[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6564744,"mediaKeyId","3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2","parentId",3273247,"title","Sanitation budget baselines cleaning services as department pushes containerization and citywide composting","audioSeconds",1492,"startMs",0,"endMs",1492000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2&start=0&end=1492","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6564744/New-York/Sanitation-budget-baselines-cleaning-services-as-department-pushes-containerization-and-citywide-composting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564744-91c4c9119f1ea9928b09f275cd31132f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445315&Signature=XU9vhnDt~h4JO4tgulywPb8Wuf-q9CnxBb38-b0utEl4R1B57dyVnXCGxYGxW8sRnCJ5zCWiLdbjoCDkSvssFb7QBU88uCe2wefqaDn0nkmdQNmJPJsAhQn9ciLIrv46KISfLdB9Dj84kiOHPsh4qgLctIbNSzCfR5oUIYJvMjUqCMZGokddnRMMzaU91ZKRJ9S3TpXhgG9LlcmTMy5eFcD9BB1Pu6cT9F5zT7OSafMjRn0Z3BEm215nA7DGno8LT6g8uYe4qeSQT52t8o7Gj1Sy9gnBDf5KZBz~2r210I2xXMw4NbyuvssA~vOhyFOa3sA2PEE6GH3Tm6k8UMllSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of New York, NY","date","2025-05-12T20:20:38Z","article","The City Council’s Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee heard a detailed presentation from Acting Commissioner Javier Lohan of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) on the department’s fiscal 2026 executive budget and ongoing waste-system changes.

The executive financial plan proposes a $1.97 billion DSNY budget for FY 2026 and baselines funding for a number of cleanliness programs the council had pressed to make permanent. “I always say a clean city is a safe city,” Acting Commissioner Javier Lohan told the committee during his opening remarks, framing the administration’s proposal to baseline litter-basket pickups, precision cleaning crews and other quality‑of‑life services.

Why it matters: The executive plan locks recurring local funding behind services that the mayor and DSNY say have been elevated under the current administration, while the department simultaneously implements operational changes intended to reduce rodent pressure and mechanize collection — most visibly through containerization and universal curbside organics collection. Council members used the hearing to press DSNY on the tradeoffs — cost, implementation, effects on nonprofits and business improvement districts (BIDs), and the department’s ability to deliver promised outcomes.

Most important elements of the budget and operations
- Budget totals and headcount: DSNY said the FY 2026 expense budget is $1.97 billion with 9,587 full‑time positions budgeted in DSNY’s plan narrative and an adopted headcount target the department described to the committee. DSNY testified that the executive plan restores prior-year peg reductions and increases baseline funding across multiple cleanliness programs.
- Litter baskets and precision cleaning: The executive plan baselines $29,700,000 in FY 2026 for litter‑basket pickups (rising to $31,000,000 by FY 2028) and adds $1,100,000 for precision cleaning in FY 2026 to support 21 new uniform positions for targeted sites with persistent illegal dumping and litter complaints. Lohan said precision cleaning crews had already cleaned thousands of locations in FY 2025 and that the program will use 311 data and a mobile field app to prioritize sites.
- Lot cleaning backlog: DSNY told the committee it received roughly 1,400 lot‑cleaning requests in the first four months of FY 2025 but cleaned only about 26 lots in that period; the department said it now has funding for roughly 15 positions (about 10 daily crews) and a backlog of about 1,773 lots. Commissioner Lohan described the FY 2026 funding as sufficient to “maintain the current level of service” but not to eliminate the backlog quickly.
- Containerization and set‑out rules: DSNY is advancing broader on‑street container pilots and an aggressive containerization rule that already requires residential buildings with one to nine units to use a covered bin. Lohan said more than 800,000 official New York City bins have been purchased through the city program and that containerization has been associated internally with citywide declines in rat sightings. The department said it is piloting “empire bins” and “stationary entree containers” in Manhattan Community District 9 (West Harlem) and plans to evaluate the results after June 1 deployment.
- Curbside organics and fines: The department said April’s first full month of mandatory curbside composting diverted just over 18,000,000 pounds of residential organics and that preliminary citywide diversion was about 20% in April 2025 — up from earlier baselines. DSNY also said it paused most fines to focus on outreach and education, shifting field supervisors to do door‑to‑door visits; the department reported roughly 3,200 outreach visits since the pause. Lohan said fines continue to be issued in limited cases (notably for 30+ unit buildings after warnings).
- Commercial waste zone rollout and enforcement: DSNY reported the first waste zone (Corona/Elmhurst/Jackson Heights) has been launched and that the department is writing safety violations and escalating fines for noncompliance. DSNY said the Bronx zones will be implemented later this year and citywide rollout is planned by the end of 2027. The department told the committee it expects the zones to reduce vehicle miles traveled and to incentivize diversion by lowering the cost to businesses for recycling and composting compared with trash collection.
- Waste export: Council members asked about DSNY’s FY 2025 waste‑export spending; DSNY reported export costs were about $495,000,000 for FY 2025 and said the largest variables remain per‑ton charges and tonnage levels. The department argued long‑term reductions in export costs will depend on higher diversion and other infrastructure investments.
- Capital and facilities: DSNY’s executive capital commitment plan totals $1.6 billion over FY 2025–29, including major funding lines for new garages in the Bronx and Queens and equipment investments. Lohan said three new garages or related facilities will open this calendar year.

