FAQ NYC

Patrick Gaspard, a distinguished senior fellow and former Obama aide, shares insights on the historic transition to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. He discusses Mamdani's all-female transition team, the significance of grassroots engagement, and how to maintain momentum for political renewal. Gaspard highlights the need for appointments that reflect the administration's vision and outlines strategies for addressing challenges, including persistent racist attacks. With a mix of optimism and pragmatism, Gaspard illustrates the exciting possibilities ahead for New York City.

Ben Frachtenberg, a visual editor and photographer for The City, joins hosts Harry Siegel and Amy Sohn to discuss the art of street photography. He shares insights from his solo exhibition, In Tension, showcasing the contrast between the isolation of COVID-era streets and vibrant public moments. Ben dives into the ethical dilemmas photographers face, the importance of capturing candid moments, and how he manages anxiety while doing his work. He also critiques pop culture portrayals of photojournalism, emphasizing the need for authenticity in storytelling.

New York City's mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, gives a hopeful victory speech that resonates with a diverse coalition. Excitement builds at his victory party, with emotional responses and robust volunteer efforts on display. The hosts delve into the implications of his expansive vision versus budget constraints, while also exploring potential challenges like Islamophobia and necessary community outreach. The rising influence of the Working Families Party and DSA shapes the political landscape moving forward, hinting at significant changes in local governance.

Alex Brook Lynn, FAQ NYC's original executive producer, rejoins the podcast to talk with Harry Siegel about New York City's election, and how and why Paris — which has all the same big urban issues — has taken a different approach to providing things like affordable housing for working class people, childcare, and more.

In episode six, we’re focusing on affordability, housing and the related ballot proposals. We’re joined by housing experts Jamie Rubin (Chief Investment Officer of Aligned Climate Capital & Chairman of the Board of NYCHA) and Alicia Glen (Founder and Managing Principle of M Squared & former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development), who share their thoughts on what the next Mayor should accomplish – and how. Remember: early voting is in full swing. Visit vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC to find your early and election day polling sites — they may be different — and see what will be on your ballot. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

Ric Burns, director of the epic New York: A Documentary Film, joined the FAQ NYC hosts on Thursday evening for beer and cider at Schneider’s Saloon inside the Tenement Museum to talk about 21st century scandals and hopes in the space where German immigrants huddled to do just that in the 19th Century.

Bill Bratton, a two-time former New York City Police Commissioner, shares invaluable insights on policing amid the current mayoral race. He discusses the implications of frontrunner Zohran Mamdani’s policies, suggesting Commissioner Tisch should exit under a Mamdani administration due to conflicting agendas. Bratton emphasizes the importance of specialized units like the SRG in maintaining public safety and critiques the potential outcomes of shifting mental health responses from police to social workers. His perspectives on judicial trends also reveal significant implications for law enforcement.

The legendary illustrator talks with LIT NYC hosts Amy Sohn and Harry Siegel about what he wants to illustrate now that he no longer needs to take assignments, how New York City shaped his work, why he thinks being called "the Vermeer of the Borscht Belt" is a misnomer, and much more.

In our fourth episode, we discuss the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James, how the mayoral candidates are reacting, and how the next mayor could influence President Trump’s approach to the city. Then, DSA-backed City Council Member Alexa Avilés of Brooklyn, chair of the Council immigration committee, joins us to talk about Trump’s immigration crackdown, her hopes for a Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and her own potential run for Congress. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort. Rachel Lightner engineered this episode. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.

In episode three, we talk about the massive infrastructure cuts trickling down from the federal government – one of the many developments that have us holding our breath for what’s to come in our city. We’re also joined by ‘Gridlock’ Sam Schwartz, who gives us the lowdown on the past, present and future of transit in New York. — FAQ NYC and Max Politics are teaming up for a limited series, coming to you every Tuesday through November, featuring special guests who will help us dig into the latest in the mayor's race – and what's at stake for New Yorkers. City Hall Free For All is brought to you with generous support from Jamie Rubin and Vital City. This week's episode was hosted by Christina Greer, Katie Honan, Ben Max and Harry Siegel. Our Senior Producer is Giulia Hjort, and Noah Smith is our engineer. Our series consultants are Jess Hackel and Courtney Harrell. Music from Epidemic Sound.