New York City Mayor Adams announced a plan that will help faith-based organizations build critically needed affordable housing across the five boroughs. This proposal is a part of Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” plan, which will modernize outdated zoning laws.
“Our administration is throwing open the door to new solutions and new housing that will help us solve the housing crisis by working with our churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based organizations,” said Adams. “We are saying ‘yes’ in God’s backyard,’ and enabling faith-based organizations and non-profits to convert old convents, school buildings, and other properties into desperately needed housing.”
Currently, New York City faces a generational housing crisis with a 1.4 percent rental vacancy rate, the lowest measurement since the 1968 NYCHVS, which the Adams administration is attempting to mitigate. “This is a fight for the soul of our city,” Adams said.
“New York’s decades-long housing crisis is at one of the most severe points in our city’s history, but ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ offers a simple yet sweeping idea: solve our housing shortage by adding a little more housing in every neighborhood,” said Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce.
“City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” aims to eliminate obsolete zoning regulations that currently restrict the utilization of existing development rights on large properties with multiple buildings to create new housing. The plan will enable organizations to transform their underutilized properties, such as convents and school buildings, into housing units in any area of New York City where residential usage is permitted.
This is a fight for the soul of our city.
Mayor Adams
“The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” will also expand the Landmarks Transferable Development Rights program, which allows landmarked buildings to transfer their unused development rights to neighboring sites, simplifying the process for landmarked religious institutions to generate critically needed funds while also contributing to the increase of housing options for New Yorkers.
The DCP is presently conducting an environmental review of the proposal and intends to present it for public review by community boards and borough presidents in the upcoming spring. It is expected to undergo voting by the CPC and the New York City Council before the year’s end.
“In a city where half of renters are rent-burdened, we must think outside the box and utilize every resource to provide affordable housing for New Yorkers,” said Jenifer Rajkumar, New York State Assembly member.
“Tackling New York City’s housing crisis requires using every tool at our disposal. That includes pillars in communities like faith-based organizations that want to do good by creating more housing,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I’m happy to see the city opening the door for even more organizations to get involved in solving our housing crisis.”
