholliday.
Property owners argued that 2019 reforms violated their rights and is “destroying” housing. Yet profits are still plentiful.
More severe weather is bringing water into homes more frequently across the five boroughs. Here’s what to do if flooding damages your place.
Building “a little more housing in every neighborhood” may seem like a commonsense plan for a city with a massive housing crisis, but a long, complicated and possibly contentious review awaits.
Can you still get Paxlovid for free? Where did all the COVID testing sites go? And how do you get the new vaccine?
The newest shot is not a booster, and it’s available at pharmacies at no cost. Here’s how to make your appointment for a jab.
New research of historic property records estimates the toll of mansion and other space combinations, especially in Manhattan.
Visitors don’t have to worry about getting fined — but there are some pitfalls to watch out for.
There is no legal right to be cool in New York City as there is with heat in the winter. Still, you can push your landlord to fix your AC — or find a public cooling center.
Which weed dispensaries are officially open? What about legal delivery? Can you grow a plant? And more burning questions about the rollout of recreational consumption in the city.
The appearance of the green and white gnat-like critters coincided with more wildfire smoke. But experts say the plague of flies is natural, not a sign of the end-times.
The city Board of Elections will make its count official next week, but first-time candidates in Harlem and Brownsville are nearly over the top.
Here are steps New Yorkers can take to protect themselves, from limiting outdoor exposure to wearing a mask to cleaning air filters.
All 51 Council seats are open in 2023 in redrawn districts. In the current primary elections, here’s where the most competitive contests are happening.
New school holidays and criminal record seals are in. But many proposals related to tenant protections, developer tax breaks and speed limits have gone nowhere.
The city’s two contested DA primaries this year will determine who serves as the top prosecutor in The Bronx and Queens, setting the tone for how those counties address legal system reforms — or not.
Who represents you and who wants the job? How has your district changed? And who are the neighbors voting with you?
Stock up on your eight free tests now. Big changes loom for tests, telehealth and data we’ve relied on until now to weather the pandemic.
The nine-person board is about to take its preliminary vote, then hear rowdy input from the public. As the city’s affordability crisis worsens, the process is set to be as tense as ever in 2023.
As of April 1, any adult can perform a marriage anywhere in New York State with a special one-day license. Here’s how it works.
They’re the entry level of local government, but what do community boards really do? And how are members chosen? It’s application season, so here’s a guide for anyone who wants to get involved.