Council concerns and departmental clarifications
Council members repeatedly pressed DSNY on equity in service allocation across boroughs and community districts, asking why some districts report persistent trash, overflowing baskets, or missing litter baskets while others do not. DSNY said it uses 311, borough command field observations, and weekly “trash dash” data meetings to reallocate crews and that the restored baseline funding will allow more dynamic and seasonal deployment. Several council members from majority‑Black and majority‑Latino districts urged the department to move faster and to work with council offices and community organizations to address hotspots.

Council members also pressed DSNY on the operational and fiscal impacts of containerization on private nonprofits and BIDs that have historically supplemented city sanitation services. DSNY said it extended a warning period through the end of the calendar year and has met with most BIDs; the department described alternatives such as centralized pickup locations and adding baskets on corridors where feasible. Nonprofit providers and BID leaders told the committee they face multi‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar costs to buy, install, and maintain containers and asked the council and administration for help to avoid service loss.

What to watch next
- Results from the West Harlem pilot and DSNY’s analysis of changes in rat sightings and service outcomes.
- The Bronx rollout schedule for commercial waste zones and whether community‑level complaints spike or decrease during expansion.
- Follow‑up from DSNY on lot‑cleaning outcomes once the new positions are fully staffed and on any additional funding the department may seek to clear the backlog.

Ending: Forward‑looking details and oversight
DSNY characterized the executive budget as a move from ad‑hoc, year‑to‑year funding decisions toward baseline, multi‑year allocations for cleaning programs. The committee made clear it will continue oversight on program equity, the operational impacts of containerization on supplemental providers and small businesses, and the department’s plan to use data to drive resource allocation. DSNY said it will provide the committee more granular data on 311 trends, precision cleaning outcomes, and pilot evaluations in the weeks ahead.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","🔴 LIVE: Finance/Sanitation/Aging FY26 Executive Budget Hearing","oneSentenceSummary","The City Council’s Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee heard a detailed presentation from Acting Commissioner Javier Lohan of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) on the department’s fiscal 2026 executive budget and ongoing waste‑system changes.","taxTitle","New York City Council, New York City, New York County, New York","taxId",77593,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6564734,"Aging advocates press for expanded meals, case management and capital funding after executive budget restorations",1621,10324000,11945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2&start=10324&end=11945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2/thumbnail_10324000.jpg","/articles/6564734/New-York/Aging-advocates-press-for-expanded-meals-case-management-and-capital-funding-after-executive-budget-restorations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564734-ea9af00703a0c0570057b72cadcfa553/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445315&Signature=ZpyfSkswkI4fD7EgOFqjPm4ArYW~A5yv1J1nBRgEMaVislTOtBsAY1o0thX04o0IYWfO3jQPQYfU8dKFa0QUubiiaB0NS2nS1ecnFVIpnksivSq1el3RU29lelzvQ-HB2Il~1Vsds5JdyrNmaMbCktHDeSp2lO0-F8PNAN1r4rFMltI8bOy4D5OspMeQPV8zXLJ8wjoczffUM-kWyINQfucqoZMtErSeesJe2dBqX1584dIkQQcV1g3fvAZabEPCGIEV3xP3qzDvJqoF-gQwAFRU-bvH-uGo7viiQwaPg1pqz7pi9kDWDQMjf1zEFwBPSuHN320PiXkmcV5Pt8DDQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) told the Council’s committees on Aging and Finance that the FY 2026 executive budget restores prior reductions and adds funds for core services, but advocates and several council members said gaps remain in case management, home care and capital investment for older‑adult centers.

