Red Tape Desk
Stuck on something in your town? Ask us. We'll dig through permits, code cases, property records, contracts and meeting video, trace what officials promised and when, put the question to the agency, and keep after it.
Why has your block been torn up for months? Who approved the building going up next door? When does the lane on 71st Street reopen? Why hasn't the city answered your complaint? Send us the question.
How it works. We read every request. For the ones we take on, we search permits, code cases, property records, agendas and meeting transcripts, and when the records don't answer it, we ask the agency. We'll tell you what we learn. When the answer matters to more than one block, we write a story, and we track open questions below so you can see who has and hasn't answered.
What we can and can't do. We find out; we don't take sides or argue your case for you, and we can't promise every request becomes a story. We don't take on disputes between neighbors. Emergencies go to 911, and routine service requests (a pothole, a missed pickup) to your city or town first.