In the face of NYC’s housing crisis, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick announced the passage of NYC’s most pro-housing zoning proposal, “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity.”
NYC currently stands with a 1.4% rental vacancy rate, making this zoning text amendment critical to combating years of overly restrictive zoning rules and the ongoing generational housing crisis. The local leaders promised 80,000 new homes within the next 15 years, along with a $5 billion investment towards infrastructure updates and housing.
When announcing the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Eric Adams said:
Today is a historic day in New York City, but, more importantly, for working-class New Yorkers. We showed the nation that government can still be bold and brave by passing the most pro-housing piece of legislation in city history. Our administration proposed and fought hard for this proposal for more than year, and now New Yorkers are the ones who will benefit from lower rent.
Under the momentous City of Yes Housing Opportunity agreement comes the creation of the Universal Affordability Preference (UAP), which will allow around 20% more hosing in medium- and high-density developments, the construction of three-, four-, and five-story apartment buildings near transit, the legalization of small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for one- and two-family homes, updating parking mandates, re-legalizing small and shared housing models, facilitate housing conversions and more.
“Today, we lay the foundation to prevent tens of thousands of New Yorkers from enduring [homelessness], reversing decades of racist zoning policies that have harmed Black and Brown communities,” said Shams DaBaron, Da Housing Hero, at the press announcement. “For too long, people have been told to settle for a right to shelter. But I’ve always believed we need a right to housing. Housing is the real solution to homelessness, and today’s decision shows how we can make that a reality.”
You can find even more details about the 80,000 new homes as part of the City of Yes Housing Opportunity on the city’s website.