Yesterday, news of the city's plan to charge the working homeless rent for staying in shelters was attacked by critics. But it turns out that NY State is the one behind the plan. State law requires that shelters charge rent, but the city had trouble complying and apparently lost state funding. City Hall spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti told us, "The State disallowed funding to NYC (in the amount of $2.4 million) because the City was not collecting. We are instituting the program to avoid further penalty." more ›

It's time to stand up and be counted, because the Census is back. A national campaign to boost U.S. Census participation started yesterday in Times Square, and over the next few months advertisements will be rolling out encouraging people to fill out the 10-question forms. But why should you spend your precious time filling out more forms? more ›

The only thing falling faster than the acorns on the trees these days is government funding for the embattled community organizing group of the same name. After lopsided votes in both the Senate and the House earlier in the week to cut off federal money from ACORN, yesterday Governor Paterson ordered state agencies not to move forward on contracts with the group. more ›