Adi Talwar
March 9, 2023: Cypress Hills neighborhood of Brooklyn.
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“If it were up to me, all of New York City would be included,” said State Sen. Julia Salazar, who is looking to expand the state’s recently passed basement legalization pathway to more neighborhoods.
The City Council is pushing for an additional $3.66 billion for affordable housing over the next five years, building on the $10.5 billion the mayor earmarked in his executive budget in April.
Councilmember Crystal Hudson’s development framework details criteria that projects in her district should meet if they need city approval for zoning changes. “We can all contribute to the housing crisis that we’re in and build more housing, but do so in a way that’s really responsive to the needs of our local communities,” the lawmaker said.
“I’m surprised, I’m baffled, I’m angry,” said City Councilmember Sandy Nurse, who represents East New York, where the city ran an earlier basement conversion pilot in 2019. The area is excluded from the new program, which will only apply to 15 of the city’s 59 community districts.
Introduced in September as the third column in Adams’ City of Yes initiative—following separate proposals related to climate and commercial businesses—the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is a broad plan that seeks to tackle the housing crisis with various zoning changes.
Protesters marched outside the Real Estate Board of New York’s Manhattan headquarters Thursday, while others blocked foot traffic in an act of civil disobedience. The NYPD arrested 13 people, including the city’s Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams.
The proposal would build 1,400 income-restricted apartments—on top of 1,100 already in the works—on the Flushing waterfront just east of Citi Field. It also includes a privately financed stadium for the New York City Football Club.
As elected officials attempt to hammer out a housing deal before the state’s budget deadline at the end of the month, advocates want lawmakers to know they’re still fighting for tenant protections that aren’t watered down.
The draft plan marks the first step toward a formal land use proposal from the city for 42 Manhattan blocks where housing is currently restricted.
While lawmakers continue to negotiate housing initiatives and tenant protections in Albany, supporters of the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act are positioning the bill as one of the state’s best shots at passing meaningful housing legislation this year. “It’s hard to put your guard up when it’s the neighborhood church saying we want to build,” sponsor Andrew Gounardes told City Limits.
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