Thursday, July 16, 2026
In today’s digest, the Rental Ripoff report arrives, one last World Cup celebration, and Brooklyn inches toward becoming NYC’s coworking capital. ☕
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled the “Rental Ripoff” report — 23 proposals to improve housing conditions after months of tenant hearings highlighted persistent complaints about mold, pests, broken elevators, and landlord harassment. 🏠 (CBS New York)
One change would require the city’s housing department to investigate every heat and hot water complaint, rather than treating multiple reports from the same building as duplicates.
The proposals also include formally recognizing tenant unions and exploring whether compact European-style elevators could be installed in older walk-up buildings.
So when’s all this smoke blowing away? Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good: The worst of the wildfire smoke should clear out of the city by Friday afternoon. The bad: Some of it could return over the weekend and early next week. 🫠 (Gothamist)
New York’s month-long soccer party may be coming to an end, but not without a grand finale! If you missed out on tickets to Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium, you can still attend free watch parties everywhere from Central Park and Rockefeller Center to museums, markets, and waterfront parks across all five boroughs. ⚽ (The City Reporter)
More than 200 LinkNYC kiosks will also stream the match live, making it easy to catch the action even if you’re just walking through the city.
➕ One more thing: Episode 2 of City & State’s “Tech in the Cities” podcast is out!
New York City Council Member Gale Brewer and Commonweal Ventures Founder Nate Loewentheil join C&S Publisher Tom Allon and Tech:NYC President & CEO Julie Samuels for a conversation on how data is shaping AI, government, and the policies that will define New York’s future. Listen here. 🎧
In other reading:
National Ice Cream Day in NYC: where to find freebies (PIX 11)
How Penn Station could run more trains (New York Times)
‘We’re surrounded by water’: How to experience NYC on a boat this summer, for free (The City Reporter)
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Is Brooklyn New York’s New Coworking Epicenter?
According to Hubble’s latest Q2 office report, Manhattan remains the city’s office heavyweight, but much of the growth in flexible workspaces is happening across the East River as coworking operators expand into underserved parts of Brooklyn.
Let’s take a closer look. 🔬
🏢 Coworking is spreading beyond Manhattan:
Manhattan’s coworking inventory shrank by roughly 200,000 square feet in Q2, while Brooklyn added 122,600 square feet, with the biggest gains in Bay Ridge-Sunset Park and Central and Southern Brooklyn.
Brooklyn’s coworking inventory grew 6.2% quarter-over-quarter to 2.1 million square feet, highlighting growing demand outside the city’s traditional office hubs.
There’s value in Brooklyn:
Manhattan’s average private office price rebounded to $821 per desk after a soft first quarter, while Brooklyn averaged $720 per desk.
For companies needing 11-20 desks, Brooklyn offices were about 31% more affordable than comparable Manhattan space.
Traditional office rents are still climbing:
Brooklyn posted the city’s fastest rent growth, with asking rents rising 6.9% quarter-over-quarter to $39.46 per square foot, compared with a 3.2% increase in Manhattan. 📈
Manhattan remains the premium market, with average asking rents topping $72 per square foot, while the Plaza District became the city's first submarket to exceed $107 per square foot.
🗽 The takeaway: Manhattan remains New York’s office capital, but Brooklyn is emerging as the city’s coworking growth engine.
Coworking operators are expanding into neighborhoods like Bay Ridge, Bushwick, and Central Brooklyn.
Manhattan pricing remains strong, but businesses appear to be balancing access to the city’s talent with more affordable workspace options.
In other reading:
New York Jets partnering with Xerox to integrate technology across football and business operations (ROI NJ)
I gave an AI agent access to my passwords. Here’s what happened (Wall Street Journal)
Can this startup cool NYC’s sweltering subway stations? (Fast Company)
July 19: Guava in the Park – Prospect Park Founder Meetup, where you can bring a friend, a bottle, or something to share. No agenda, just good people and good weather. Register here.
July 20: Women in Tech – Yoga + Networking, a gathering of female founders and women in tech for a relaxing afternoon. One hour of yoga, then one hour of networking. Register here.
July 21: Pitch Like a Lawyer: Build a Winning Case for Investors, an interactive workshop, led by a former U.S. Department of Justice trial attorney, where you’ll learn how to build a case for your startup using the same frameworks lawyers use to prepare a case for trial. Register here.
July 21: AI for Small Business: Practical Ways to Compete in a Changing Market, a free virtual workshop from Fordham University’s AI Business Hub and Manhattan Chamber of Commerce designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to put AI to work safely and effectively. Register here.
July 21-22: DUMBO Office Open Houses, where you can tour new prebuilt workspaces designed for growing startups and teams in a neighborhood home to more than 500 tech, creative, and professional firms. Plus, rooftop views and refreshments. Register here.
July 22: Common Table NYC Book Club, a book club dinner just for founders (the first book will be Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo). Register here.
July 23: Ship & Drink @ Microsoft, an evening of vibe coding, drinks, and good people. Register here.
July 23: July Happy Hour with fellow Designers, an opportunity for designers, design enthusiasts, design students, and design adjacent individuals to network. Register here.
July 24: Tech Poker, a friendly game of poker at George’s in Chelsea. Register here.
July 24: After Hours: NYC Tech Social at Maxwell Tribeca, where professionals across tech and fast-growing startups can step away from work, meet beyond their usual circles, and enjoy a great night out together IRL. Register here.
July 25: TechWalk – Brooklyn, a networking event for members of the Tech and SaaS communities to get outside, meet new people, and enjoy some fresh air. Register here.
July 29: RTM Nexus Meet Up, a casual, pay-your-own-way networking event where you can meet fellow retail professionals, expand your network, and enjoy a relaxed evening together. Register here.
July 30: The Digital Economist Innovation Hub – NYC Social Hour, bringing together a curated mix of leaders across technology, research, policy, and business for a night of lively conversation, fresh ideas, and genuine connection. Register here.
August 19: Personalization without the BS: What’s Actually Lifting Revenue, where you’ll see how the brands that actually moving CR, AOV, and LTV with personalization are doing something fundamentally different. Register here.
August 22: NYC Founders Club Founder River Float Retreat, a full-day retreat on the Delaware River for early- to growth-stage founders — transportation, meals, and all supplies included. Register here.
September 16: Primary’s NYC Tech Summit, an annual gathering for builders, backers, and operators shaping the future. Apply to attend here.
October 13-15: EdTech Week, where the brightest minds and the boldest innovators gather in a technological playground dedicated to transforming education. Register before August 31 for early bird tickets here.
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