ASC's Intersections Newsletter — December 5, 2025
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Nora’s Note
A Call for Leadership. The federal government overhauled its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program by eliminating race- and gender-based presumptions of disadvantage: this will impact 44,000 small businesses and make it harder than ever for minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) to participate in federal procurement. But here’s the ray of light: the federal move to weaken MWBEs can be an opportunity for New York to lead. Letters are going out this week to Governor Kathy Hochul, the Honorable Sean Ryan, Chair, NYS Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business and Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani, respectfully urging their administrations to:
Strengthen New York’s MWBE participation goals regardless of federal changes.
Increase the percentage of state and city contracts set aside for MWBE firms.
Expand state-backed access-to-capital programs to support growth among MWBEs.
Enforce fair contracting practices to dissuade prime contractors from replacing MWBEs with internal staff—simply because the federal government no longer requires they allocate a percentage of contract awards to MWBEs.
ASC is among thousands of firms that thrive because New York has chosen to invest in opportunity, equity, and inclusion. We urge continued leadership to reinforce New York’s commitment to equitable economic development, ensuring the state continues to benefit from the agility and innovation of its small business community, particularly at this moment, when federal protections are at risk.
Transportation
New elevators and upgrades at Brooklyn’s Church Avenue station on the B/Q lines bring the hub into ADA compliance part of the MTA’s accelerated accessibility push. The project adds platform elevators, new staircases, an East 18th Street entrance, and a mezzanine built overactive tracks, serving roughly 10,000 daily riders while advancing goals to make stations covering most ridership accessible. Learn more about MTA accessibility initiatives and explore the NYC subway mapto see how the system is evolving. (Source: AMNY)
Gothamist: A dilapidated bridge in Prospect Park is way overdue for a glow-up
Mass Transit Magazine: CHSRA issues request for proposals for high-speed rail project
Transport Topics: PrePass, Vermont launch app in state to speed truck travel
Climate
The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management unveiled a proposal for a major investment in climate resilience which would boost coastal adaptability over the next 50 years. While the price tag may be high, Massachusetts sees the proposal as a money saving operation; the US Chamber of Commerce found in 2024 that for every dollar spent on climate resilience, $13 are saved. Among other measures, the proposal includes a voluntary buyback offer for homeowners in high-risk flood areas to sell their properties back to the state to be used for natural shoreline restoration. Learn more about coastal resilience here. (Source: Inside Climate News)
Grist: How to make data centers less thirsty
Canary Media: Hundreds of low-income Illinois families are going electric – for free
Happy Eco News: Project Nexus: California solar canals could save 63 billion gallons of water annuall
Economic Development
Two New York City teens launched an affordable housing portal in July 2025, which has now attracted a $2500 investment from an entrepreneurship start-up. Two 17-year-old self-taught coders built the website after having negative experiences navigating the affordable housing apartment hunting process. The site streamlines the search for affordable housing in NYC, helping tens of thousands of visitors search for below-market and rent-stabilized apartments. Learn more about the portal and its founders here. (Source: Planetizen)
Smart Cities Dive: Shifting water infrastructure decisions to local governments could accelerate housing, advocates say
The City: 3 NYC casino plans approved by state board ahead of final decision at year’s end
Waste Dive: Inside the first year of NYC’s historic commercial waste reform plan
Digital
Despite President Trump’s efforts to roll back incentives for renewable energy and electric vehicles, U.S. cleantech spending is still on track to reach a record high in 2025, according to data from the Clean Investment Monitor by Rhodium Group and MIT. Clean energy and transportation investments rose 8% year-over-year in Q3, driven largely by a surge in EV purchases before the expiration of federal tax credits. Utility-scale renewable projects and industrial decarbonization spending also increased, supported by rising electricity demand from AI data centers, as noted in broader trends tracked by the IEA. Overall spending will likely surpass 2024 levels, but research from Rhodium Group and BloombergNEF indicates a more uncertain long-term outlook. Learn more about the spending, here. (Source: Forbes)
Route Fifty: A new era of urban mobility is within reach
GovTech: New York City sets up a new AI oversight office
Tech Crunch: New York State law takes aim at personalized pricing
About Arch Street Communications
At ASC, we help government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations across the globe communicate issues that affect people’s lives. We’re the bold, nimble, women-owned small business (WBE) that has supported strategic communications programs to build stronger communities for 30 years.
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