To boost the state's housing supply, some New York lawmakers want to eliminate local control over single-family zoning.
Single-family zoning once again takes center stage as New York State lawmakers dispute the merits of proposed bills that would preempt local zoning codes, allowing homeowners to rent out secondary units such as basements, top floors, and other accessory dwelling unit (ADU) types. As David Brand reports, housing advocates argue that single-family zoning—and the state laws that allow local jurisdictions to enforce it—are suppressing housing construction and enabling New York's affordable housing shortage.
A 2019 report from the Department of City Planning found that New York City added 770,000 new jobs between 2001 and 2018, but only 407,000 new units of housing, creating steep competition for minimal middle-income and low-income housing. A year later, a report by the Citizens Budget Commission found that housing production rates in suburban Westchester, Rockland and Nassau Counties are among the lowest in the country, in large part due to exclusionary zoning.
Consequently, over 40 percent of downstate New York residents spend more than a third of their income on rent, while many live in unpermitted ADUs that could pose safety risks, such as the basement apartments that flooded during Hurricane Ida. Proponents of the bills argue that legalizing ADU rental would increase available housing units and help homeowners bring existing units up to code to protect tenants.
FULL STORY: Hochul, Lawmakers Look to Override NY’s Exclusionary Zoning Amid Housing Crunch
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Meet NYC’s New Office of Livable Streets
The NYC DOT program will build on pandemic-era initiatives to promote safe and comfortable streets that enhance community and expand uses beyond just moving cars.
Transit Riders Face the Highest Safety Risks in These 10 States
According to federal data, the average number of safety incidents on public transportation averaged 55.2 per 100,000 people across all states between 2010 and 2023. Which states came in well above the national average?
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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