Say Hello to Mandatory Inclusionary Housing!

Almost 55 percent of all renter households in New York City now pay more than 30 percent of their income towards housing costs, an increase of 11 percent since 2000. As a consequence, the City Planning Commission found that “many of the city’s neighborhoods are becoming less economically diverse, which poses a threat to the city’s economic competitiveness as well as to the opportunities available to lower-income New Yorkers.”

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing is one of … <Read More>


Council Subcommittee Approves East New York Rezoning Plan with Modifications

The modified East New York Rezoning includes such deep levels of affordability that Council Members referred to the rezoning plan as a “unicorn,” though all hope to use it as an example for future rezonings.  On April 14, 2016, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use held back-to-back meetings on the Department of City Planning’s East New York Rezoning Plan, which would affect the greater East New York area … <Read More>


City Planning Commission Hears Testimony on the Rezoning of Water Street’s Privately Owned Public Space

The proposed zoning text amendment would facilitate the replacement of sheltered outdoor space with commercial storefronts. On March 30th, 2016, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application submitted by the Alliance for Downtown New York, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and the Department of City Planning to amend the zoning text regulating Manhattan Community District 1’s Special Lower Manhattan District, which includes property sites located within the area bounded by Pearl … <Read More>


Full Council Passes Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability Proposals by an Overwhelmingly Majority Vote

Despite disruption from Council public gallery, the modified plans were adopted without suspense.  On March 22, 2016, the City Council voted to approve Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposals at its stated meeting. The full vote follows extensive modifications by the Council to the original plan. The approved text amendments are significantly different from the earlier versions voted on by the Community Board and City Planning. For … <Read More>


City Council Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Mayor’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Proposal

Hard-hitting questions from several Council members explored ways affordable housing could be provided at deeper levels of affordability.  On February 9, 2016, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing proposal.  The hearing was held in the City Council Chambers in City Hall to accommodate the capacity audience.


City Planning Holds Thirteen-Hour Hearing on Citywide Affordable Housing Proposals

CPC held the hearing at the National Museum of the American Indian in an attempt to accommodate the large number of guests, however an overflow of testifiers waited on lines outside as the hearing began. On December 16, 2015, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, and Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposals, which are two components of the Mayor’s Housing: New York plan. The public … <Read More>