City of Yes

May 19, 2024

Spotlight

Note: VID offers this information to educate everyone and, without taking a position at this time, provides an impartial overview of the policy proposal. We look forward to having experts present a more in-depth analysis at an upcoming VID General Membership meeting.

The City Of Yes Overview:

The City Of Yes is Mayor Adams' expansive plan to change outdated zoning rules and ignite housing and economic growth. The initiative comprises three sub-plans: the City of Yes Carbon Neutrality, Housing Opportunity, and Economic Opportunity. The following is a brief summary of the Housing Opportunity plan. Please note that we offer this information to educate everyone and, without taking a position at this time, provide an impartial overview of the policy proposal. VID looks forward to hosting experts to present more in-depth analyses at upcoming VID General Membership meetings.

The City of Yes Housing Opportunity, created to alleviate New York City's housing crisis, began formal public review on April 29, 2024. Apartment vacancy rates are at 1.4%, the lowest level in decades, with a particular scarcity of affordable homes. The proposal seeks to generate up to 108,900 new units over 15 years and combat the crisis through zoning reforms:

Universal Affordability Preference (UAP) paving the way for developers to build more housing for lower-income earners. facilitating residential conversions
Reintroducing mixed-use zoning
Removing parking mandates
Legalizing accessory dwelling units
Promoting transit-oriented development
Easing rules for campus development.

While the plan aims to address housing shortages and affordability issues, critics raise concerns about a one-size-fits-all approach and its effectiveness in meeting diverse community needs. The harshest criticism has come from development-averse community boards, many from the more suburban areas. These groups dispute the premise that NYC needs to increase the size and density of residential construction to address rising housing prices.

Village Preservation is currently challenging the notion that increasing size and density in NYC is, in fact, the solution to rising housing prices, citing data showing housing growth has outpaced population growth. In a recent article, Is a Housing “Shortage” Really the Cause of Unaffordability? Village Preservation asserts that as housing prices continue to soar, the problem does not seem to be simply a lack of supply. They are concerned that only focusing on increasing the housing supply in certain areas may not effectively reduce prices and could worsen inequality.

Presentations to local boards: It's not too late to become more involved and voice your opinions. Local Community Boards, Borough Presidents, and City Council Members will all have the opportunity to review the plans. Find your representatives here and attend public meetings to participate in this process.

05/21/2024 Manhattan Community Board 3 Committee (Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side, NoHo, Two Bridges). Location TBD. More info here
Community Board 2 City of Yes Housing Opportunity information here.

More Reading on The City of Yes Housing Opportunity (all articles can be found in VID Reading Library on our website and will be updated accordingly):

Public Review to Begin for Mayor’s ‘City of Yes’ Housing Plan, as Affordability Details Emerge: This review examines the pros and cons of the housing plan.
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity Will Protect New York’s Environment: In support of City of Yes Housing Opportunity from NY League of Conservation Voters.

Source for summary above: New York State City of Yes Housing Opportunity; NY Daily News, T. Kvetenadze , 4/29

The City Of Yes Economic Opportunity:

The New York City Council is reviewing Mayor Adams' "City of Yes for Economic Opportunity" proposal. This initiative is part of a much larger effort, including City of Yes Carbon Neutrality, Housing Opportunity, and Economic Opportunity. The following is a brief summary of Economic Opportunities, which seeks to modernize zoning regulations to generate economic recovery and the expansion of local businesses.

The Economic Opportunity plan consists of 18 proposals to fill vacant storefronts, enable businesses to establish and grow in new areas, and change the zoning for usage. Many of the city's zoning laws governing business and manufacturing have not been updated since 1961, making innovation difficult. The proposal seeks to streamline business processes, promote growing industries, enhance streetscapes to be more conducive to business activity, and introduce new opportunities for business operations.

Highlight of key changes proposed by the new plan are as follows:

Doubling space for clean manufacturing, allowing small producers to expand.
Creating zoning tools for 17,000 businesses in industrial areas to grow.
Expanding the number of businesses in ground- and upper-floor spaces.
Removing restrictions on dancing, comedy, and open mic nights in commercial areas.
Allowing new corner stores in residential areas for 265,000 New Yorkers.
Updating rules to permit amusements closer to residential areas.
Modernizing zoning for life sciences research near universities and hospitals.
Removing restrictions on indoor urban agriculture.
Filling empty storefronts by updating rules for long-term vacant facilities.
Allowing more home-based businesses, like barbers and interior designers.
Helping small businesses expand local delivery capacity.
Modernizing loading dock rules to facilitate adaptive reuse of commercial buildings.

The proposal has backing from a significant number of wide-ranging pro-business organizations (Association for a Better New York, Alliance for Downtown NY, Real Estate Board of New York, the Freelancers Union), and except Sfor taten Island ,all borough presidents have recommended approving the proposal ,with conditions.

