Andy Manshel
@theplacemaster.bsky.social
Author of "Learning from Bryant Park" (Rutgers 2020). Blogs at theplacemaster.com. Senior Advisor to Hollis Public Affairs, solving problems at the intersection of the private and public sectors in tech, real estate, transportation, public space.
When I was working in SE Queens, the one and two star chiefs I interacted with at NYPD were always impressive. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social They were professional and sophisticated. One of them is now a Deputy Commissioner. That's where any new mayor should look for public safety leadership.
July 22, 2025 at 8:03 PM
When I was working in SE Queens, the one and two star chiefs I interacted with at NYPD were always impressive. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social They were professional and sophisticated. One of them is now a Deputy Commissioner. That's where any new mayor should look for public safety leadership.
Homelessness is solvable. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social #CommunitySolutions and its #BuiltforZero program is ending homelessness all over the country -- but not in New York City. Any new mayor would do well to consult with Rosanne Haggerty and her team.
July 21, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Homelessness is solvable. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social #CommunitySolutions and its #BuiltforZero program is ending homelessness all over the country -- but not in New York City. Any new mayor would do well to consult with Rosanne Haggerty and her team.
A trope about city government used to be that it provided employees with generous benefits. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social That is no longer true. Pensions are old fashioned, non-portable defined benefits - that take ten years to vest. Useless in attracting mobile young employees.
July 15, 2025 at 11:45 AM
A trope about city government used to be that it provided employees with generous benefits. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social That is no longer true. Pensions are old fashioned, non-portable defined benefits - that take ten years to vest. Useless in attracting mobile young employees.
One of the ways that city personnel policies need to be updated is in how highly competitive, technical jobs are compensated. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social City government can't hire coders and tech specialists because, frankly, it doesn't pay enough. There is an odd kind of compensation compression.
July 14, 2025 at 12:20 PM
One of the ways that city personnel policies need to be updated is in how highly competitive, technical jobs are compensated. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social City government can't hire coders and tech specialists because, frankly, it doesn't pay enough. There is an odd kind of compensation compression.
What does racial integration in the NYC public schools look like when over 80% of public school students are non-white? @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social What do "progressives" mean when they advocate for integrating the city's public schools? The first rule of NYC education policy should be "do no harm."
July 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM
What does racial integration in the NYC public schools look like when over 80% of public school students are non-white? @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social What do "progressives" mean when they advocate for integrating the city's public schools? The first rule of NYC education policy should be "do no harm."
There are some governmental functions where the maximum optimal expenditure can de determined. Parks and libraries are among those. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social Any new mayor should pledge to fully fund those agencies which benefit every citizen. Public safety and social services are different.
July 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
There are some governmental functions where the maximum optimal expenditure can de determined. Parks and libraries are among those. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social Any new mayor should pledge to fully fund those agencies which benefit every citizen. Public safety and social services are different.
New York City has some of the best public schools in the country. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social Any new mayor's approach to ed policy should be to preserve what's excellent (including charters) and to move the dial on mediocre ones to good. A focus on improving the worst performing is a mistake..
July 11, 2025 at 12:04 PM
New York City has some of the best public schools in the country. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social Any new mayor's approach to ed policy should be to preserve what's excellent (including charters) and to move the dial on mediocre ones to good. A focus on improving the worst performing is a mistake..
There are some things that the city continues to do well. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social These tend to be "continuous processes" like drinking water, trash removal, snow removal, street paving, lighting and traffic signaling. Any new mayor needs to make sure these receive adequate resources.
July 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
There are some things that the city continues to do well. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social These tend to be "continuous processes" like drinking water, trash removal, snow removal, street paving, lighting and traffic signaling. Any new mayor needs to make sure these receive adequate resources.
A good example of how NYC govt doesn't work: DOT's public space programs. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social A great idea in the abstract; but without resources for maintenance and programming it can't work. Rather than capacitating local partners, DOT places onerous obligations on small NFPs.
July 9, 2025 at 11:43 AM
A good example of how NYC govt doesn't work: DOT's public space programs. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social A great idea in the abstract; but without resources for maintenance and programming it can't work. Rather than capacitating local partners, DOT places onerous obligations on small NFPs.
The City's land use process (ULURP) has turned into a multi-armed monster. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social. It is a million dollar exercise in box checking that does not actually result in serious review of projects. The beneficiaries are the consultants who perform the otherwise useless studies.
July 8, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The City's land use process (ULURP) has turned into a multi-armed monster. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social. It is a million dollar exercise in box checking that does not actually result in serious review of projects. The beneficiaries are the consultants who perform the otherwise useless studies.