Executive plan and restorations
Commissioner Lorraine Cortés‑Vásquez said the executive budget increases NYC Aging’s FY 2026 baseline to $554.4 million and that the mayor’s plan restores pegs that otherwise would have left a fiscal cliff for older‑adult programs. “This year's executive budget … keeps their word and funded the backfill by the expiring stimulus dollars and programs to eliminate the peg programs,” the commissioner said.

What was added in the executive plan (agency presentation)
- Baseline restorations: The executive plan includes $81.5 million in FY 2026 (and $75 million baseline in early out years) the agency described as restorations that return funding for older adult centers and other programs to FY 2025 levels.
- Meals and home delivered meals: NYC Aging reported record volumes — roughly 10.3 million meals citywide in FY 2024 — and said the FY 2026 plan provides additional support for home‑delivered meals providers. The department said Home Delivered Meals (HDM) reimbursement rose to $13.78 per meal in FY 2025, up from $11.78 in FY 2023, and told the committee it is negotiating with OMB about whether additional rate increases are needed.
- Case management and waiting lists: The department's case management funding is projected at about $53.2 million for FY 2026. The agency told the council there were roughly 491 older adults on the formal case‑management waiting list at the end of FY 2024. NYC Aging said caseworkers are spending more time per client because cases have become more complex, which both reduces the total number of clients served per worker and increases unmet demand.
- Home care: The executive plan includes $37.7 million for home‑care programs (in‑home services for elderly people not on Medicaid). The commissioner urged state action to maintain parity in wages for ISEP/home‑care workers, citing a temporary 55% salary match last year.
- Capital and facilities: NYC Aging’s capital commitment plan remains small relative to the provider network: the department reported a total capital plan of $85.1 million for FY 2025–29 and identified about 15 older adult center renovation projects in the immediate plan (project size ranges noted in the May 2 letter were roughly $180,000 to $6,000,000 per project).

Advocates and council members push for more
Speakers from older‑adult service networks, nonprofits and think tanks urged deeper investments in several areas: a larger capital fund for center repairs and kitchen upgrades; increases in HDM reimbursement rates and a citywide plan to provide 7‑day meal coverage for homebound New Yorkers (Intro 770 was cited by multiple witnesses); and a substantial expansion of case management staff. Testimony and council preliminary budget requests coalesced around these headline asks:
- Capital: advocates asked the council and administration to create an ongoing capital fund (advocates suggested $50 million or multi‑year funding lines) to support kitchens, HVAC, accessibility and aging‑in‑place infrastructure at older adult centers and NORCs.
- Meals: multiple providers and advocacy groups recommended increasing HDM reimbursement (council preliminary request included $7.3 million to bring HDM to $15.31/meal) and funding Intro 770’s aim to require everyday meal access for HDM recipients; the department said procurement and reimbursement processes are being negotiated with OMB.
- Case management: providers and council members urged new baseline funding and more intake coordinators and case managers; several groups asked for $40–44 million to reduce caseloads and clear the waiting list. City Meals on Wheels and live‑on advocacy groups described pilot programs (breakfast boxes, mobile groceries, emergency meal allocations) that they want to scale with modest city investments.

Federal funding uncertainty
Commissioner Cortés‑Vásquez and several witnesses warned that aging programs rely on federal Older Americans Act and other grant funds that face an uncertain federal outlook. The department said it is running multiple fiscal scenarios (moderate and worst case) and continues to press state and federal partners for sustainable funding.

RFP timing and procurement
NYC Aging told the committee it intends to issue the next Older Adult Center (OAC) RFP in late 2025 and aims to have new contracts in place by July 1, 2026 if possible. The department cautioned that it needs clarity on budgets before issuing a fully funded RFP and said it will not issue a competition that cannot support the services the city expects providers to deliver.

