NYC’s Proposed Zoning Reforms Lag Behind Other Cities

In a piece for The City, Samantha Maldonado explains how cities like Minneapolis and Austin have made far more ambitious zoning reforms than New York City in their efforts to encourage more housing development and bring down housing costs for their residents.

According to Maldonado, “Some parts of the original City of Yes proposal were from the onset less ambitious than elsewhere, while changes made as part of negotiations further scaled back the agenda.” The city says the plan could yield up to 80,000 new housing units, but modifications requested by City Council members will mitigate growth in some low-density neighborhoods, prompting criticism that the alterations ‘run counter to the initial promise of City of Yes to create “a little bit more housing in every neighborhood.’”

The proposed City of Yes plan would not allow duplexes or triplexes on lots zoned for single-family homes, while Minneapolis does. Minneapolis, Austin, Buffalo, and other cities have also scaled back or eliminated parking requirements, further reducing the cost of construction. While Columbus, Ohio allows buildings up to 16 stories tall near transit, New York’s plan would limit transit-adjacent building height to five stories in some neighborhoods.