The city's civil service scheme serves little useful propose. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social In the late teens I took three CS exams. I scored in the middle 1/3 on them. Huh? 8 yrs of elite higher education and 30 years of experience? I got officers of interviews for inappropriate jobs yrs later.
July 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The city's civil service scheme serves little useful propose. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social In the late teens I took three CS exams. I scored in the middle 1/3 on them. Huh? 8 yrs of elite higher education and 30 years of experience? I got officers of interviews for inappropriate jobs yrs later.
City procurement processes need to be overhauled. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social It sometimes takes years to get the required approvals. There is too much redundancy --OMB, MOCS, Law, Comptroller. The structures are too expensive. Agencies have competent purchasing and legal staffs. Trust them.
July 6, 2025 at 4:53 PM
City procurement processes need to be overhauled. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social It sometimes takes years to get the required approvals. There is too much redundancy --OMB, MOCS, Law, Comptroller. The structures are too expensive. Agencies have competent purchasing and legal staffs. Trust them.
There are three municipal systems that @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social will have to blow up in order to be an effective progressive mayor: procurement, personnel/civil service and land use. Reforms put in place in the 20th Century have become dysfunctional an obstacles to real change.
July 5, 2025 at 12:28 PM
There are three municipal systems that @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social will have to blow up in order to be an effective progressive mayor: procurement, personnel/civil service and land use. Reforms put in place in the 20th Century have become dysfunctional an obstacles to real change.
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social The first thing any new Mayor needs to do is to get control of OBM. It has arrogated to itself the power to approve the filling of every vacancy and the issuing of RFPs, the awarding of contracts, and the execution of contracts. These many reviews add no value.
July 4, 2025 at 2:54 PM
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social The first thing any new Mayor needs to do is to get control of OBM. It has arrogated to itself the power to approve the filling of every vacancy and the issuing of RFPs, the awarding of contracts, and the execution of contracts. These many reviews add no value.
It was interesting to see who is on the Mayor's Charter Commissioner. www.nyc.gov/site/charter...
These are all experienced local government hands, but are mostly risk averse, and not the folks @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social should call on to build a team. He needs to find people who are risk takers.
These are all experienced local government hands, but are mostly risk averse, and not the folks @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social should call on to build a team. He needs to find people who are risk takers.
July 3, 2025 at 11:31 AM
It was interesting to see who is on the Mayor's Charter Commissioner. www.nyc.gov/site/charter...
These are all experienced local government hands, but are mostly risk averse, and not the folks @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social should call on to build a team. He needs to find people who are risk takers.
These are all experienced local government hands, but are mostly risk averse, and not the folks @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social should call on to build a team. He needs to find people who are risk takers.
Here is a free idea for expanding affordable housing: Allocate more money to subsidy. According to the New York State Association for Affordable Housing there are 700 projects that have sites and zoning and are shovel ready. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
July 2, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Here is a free idea for expanding affordable housing: Allocate more money to subsidy. According to the New York State Association for Affordable Housing there are 700 projects that have sites and zoning and are shovel ready. @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
One interesting thing is how loose the review of our documentation was when we returned from Berlin via Amsterdam at JFK (T4). We were just kind of waived through at immigration control, after a cursory glance at our passports by the ICE officer. Anyone could have breezed right in.
April 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
One interesting thing is how loose the review of our documentation was when we returned from Berlin via Amsterdam at JFK (T4). We were just kind of waived through at immigration control, after a cursory glance at our passports by the ICE officer. Anyone could have breezed right in.
It seems to me a good time to know about the views on the establishment of Jewish state by people like Martin Buber, Hannah Arendt, Albert Einstein, Gershom Sholem and Judah Magnes -- about which I know little to nothing, despite having read plenty of Arendt and Sholem.
March 16, 2025 at 1:18 PM
It seems to me a good time to know about the views on the establishment of Jewish state by people like Martin Buber, Hannah Arendt, Albert Einstein, Gershom Sholem and Judah Magnes -- about which I know little to nothing, despite having read plenty of Arendt and Sholem.
Reposted by Andy Manshel
My latest “call for action”—this time regarding the Taber Sears #mural in #NewYorkCity Council chambers of #CityHall—in the February 2025 issue of the New Criterion. (Paywall) #publicart #CityBeautiful #conservation #preservation newcriterion.com/article/muni...
“Municipal decay,” by Michele H. Bogart
Michele H. Bogart on the Taber Sears mural in the New York City Council Chambers
newcriterion.com
January 23, 2025 at 3:47 AM
It may seem churlish of me to complain, given the weather in New York, and what’s going on in DC, but it’s raining here in Honolulu.
January 20, 2025 at 7:44 PM
It may seem churlish of me to complain, given the weather in New York, and what’s going on in DC, but it’s raining here in Honolulu.
