Riis Park parking fees will double to $20 next summer

 Rockaway Times

For the first time since 2012, Gateway National Recreation Area is hoping to increase parking fees for the Riis Park parking lot. These parking rates would go into effect for the summer of 2021. 

Currently $10 a day, the proposal calls for a doubling of the fee to $20. In 2016, National Park Service tried to propose a fee increase to $15. It never came to fruition. This season, with beaches being closed due to coronavirus, fees were not collected until July as opposed to the regular Memorial Day weekend start.

The proposed fees for 2021 would include: $20 per day; $100 per season; $50 per oversize car per day and $200 per oversize car per season. Visitors with Senior or Access Passes would be charged half price for parking, as they are currently.

“We are committed to keeping the park affordable but also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience,” said Gateway Superintendent Jen Nersesian.  “The money from the parking fees will help improve our visitor facilities and services.” 

Now that's how you gentrify a beach. Make way for privatization.

Broker fees begone not yet

NY Post

An Albany judge on Monday issued a temporary restraining order halting the Empire State’s new lightning-rod rule that renters can no longer be charged broker’s fees.

The ruling by Justice Michael Mackey came after the influential Real Estate Board of New York and other industry honchos, including big-name brokerages like the The Corcoran Group and Sotheby’s Realty, filed a lawsuit against the Department of State on Monday.

The temporary ban means brokers can, for now, continue collecting hefty commissions from tenants when they rent a residence.

REBNY and the New York State Association of Realtors declared in a statement that it also means “that thousands of hardworking, honest real estate agents across New York State can do business in the same way they did prior to last week’s DOS memo without fear of discipline by the DOS.”