Day One for NYC is an independent, nonpartisan guide for a new mayoral administration and the public. Our aim is simple: make it easier to govern well from day one.

We synthesize public information about how New York City government works, the scope of mayoral power, high-impact appointments, key calendars and legal deadlines, and a curated set of resources you can use immediately.

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This site is a prototype created and reviewed by people who used generative-AI tools for drafting and organization. This is a living document; please send corrections or suggestions to hello@dayonefor.nyc.

What this is

  • A practical, plain-language explainer of the mayor’s formal powers and the realities of delivery in a large, unionized, service-heavy city.
  • A “starter kit” linking to source documents, statutes, calendars, and tools helpful in the first 100 days and beyond.
  • A living site designed to evolve as new information and contributions come in.

What this isn’t

  • Not a campaign site and not affiliated with any candidate or committee.
  • Not legal advice. We cite laws and official sources where relevant and welcome corrections.
  • Not exhaustive — we prioritize clarity, citations, and operational usefulness.

Who this is for

  • Incoming City Hall staff, deputy mayors, commissioners, and appointees.
  • Career civil servants and agency teams who need cross-agency context.
  • Journalists, advocates, researchers, and New Yorkers who want a clear view of how city power is exercised.

How we build it (sources & process)

  • Human-created, human-reviewed. People drafted, edited, and fact-checked every page. Generative-AI tools assisted with outlining, plain-language phrasing, and link triage — never auto-published.
  • Grounded in official records. New York City Charter and Administrative Code; executive orders; rulemaking under the City Administrative Procedure Act (CAPA); Mayor’s Management Report (MMR); Office of Management and Budget (OMB) documents; Comptroller and Independent Budget Office (IBO) reports; Rules of the City of New York (RCNY); the City Record; and agency publications.
  • Plain-language summaries with citations. We translate statutes and procedures into concise explanations and link back to the source so readers can verify.
  • Change-aware. Powers, calendars, and structures evolve. We timestamp major updates and note when something is in flux.
  • Accessibility and export. Readable typography, scannable sections, and print-friendly PDFs.
  • Acronyms. We spell out acronyms on first use (e.g., Mayor’s Management Report (MMR)) and list them in the site glossary.

How to use this site

  • Start with Scope of Mayoral Power for a concise map of formal powers and limits.
  • Use the Levers Navigator to explore specific tools (executive orders, rulemaking, budget execution, land use, procurement, and more).
  • Look up seats in the Appointments Directory and plan for vacancies and confirmations.
  • Import dates from Calendars to avoid missed filings, hearings, or budget clocks.
  • Dive deeper via the Resources library (memos, guides, explainers).

Contribute & feedback

We welcome suggested edits, missing citations, and additional resources. Fastest ways to help:

Contact

  • Email: hello@dayonefor.nyc
  • Press or speaking: include “PRESS” in the subject line for a faster response.

License & reuse

Unless otherwise noted, text on this site may be reused with attribution (suggested: “Day One for NYC” + page URL). Code that powers the site follows the license of this repository. Logos and third-party materials remain the property of their respective owners.

Press kit

Changelog & roadmap

Changelog: We note material updates on key pages. Major revisions to the Scope PDF are versioned (e.g., v1.0, v1.1).

Near-term roadmap:

  • Expand the Appointments Directory with term details and citations.
  • Deeper lever pages (playbooks for rulemaking, budget execution, land use).
  • Calendar exports (ICS) for recurring legal deadlines.
  • More implementation guidance in “From Power to Delivery.”
  • Polish style and layout of the site