Five More Affluent NYC Neighborhoods to Upzone

In keeping with the goals of the Regional Plan Association's Fourth Regional Plan, New York City must continue its nascent trend of rezoning for more building capacity in affluent neighborhoods.

2 minute read

November 2, 2020, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Manhattan, New York City, New York

andersphoto / Shutterstock

Moses Gates writes for the Regional Plan Association to present a vision for affluent New York neighborhoods that includes more zoned capacity for housing development—i.e., upzoning.

The article is presented in context of the ongoing effort to upzone NoHo and SoHo in Manhattan—the most affluent neighborhood to be rezoned for more development capacity in a recent series of rezoning processes in New York City.

The central argument of Moses's writing here: that NoHo and SoHo might be there first, but they shouldn't be the last:

For too long, higher-income, majority-white neighborhoods have been able to stymie development and affordable housing, shifting the burden onto other, lower-income neighborhoods. We need affordable housing in every neighborhood, especially ones without it.

Another rezoning process in an affluent part of the city is already underway in Gowanus, but more "could easily follow," according to Moses, who has some specific recommendations: Midwood, Forest Hills North, Riverdale, the Meatpacking District and the Far-West Village, and Grasmere.

For those keeping track at home, that's all five boroughs, and a lot more detail is included to explain the specific potential of each neighborhood to add more housing capacity.

Thursday, October 22, 2020 in Regional Plan Association

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