However, community support has been much less forthcoming. Thirty of the fifty-one Community Boards have rejected the proposal, citing concerns about conflicts with affordable housing initiatives, adverse environmental impacts, and how alterations and rezoning will impact neighborhood character.

In response to community concerns voiced during over 175 city community board meetings, the City Planning Commission (CPC) has made modifications, such as ensuring existing apartments aren’t converted to commercial use and setting limits on home businesses. The initiative received positive feedback from 21 community boards and borough presidents and will proceed to the City Council for a public hearing and vote.

The City Council is currently deliberating the initiative, and a vote is expected very soon.

Sources:

City of Yes: Carbon Neutrality

This is the third and final Dispatch segment on Mayor Adams' "City of Yes, aiming to revise and update NYC’s zoning regulations. The plan consists of three parts: City of Yes Carbon Neutrality, Housing Opportunity, and Economic Opportunity, to support sustainability, create affordable housing, and support businesses.

In December 2023, the NYC City Council cil passed the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality (COYCN) zoning text amendment, updating the city's zoning laws to facilitate green investments and infrastructure changes. These changes are designed to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings and transportation, the city's two primary sources of emissions.

The amendment simplifies the process for implementing green technologies and retrofitting buildings, which is essential for meeting the mandated state climate goals. These goals require a 40% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 and an 85% reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. The amendment also aligns with Local Law 97 of 2019, which sets energy efficiency and emissions limits for buildings over 25,000 square feet by 2024. Additionally, the amendment positions the city to seek more funding from federal and state programs aimed at environmental projects.

The following is a brief summary of Key Provisions of the COYCN:

Energy

Rooftop and Parking Canopy Solar Panels: Removes zoning impediments to installations.
Community Solar: Reclassifies use to permit installations in residential areas.
Energy Storage Systems (ESS): Removes obstacles to installing grid-supporting ESS.

Buildings

Mechanical Equipment for Electrification: Provides flexibility for approving installations like heat pumps.
Facade Retrofits: Allows retrofits to meet Energy Code requirements.

Transportation

EV Charging Facilities: Encourages public EV charging infrastructure.
Car Sharing: Allows up to 20% of parking spaces for EV charger-sharing or car sharing.
Bicycle and E-Mobility Storage: Creates new commercial use for public bicycle and e-mobility parking, including secure outdoor storage lockers.

Waste & Stormwater

Permeable Paving: Clarifies that permeable paving is always allowed.
Rain gardens and Street Trees: Updates rules to accommodate new prototypes.
Composting and Recycling: Clarifies and adds regulations to facilitate these activities.
Rooftop Food Production: Removes certification requirement for non-residential rooftop greenhouses.

Source: City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality Passes NYC City Council, (P. Aronson, 12/23)

City of Yes - Follow up

VID General Membership Recap -City of Yes Housing Discussion with Erik Bottcher & Andrew Berman - June 2024

Thanks to all who attended the VID general membership meeting last week. We were privileged to have City Councilmember Erik Bottcher and Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman walk us through their perspectives and what they viewed as the pros and cons of The City of Yes Housing opportunity. This is a complicated subject, with sometimes conflicting needs to maximize affordable housing while respecting the character of the neighborhood.

David Siffert, VID executive committee member, summarized the evening, “This whole thing was great. And one thing I really thought was great about it is it showed how much is in common between what Erik was saying and what Andrew was saying despite coming at it from different angles…I hope that people take away that we can come together to do something because it seems like what Andrew wants and what Erik wants are like 2 sides of a coin.”

For those unable to attend the meeting, the recording is available here, passcode 6v042Z?!

Andrew Berman's presentation begins at the start of the recording.
Erik Bottcher's presentation begins at 47:09.

More Info:

See the Mayor's City of Yes full proposal here and
VID synopsis here
Councilmember Erik Bottcher addresses Community Board 2 in support of City of Yes, affordable housing. Video here
“Is a Housing “Shortage” Really the Cause of Unaffordability? Village Preservation article, May 2024

The City of Yes Housing Opportunity Update - City Planning Commission Meeting

The third pillar of NYC Mayor Eric Adams' rezoning proposal, "City of Yes Housing Opportunity,” seeks to address the housing crisis that sparked a heated debate at a lengthy public hearing on Wednesday. The City Planning Commission (CPC) heard over 12 hours of feedback from officials and residents, revealing a division not strictly along political lines. While most support the overall goal of the City of Yes Housing plan to increase housing supply, many are concerned that it will lead to developer profits without improving market-rate prices or affordable housing. Overall, the plan should prioritize affordable housing over developer profits, and many feel that the City of Yes must do more to achieve that goal.

To watch the full hearing, click Part I and Part II.
To find out how to help, see the Take Action section below.

source: CBS News; Village Preservation