NYC Council Passes Bill to Increase Restrooms

The New York City Council has passed a bill requiring the city to develop a plan for increasing public restroom availability, aiming for one restroom per 2,000 residents by 2035. Currently, there are approximately 1,100 public toilets for 8.6 million residents, or one for every 7,800 people. Spearheaded by Councilmember Sandy Nurse, the legislation mandates the creation of a comprehensive public restroom network and an online map for easy access. The initiative, supported unanimously, seeks to address the needs of vulnerable groups like delivery workers, the homeless, and people with disabilities, who face significant challenges due to the lack of facilities. The bill requires a strategic planning report every four years, with a goal of 2,120 public restrooms by 2035, half of which would be publicly owned. Mayor Eric Adams had previously supported similar initiatives, including the 'Ur in Luck' plan to build or renovate restrooms and provide a digital map of their locations.