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New York Times
21-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
New York City's Housing Crisis Will Be on the November Ballot
New York City residents will be able to vote this November on several ballot measures that would make it easier to build apartments and diminish the power City Council members wield over development in their districts. A special city panel, known as a Charter Revision Commission, voted on Monday to place five measures on the ballot. Most of them are intended to remove some political and bureaucratic barriers to development that have made New York's housing shortage difficult to fix, the commission said. One measure would create a 'fast track' by giving the City Planning Commission, instead of the City Council, the authority to approve or reject affordable housing projects in the 12 community districts that have allowed the least housing to be built. A majority of the City Planning Commission's members are appointed by the mayor. Another measure would make it easier to build 'modest' developments, such as those that would be up to 30 percent bigger than the current rules allow. A third would create an appeals board that could overrule a decision by the Council to reject or modify an affordable housing development. The board would need an agreement between two of its three members: the mayor, the Council speaker and the president of the borough where the development was proposed. Richard R. Buery Jr., a former deputy mayor who is the chair of the commission, said the measures would help make New York a 'more equitable and affordable city.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Time Out
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
New Yorkers can weigh in on where the city should build 100,000 new homes in Manhattan
Manhattan might be the city's most iconic borough, but when it comes to new housing? It's been falling flat. Now, Mayor Eric Adams wants your help to turn that around. As part of a sweeping new initiative dubbed The Manhattan Plan, City Hall is calling on New Yorkers to weigh in on where and how to build 100,000 new homes across the borough over the next decade. You don't need to be a planner or a policy wonk, just someone who lives, works or dreams of affording rent in Manhattan. The city has launched a public survey to gather feedback on potential housing sites, zoning tweaks and your personal thoughts on what makes living in Manhattan possible—or impossible. In-person events and neighborhood outreach are also planned throughout the summer. It's part of a larger push to reverse a decades-long slowdown in Manhattan housing production. From 2021 to 2024, Manhattan built fewer homes than every borough except Staten Island. Meanwhile, rents have surged by 50% since 2010 and nearly half of Manhattanites are considered rent-burdened. At the heart of the plan is a major rezoning of Midtown South, where housing has long been off-limits. The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan aims to add nearly 10,000 new homes—including 2,800 income-restricted apartments—across a 42-block area from 23rd to 40th Street and 5th to 8th Avenue. The City Planning Commission approved the plan this month and a City Council vote is expected this summer. Mayor Adams announced the plan in his 2025 State of the City address and called it 'a tribute to this borough's long history as a place where families from all over the world could come to start their American Dream.' His administration hopes the initiative will help make Manhattan more affordable, family-friendly and livable again.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fashion Stakeholders Said to Be Uniting to Air Concerns About Midtown Rezoning Plan
As the Midtown South Mixed-use plan continues to be discussed among city officials, business owners and members of the public, a group of fashion designers are said to be uniting to present their concerns about the project. The public review process for the plan, which calls for substantial rezoning and has the support of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, continued Wednesday with a public meeting. The project, which would require approval from the City Council, would cover four areas centered around Herald and Greeley Squares and stretching roughly between West 23rd and West 40th Streets and Fifth and Eighth avenues, with the Garment District comprising a portion of that. More from WWD A group of stakeholders in the Garment District, including many designers, who are either based there or use various resources in the neighborhood are said to be drafting a joint letter to spell out their concerns. Additional public review sessions are being planned. A vote by the City Planning Commission could be held this spring or early summer. If the commission votes to approve or modify the proposal, it would then go to the City Council for a public hearing and vote. During Wednesday's City Planning Commission meeting, chair Dan Garodnick noted how the neighborhood has more than 7,000 businesses and 135,000 jobs, but vacancy rates are leaving some buildings unused especially since the pandemic. 'Inflexible outdated zoning has stymied housing growth and prevents the neighborhood from adapting and evolving. With a 1.4 vacancy rate fueling our dire housing crisis, it's unbelievable that if somebody wanted to build housing in this area, the city's own rules would not allow it.' Garodnick said the status quo must be changed 'to advance every opportunity to create new homes and turn the tide on this crisis.' The MSMX project would do that and create a vibrant 24/7 neighborhood with a mix of commercial, manufacturing and residential uses, spurring the creation of an estimated 9,700 new homes including up to 2,900 permanently restricted affordable homes, allowing 20,000 New Yorkers from all incomes to live in some of the most centrally located and highest-density parts of Manhattan, according to Garodnick. If approved, the plan would mark the first time that mandatory inclusionary housing would be available in Midtown. It would also give way to key changes that were made through Mayor Eric Adams-supported 'City of Yes' initiative including more flexible rules for office conversions, new high-density residential districts and new, more flexible zoning districts, Garodnick said. Referring to the neighborhood's 'long and important legacy as an economic hub,' he said the plan would support that by increasing foot traffic day and night through nonresidential uses like light manufacturing, office space and retail. That would allow for transportation improvements and community facilities such as libraries and schools, Garodnick said. Manhattan Community Board 5, the Manhattan Borough Board and its president Mark Levine have given the plan 'favorable recommendations,' according to the chair. But members of the fashion industry are not fully on board. Sources said that a group of American fashion designers are uniting to relay their concerns about the plan. While they are said to understand how the neighborhood must evolve to keep up with housing and economic demands in the city, they are seeking safeguards for the fashion industry especially in relation to protecting affordable workspace and small businesses. Some of the issues that the collective are rallying around are initiatives that have not panned out as expected. One example is how landlords had pledged a total of $25 million to the neighborhood BID funds; the bulk of the earmarked money was never distributed. Another topic is how the city had allocated $20 million for a centralized garment production space, but that has not transpired, and the funds were not redirected. Another matter that is being talked about is how a tax break that was geared for landlords who retained garment business tenants, was not activated, because no one opted in. Another issue with the designers is how during the pandemic shutdown, the city suspended the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative and a proposed Local Production Fund that would help small brands with local factories was never fully realized, sources said. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
