As director of the Department of City Planning’s Bronx Office, Carol Samol uses zoning tools to promote sustainable economic development in the Bronx. She has also participated as a leader in a broader City effort to reform the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure’s pre-certification process.
Journey to the Bronx. Samol grew up in the upper Ohio Valley near Wheeling, West Virginia and studied English at Berea College, a small liberal arts college in Kentucky. … <Read More>
On March 20, 2024, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Green Fast Track for Housing rule, a new rule to reduce the cost and time to approve certain modest and eco-friendly buildings by exempting them from review under the State Environmental Quality Review or City Environmental Quality Review laws. State law permits city agencies to have the authority to propose new rules that can allow certain projects to undergo a more streamlined process.
On December 11, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the “Green Fast Track” proposal to accelerate the construction of small- and medium-sized homes throughout the City by streamlining the environmental quality review process. The proposed rule is part of the Mayor’s “Get Stuff Built” plan to create more housing.
On November 21, 2023, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the launch of the “Plus One ADU” pilot program to help up to fifteen homeowners add accessory dwelling units to their properties.
On October 3, 2023, the Department of City Planning (DCP) announced the launch of an online survey and the first remote meeting for the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan. The Plan was created to support mixed-use neighborhoods across the 42 blocks of Midtown South where housing is not currently permitted. On Tuesday, October 17 at 7pm, a remote public information session will be held and will offer New Yorkers the opportunity to learn about Midtown South’s … <Read More>
On March 2, 2023, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced that$3.1 million will go towards efforts to combat source-of-income discrimination for New Yorkers who rely on rental assistance. Source-of-income discrimination is an illegal practice by landlords, owners, and real estate brokers who refuse to rent to current or prospective tenants seeking to pay for housing with vouchers, subsidies, or other public assistance.