The Daily Dirt: Gloomy forecast for real estate reform

January 9, 2026 / no comments

It would be an understatement to say there’s little optimism that Albany lawmakers will do something good for real estate this session. Killing the 485x wage rules would create thousands more apartments, but it’s hard to imagine Gov. Kathy Hochul and others defying construction unions — who basically wrote the rules — in an election year. With the governor and everyone else focused on affordability, I would also be shocked if lawmakers allow higher rent increases to renovate rent-stabilized apartments, even as tens of thousands sit vacant. What about a new tax break or direct funding for apartment improvements? Don’t […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.

NYC’s top deals: Epic offloads Meatpacking office property for $71M

January 9, 2026 / no comments

There were 231 transactions totaling $460 million recorded in New York City over the previous 24 hours before 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2025. 🏆 Residential: The priciest residential real estate sale recorded in New York City was in Chelsea, where a condo at 555 West 22nd Street sold for $7.7 million. The buyer of the sponsor unit, located in Related Companies and Matsui’s The Cortland at 555 West 22nd Street, was an LLC managed by Mun Soo Kang. Core’s Shaun Osher had the listing. The asking price for the 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom pad was $8.3 million. 🏆 Commercial: The […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.

Measure ULA Tax Receipts Hit $1B In Revenue

January 9, 2026 / no comments

Measure ULA just crossed the $1B threshold. An update to the city’s revenue tracker for the real estate transfer tax shows that, through the end of November 2025, ULA has generated $1.03B. 
That money goes to city coffers for use in a variety of housing-focused programs, including funding for new deed-restricted affordable housing and rental assistance to keep vulnerable Angelenos in their homes. 
“No city in the country has a permanent source of funding as big as this and as comprehensive in its approach,” said Joe Donlin, the director of United to House LA, the coalition that mobilized to pass Measure ULA. 
It’s a funding source that’s essential in light of…

Cannabis Lounges Get The Green Light, But The Path Forward Is Hazy

January 9, 2026 / no comments

Massachusetts has finally rolled out cannabis lounges, but it will be some time before you can legally spark up on a rooftop or settle down with a brownie in a café.
The state’s Cannabis Control Commission approved regulations to allow social consumption of marijuana during its Dec. 11 meeting. This paves the way for local businesses to seek permits to allow consumption of cannabis products on site and at certain events where allowed by local municipalities.