City of Yes: Amending zoning restrictions for more housing

by tanya_martins | February 14, 2025 3:33 pm

Rooftop view of a modern high-rise building featuring a luxurious pool, outdoor lounge area, greenery, and a glass-enclosed space, set against a city skyline with historic and contemporary architecture. — One of the renderings of an upcoming project. *Photo courtesy CetraRuddy*

New York City has not built enough housing for decades because of restrictive zoning rules. As a result, there is a shortage of homes for locals, neighborhoods are closed off, and the cost of housing keeps rising.

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is a zoning text amendment that addresses this issue by making it possible to build ‘a little more’ housing in every neighborhood.

The final version of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is expected to enable the creation of 82,000 homes over the next 15 years. It is designed to work differently in different neighborhoods and has several components, including universal affordability preferences (UAP), accessory dwelling units, town center zoning, transit-oriented development, and small and shared housing. Read more details here.[2]

The proposal was reviewed publicly in the spring and summer of 2024, with community boards and borough presidents providing input and the City Planning Commission (CPC) holding a public hearing.

The City Council held a public hearing in October and voted to approve the proposal with modifications on December 5, 2024.

Endnotes:

[Image]: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TM_CityOfYes-1.jpg
Read more details here.: https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/plans/city-of-yes/city-of-yes-housing-opportunity.page

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/city-of-yes-amending-zoning-restrictions-for-more-housing/