City Council to Probe Mayor Adams’ BSA Nominee John Mangen Over Past Writings on Community Benefit Agreements

Julie Menin and other Council members signaled concerns about Mayor Adams’s nominee to lead the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), John Mangen, citing past writings and rhetoric about community benefit agreements and the BSA’s role; they say they will use the Council’s advice-and-consent hearing to question his record and views before deciding whether to support him — a review that councilors say could shape how the BSA handles future housing and zoning approvals. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

# What’s happening
– Council Speaker Julie Menin says she has not yet met John Mangen. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– Council members flagged past writings and rhetoric by Mangen about community benefit agreements. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– The Council will hold an advice-and-consent hearing to question the nominee before deciding support. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

# Why it matters
– Residents near land-use projects could see BSA approvals affected by the chair’s approach to community input. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121
– Council members say the nominee’s views may influence whether the BSA will consider community benefit agreements during approvals. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2045

# Key details
– Stated meeting held August 13, 2026, streamed from the Red Room at City Hall. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– Speaker Julie Menin said John Mangen has not reached out and she looks forward to meeting him. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– Menin: Council has approved every ULURP and over 7,000 housing units, including over 3,000 affordable units. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– Council members raised concerns about Mangen’s prior statements referring to community benefit agreements. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905
– Land use chair Kevin Riley said some projects that would go to the Department of City Planning may now be announced into the BSA. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121
– Council members said they will use the advice-and-consent hearing to meet the nominee and get questions answered. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

Julie Menin, the City Council speaker, said she has not yet met Mayor Adams’s BSA chair nominee, John Mangen, and that members have flagged concerns about his past statements and writings. Menin said the Council is “pro-housing” and wants a BSA leader who is “adamantly pro-housing,” and that the advice-and-consent hearing is the forum to raise questions about the nominee’s record. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

**John Mangen**
– Mayor’s nominee for chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA).
– Subject of upcoming City Council advice-and-consent hearing.
– Raised concerns among Council members for past writings and rhetoric. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

Kevin Riley, the Council’s chair of zoning and franchises, said he also has concerns tied to the nominee’s rhetoric and record. Riley noted he wants to understand how Mangen would see the BSA chair’s role, including whether the chair would listen to community and Council member concerns when the BSA approves projects. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121

**Kevin Riley**
– Chair of the City Council’s zoning and franchises committee.
– Raised questions about how the BSA chair would interact with Council and community input.
– Emphasized infrastructure and neighborhood impacts in land-use deliberations. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121

Council members described specific lines of concern in Mangen’s past work and public statements, including references to community benefit agreements. They said some of those statements have raised doubts about whether Mangen’s past positions align with how the Council views its powers and responsibilities on land use. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2045

The Board of Standards and Appeals is the agency that reviews variances, special permits, and certain zoning interpretations; Council members noted that projects shifted from the Department of City Planning to the BSA could reduce direct Council influence. Kevin Riley said projects “that originally would go to DCP come to the council. Those projects are going to be announced into the BSA,” and he emphasized that “typically council members do not play a role in what the BSA approves.” Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121

**Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA)**
– City agency that hears zoning variances, special permits, and appeals.
– Approval decisions on some land-use matters can bypass direct Council approval.
– Council members expressed concern about how the BSA chair would exercise discretion. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=2121

Menin and Riley said the Council will use the advice-and-consent hearing to press Mangen on his writings and on how he would treat community benefit agreements and other neighborhood protections. Menin said where “there are questions, we raise them, we meet with the nominee, and we get our questions answered.” Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

Several Council members framed their concerns as procedural and programmatic rather than personal. They reiterated the Council’s long record of approving housing in public review and said any nominee must demonstrate a commitment to building housing while also addressing infrastructure and community needs. Those statements establish the test that Council members say they will apply during the hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

If the nominee does not satisfy questions at the hearing, Menin and others indicated that could affect whether the Council supports his confirmation. Menin said the Council wants to make sure a BSA chair “would be willing to listen to community and council member concerns as he would approve projects through the BSA.” Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

**Julie Menin**
– Speaker of the New York City Council.
– Stated she has not yet met the nominee and will lead the Council’s advice-and-consent review.
– Cited the Council’s housing record: approved every ULURP and over 7,000 housing units. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905

Next steps: the Council will schedule the advice-and-consent hearing to question John Mangen and evaluate whether his record and views meet the Council’s stated standard for a BSA chair. Council members said they expect further conversations and to make their support contingent on answers at that hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/9fkxETbr3p4&t=1905