Working for a Safe, Affordable City for All
NYC Common Sense is a nonprofit coalition fighting for safer streets, affordable housing, and real jobs — championing effectiveness and accountability over ideology and identity politics.
Common Sense
Is Uncommon
At City Hall
NYC Common Sense is a nonprofit grassroots coalition focused on making sure City government is delivering on behalf of ALL New Yorkers.
Everyone deserves safer streets, affordable housing, jobs, and the opportunity to thrive. That requires accountable leadership and transparency — making promises and keeping them.
We serve as an independent watchdog, using all tools at our disposal to hold city leaders accountable. Because common sense is all too uncommon at City Hall.
Our Issues
In The News
As a candidate, and immediately after his 2025 electoral victory, Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged to foster a “culture of transparency” at City Hall – a welcome message, given the corruption and double-dealing that sadly marked the previous administration. Now in office, however, the mayor has a glaring double standard when it comes to releasing documents […]
NYC Common Sense released the following statement regarding the results of the 2026 Midterm Elections: “The voters have spoken: Democrats had a historic night yesterday, not only here in New York, but across the nation. Celebrations are rightly taking place in the wake of hard-fought victories. But make no mistake about it: The results were […]
NYC Common Sense released the following statement on New York City’s rent freeze implementation: “The sad reality is that the very New Yorkers City Hall claims will benefit from this rent freeze – tenants – will in fact be hurt by its fallout, as building owners increasingly lack the necessary resources to invest in their […]
NYC Common Sense released the following statement regarding the City Council’s E-Bike hearing: “We commend Speaker Menin and the City Council for taking the e-bike crisis seriously and dedicating time to exploring how best to protect New Yorkers as streets, crosswalks, and sidewalks across the five boroughs grow less safe by the day. “Every day, millions of New Yorkers […]
NYC Common Sense, a nonprofit watchdog organization, was formed earlier this year to serve as a check on City Hall and champion effectiveness and accountability over ideology and identity politics. On September 2, NYC Common Sense Chair Jim Walden wrote to Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata and asked her to open a formal investigation […]
Legal Action
NYC Common Sense uses every tool at our disposal — including litigation — to hold city government accountable. When leaders overstep their authority or ignore the law, we pursue legal remedies to protect New Yorkers' rights.
Watch Our Press Event / Read the Lawsuit On the steps of City Hall on June 25, 2026, attorney Jim Walden, chair of NYC Common Sense, an independent, nonpartisan government watchdog organization; joined advocates, vulnerable pedestrians and e-bike victims in announcing a legal challenge against Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the City of New York over the mayor’s March 2026 […]
Join NYC
Common Sense
Be the change City Hall needs.
We need your help to ensure New York City runs on common sense. Your voice matters in holding City Hall accountable.
No spam, ever. Just updates on our work holding City Hall accountable.