New York City Council announced a comprehensive housing plan named “City for All” on November 1st after a two-day public hearing on the “City of Yes” proposal to relax residential development restrictions put forward by Mayor Adams. The “City for All” plan aims to address the increasingly severe housing affordability issue in New York City by focusing on increasing affordable housing funding, strengthening tenant protections, and implementing anti-discrimination measures. The Council and the City government are expected to finalize negotiations on the plan and vote on it before the end of the year.
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams stated that while the “City of Yes” proposal would promote housing construction, “City for All” focuses more on improving housing affordability, creating more homeownership opportunities, enhancing community infrastructure investments, and protecting tenant rights to assist middle and low-income New Yorkers.
New York City is currently facing a serious housing crisis, with a citywide housing vacancy rate of only 1.4%, the lowest level since 1968.
Compared to the “City of Yes” proposal, the Council’s “City for All” plan aims to create a more affordable, livable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers through comprehensive and proactive policy actions and investments.
The “City for All” proposal places greater emphasis on deepening affordable housing measures, requiring significant increases in funding for the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) five-year capital plan and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to support affordable housing projects. The plan mandates that large transit-oriented and town center development projects must provide affordable housing and increase the city’s investment in public transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure.
To further protect tenant rights, the “City for All” proposal calls for a significant increase in funding for legal aid, the restoration and strengthening of the Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection (AHTP) program to provide legal support for tenants facing eviction. Additionally, the plan emphasizes the establishment of affordable units in housing projects around stations and above storefronts, as well as investing in improving community drainage systems to reduce flood risks and enhance overall community infrastructure.