Midday News: Renters Report Hundreds of Violations of NYC Broker Fee Ban, Riverside Drive West Project Stalls, and Subway Riders Get a New Friend

New York City renters have filed more than 1,100 complaints since the city’s ban on most broker fees took effect in June, many accusing landlords and brokers of ignoring the new rule. Meanwhile, Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani is criticizing President Trump over the federal prosecution of state Attorney General Letitia James. Also, city contractors hired to replace a crumbling, century-old elevated stretch of Riverside Drive West in Washington Heights walked off the job last year, leaving behind an unfinished construction site and hundreds of residents stuck in a public works purgatory. And finally, we meet the guy behind those “Friend” ads at subway stations across the city.