New York City Mayor Eric Adams held a press conference at City Hall on April 29 with labor groups to announce the start of the public review process for one of the three major proposals under the “City of Yes” initiative, known as “Housing Opportunity.” The Mayor’s office stated that the New York City Council is expected to vote on the proposal by the end of this year.
“Housing Opportunity” aims to amend a series of zoning text amendments, including changing the land use regulations for single-family home communities to allow for more housing in low-density areas, in order to “create more housing in every community.” The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) has released a draft environmental impact report for “Housing Opportunity,” with plans to build up to 108,850 new housing units over the next 15 years.
The public review process commenced on the 29th, during which the Department of City Planning will submit the proposal for “Housing Opportunity” to community boards and borough president offices in each administrative district. Once the public review process concludes, the New York City Council is set to vote on the “City Housing Opportunity” by the end of the year.
Prior to the start of the public review, the Department of City Planning and the Department of Housing Development held ten public information sessions and two years of meetings with stakeholders affected by the proposal, in addition to releasing annotated versions of the zoning text amendments and an illustration guide.
Before the Department of City Planning holds public hearings and a vote this fall, the proposal will undergo review by community boards, borough presidents, and district councils. Following approval by the City Planning Commission, the City Council is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on the proposal by the end of the year.
For detailed information on the “Housing Opportunity” proposal, the public can visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/index.page