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CITY LIMITS NEWS INC
New York, NY · EIN 270218689 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE W50 · Public & Societal Benefit · Small ($100K-$1M) · citylimits.org
revenue
$980K
expenses
$978K
net assets
$563K
employees
12
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

TO USE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM THROUGH THE PRISM OF NEW YORK CITY TO IDENTIFY URBAN PROBLEMS,

profile · synthesized from sources

City Limits News Inc is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in New York City, founded in 1976 to report on urban issues affecting low-income communities. It focuses on housing, systemic inequity, and policy reform, serving as a resource for working-class, Black and brown, immigrant, and underserved New Yorkers. The organization produces in-depth reporting, data analysis, and multilingual content to inform the public and drive community action.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Community-Driven Reporting
Centers stories from underrepresented communities through op-eds, profiles, and on-the-ground reporting to amplify marginalized voices
Data and Policy Analysis
Conducts data journalism projects to uncover systemic issues in housing and homelessness, supporting advocacy and reform efforts
Investigative Journalism on Housing Equity
Produces in-depth reporting on housing policy, displacement, gentrification, and NYCHA to inform public discourse and policy reform
Spanish-Language Reporting
Provides essential resources and news in Spanish for immigrant communities, including guidance on housing, identification, and public services
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Urban Policy and Equity Research 1 activity
    • Conducts investigative journalism on urban issues in New York City
      Produces in-depth investigative reports focused on urban problems in New York City, with a historical emphasis on housing, development, and government policy affecting low-income communities. This work includes examining root causes and potential solutions.
  • Affordable Housing Development and Management 1 activity
    • Provides direct housing assistance and resources to New Yorkers
      Guides tens of thousands of New Yorkers through the housing lottery process annually and delivers essential housing resources, including in Spanish for immigrant communities.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$980K
Contributions & grants$939K96%
Program service revenue$41K4%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$978K
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$711K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$644K
Cash$230K
Investments$0
Liabilities$81K
Net assets$563K
Liquid reserves2.8 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +11.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Frances Reilly FUNDRASING 40 $111K
GARY CLEMONS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $74K
Marjorie Martay FORMER ED 40 $33K
board members · 13
  • ANDREW BRESLAU — DIRECTOR
  • Annabel Short — DIRECTOR
  • Ayanna Oliver-Taylor — DIRECTOR
  • Chester Jesus Soria — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID R JONES — DIRECTOR
  • ERICA GONZALEZ MARTINEZ — DIRECTOR
  • ERIK SPOONER — CHAIRPERSON
  • Jacklyn Monk — TREASURER
  • MARTHA NELSON — DIRECTOR
  • NEILL COLEMAN — VICE-CHAIR
  • NICK LUNDGREN — SECRETARY
  • Stephen Fee — DIRECTOR
  • Toni Williams — DIRECTOR
relationships · 3

Who they work with

  • Community Service Society of New York Government — Became a project of the Community Service Society of New York in 2009, an organization fighting poverty in New York since 1843.
  • Daniel Parra Partner — Journalist contributing reporting on Latino small businesses and community events for City Limits.
  • NYCHA Government — Provides guidance and resources related to NYCHA for readers navigating public housing systems.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Accessible Systems Navigation
    methodology: navigating_systems
    By translating complex housing and political systems into accessible information, we increase civic engagement and individual efficacy, because understanding how systems work enables people to act within and ultimately transform them.
  • Community-Centered Narrative Power
    methodology: amplifying_voices
    By centering the voices and lived experiences of underrepresented communities—through op-eds, profiles, and community-rooted reporting—we shift public narratives and influence policy discourse, because authentic representation challenges dominant frames and builds collective agency.
  • Investigative Journalism for Systems Change
    methodology: systems_change
    By using investigative and data journalism to uncover systemic urban problems—particularly in housing—we produce policy reform and community-driven solutions, because exposing root causes creates leverage for structural change and empowers affected communities with evidence for advocacy.