NYC Approves ‘City of Yes’ Rezoning Plan

The New York City Council approved the proposed ‘City of Yes’ zoning reform plan, which Mayor Eric Adams says could support the production of over 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years.

According to a Gothamist article by David Brand, “The revisions will affect every section of the city, from suburban Staten Island to the office canyons of Midtown. The plan will allow some property owners to add an extra apartment or small home on their lots, ease the conversion of empty offices into condos and permit developers to construct bigger buildings near subway stations.”

Critics have pointed out that the city’s proposal is less ambitious than zoning reforms in some other cities. The plan, which originally called for the creation of 109,000 housing units, was only approved after the administration addressed concerns from some council members by excluding some low-density areas and creating a tiered system for parking requirements.