Ending: oversight and next steps
Council members welcomed the executive restorations but signaled they will press for more funding at adoption — particularly for capital repairs, case management and HDM reimbursement increases. The department pledged to continue negotiations with OMB on new‑need requests and to provide the council with more detailed reconciling information on case‑management demand, HDM volumes and capital project lists.","NYC Department for the Aging said the executive budget restores expiring stimulus funding, baselines older‑adult center pegs and adds funding for home‑delivered meals, home care/ISEP and case management; advocates and council members said the restorations were necessary but still fall short on capital and staffing for rising need.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6564739,"Nonprofit cleanup crews warn containerization could shutter programs without city help",243,1125000,1368000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2&start=1125&end=1368","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273247-682a4f02fb8e0a225c91186fc348fca2/thumbnail_1125000.jpg","/articles/6564739/New-York/Nonprofit-cleanup-crews-warn-containerization-could-shutter-programs-without-city-help","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564739-002981976f63c973b6f89f70786762b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445315&Signature=Apt6Sdd-KPH5W8wKpXCJ4Qn2qFXRnM4TtI9GIIDa6KfdoQUYUtMPOc9qSAD2oZwRxX0KrJpq6VXhgwMaUNpnuUAkIl83LXKcwR5AnlvvNVlJB02Vggqv07ssqVlfCKBs-jSR2JDvDVzryHeQ5Uu0EQvuMQQPisjtr84wcnYzI0~c3Ib-1kNeAw~-LKQptu8thctHzCC3o8l2P6vioky1lk5-ueDcLaEbHyT9~qZCbFuXaLSWh5SYP54H-4nqv6NYhHVpQS0HoQ1WpznAaTF77ScVITp3UbIp7WkBWn~lx2groCwbxWFP~FHNO9yRjv7MDMzG35-tYd-lpKMRffEKTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nonprofit supplemental sanitation organizations and several council members told the Committee on Sanitation that DSNY’s containerization rule — which requires trash to be stored in covered containers rather than loose bags — will impose material capital and operating costs that could end supplemental services in many neighborhoods.

“Ultimately, the burden of purchasing these containers may result in ACE closing his doors after nearly 34 years of service to New York City,” said Jim Martin, executive director of ACE New York, during public testimony. Martin said ACE removes more than a million trash bags a year from city sidewalks and that his organization lacks the funds to buy, ship, install and insure the number of containers DSNY’s rule will require.

Why it matters: For decades BIDs and community organizations have supplemented municipal pickup in busy commercial corridors and residential strips; DSNY’s new containerization enforcement removes a long‑standing flexibility those groups used to keep sidewalks clear. Several speakers warned the result could be fewer supplemental crews, lost jobs for transitional work‑program participants, and worse short‑term street conditions where nonprofits stop operations.

What DSNY said at the hearing
DSNY told the committee it had met with roughly 65 of 76 BIDs, conducted 33 walk‑throughs, and is pursuing multiple alternatives for compliance, including centralized pick‑up points, added litter baskets, and on‑street containerization where suitable. The department said it extended a warning period through the end of the calendar year and prefers to “work with” organizations to find feasible solutions rather than issue summonses while good‑faith discussions continue.

Arguments from nonprofits and council members
- Cost estimates: Witnesses and council members described the up‑front and recurring costs of purchasing and installing containers as potentially reaching the millions for a single BID or nonprofit; ACE said compliance could cost the organization “several million dollars.”
- Workforce and jobs: ACE and similar organizations argued that losing contracts or being forced to absorb capital costs threatens jobs for workers who, in ACE’s case, are often participants in employment‑training programs and formerly incarcerated or formerly unhoused New Yorkers.
- Operational options: Nonprofits urged the council to fund container purchases or to require DSNY to supply containers where sites are deemed appropriate; they said alternatives such as adding more litter baskets, adjusting pickup times, or allowing central drop points may be workable in some corridors.

Council reaction and next steps
Council members repeatedly pressed DSNY to quantify the cost exposure facing BIDs and nonprofits and to identify specific assistance the administration will provide. Several members asked whether the department had considered direct financial assistance, phased procurement, or shared capital‑purchase programs with BIDs and community organizations. DSNY emphasized outreach and said it would continue meetings and walk‑throughs.

Ending: tradeoffs in implementation
The testimony highlighted a political and operational tradeoff: containerization is a major tool DSNY says will reduce rodent pressure and allow mechanized collection, but implementing it without financial mitigation may move municipal responsibility onto under‑resourced local organizations. The committee pressed DSNY for follow‑up cost estimates and mitigation plans before the rule’s full enforcement timeline advances.","Nonprofits and business improvement districts told the council DSNY's on‑street containerization rule will require millions of dollars in capital purchases and might force groups such as ACE New York to stop supplemental sanitation services unless the city helps fund containers or alternative solutions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sanitation budget baselines cleaning services as department pushes containerization and citywide composting

Aging advocates press for expanded meals, case management and capital funding after executive budget restorations

Nonprofit cleanup crews warn containerization could shutter programs without city help