Agency Attorney Interne

THE AGENCY

The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the future of New York City, working to create thriving and dynamic neighborhoods with access to housing and jobs, resilient infrastructure, and a vibrant public realm. The Department engages communities to develop inclusive plans, expands housing access and economic opportunity, and plans for long-term sustainability.

DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of hundreds of land use applications. The Department also advises on citywide strategic and capital planning, analyzes data, conducts policy analysis, and creates open data and civic engagement tools.

The Department of City Planning offers staff meaningful opportunities to help shape the future of New York City and address some of its most pressing challenges. The Department values public service, collaboration, and creativity, and supports professional development. Learn more about DCP and view current job openings .gov/planning.

Established to carry out the functions outlined in the SPEED Report, the Sprint Team is a new, dedicated project management team established to advance the Mamdani Administration's mandate to deliver affordable housing faster through streamlining the review of land use applications to reduce DCP pre-certification timelines for eligible projects from approximately two years to six months. The team will focus specifically on moving applications quickly, predictably, and transparently into public review while preserving the integrity of technical, zoning, and public review requirements.

The land use application is the building block upon which the public discussion about the future of our city rests. The Division is responsible for the timely review of applications to ensure that decision-makers have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their communities.

Working closely with DCP Borough Offices, the Technical Review Division, Environmental Assessment and Review, Pipeline and Commission Operations, Counsel, Capital Planning and Support, Strategic Planning, and the Mayor’s Office, the Sprint Team will identify eligible projects, establish clear review pathways, resolve critical path issues, track milestones, maintain high-quality data in DCP’s Zoning Applications Portal and related systems, and ensure that applicants and reviewers have clear expectations and guidance.

The Sprint Team's primary responsibility is the direct management and review of complex land use applications progressing through pre-certification. Staff within the division will serve as lead project managers responsible for driving projects through the establishment of interdivisional guidance, identifying and escalating risks to schedule, coordinating guidance and comments to applicants and the City Planning Commission, maintaining accountability to milestone commitments, ensuring that applicants receive timely and actionable direction throughout the process, and providing transparency to the pre-certification pipeline through accurate reporting in DCP’s Zoning Application Portal.

The Sprint Team will operate in a highly deadline-driven environment requiring strong judgment, collaboration, technical and planning knowledge, focus on creating and maintaining agency best practices, and a public service dedication. The Director's work will directly support the City's housing production goals by leading a solutions-focused team to reduce avoidable delays while balancing the need to provide thoughtful and accurate guidance on technical and zoning requirements and public review recommendations and strengthening DCP’s accountability to support the city’s goals for affordable housing production.

The Agency Attorney Interne will assist the Sprint Team in legal review of applications subject to the City’s expedited pre-certification pipeline. Under supervision, with some latitude for independent judgment and unreviewed action and decision, the Agency Attorney Interne will:

• Assist in review to ensure applications before the Sprint Team are complete and satisfy all applicable laws, rules, and regulations;
• Provide legal guidance in connection…