✅ 9500 new homes in the heart of NYC

✅ First ever use of new R11 and R12 high density residential zoning districts

✅ 34th St busway

✅ Broadway Vision street redesign

This is one of those YIMBY layups that I have seen *work* on the individual level. Rezoning to five-stories in most of Brooklyn wouldn’t fix everything but it would be start

Legislators are often fearful about backlash from zoning changes, but when you talk to voters in 3-story neighborhoods, they often don’t realize that 5-story buildings are literally illegal.

Sometimes we just need to change the law to reflect what voters think the law already is.

Tweet from Jason M. Barr @JasonBarrRU It's worth remembering: #NYC is a "3-story city": 92% of all residential structures are 3 stories or less. Map of residential buildings in NYC 3 stories or less Most of the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and almost all of Staten Island is red

There are a lot of ways to solve our housing crisis, but going from a 3-story city to a 5-story city outside of Manhattan is one of the simplest

NYCEDC Releases Inaugural “State of the Economy” Report, Providing In-Depth Data and Analysis on New York City’s Strong Recovery Report Shows New York City Hit Record-High Employment and Labor Force Participation, Is Top Destination for Talent, and Has Diversifying Economy with

"Job growth has far outpaced housing growth. From 2011 to 2023, New York City added 895,000 jobs but just 353,000 housing units."
edc.nyc/press-releas...

Business development, economic growth, and high-paying jobs won't make the city more affordable unless you also build more homes!

NYC has added more jobs than homes in the last 20 years that's... why we have a housing shortage

Tweet from Ben Max @TweetBenMax .@andrewcuomo's message today: Andrew Cuomo in front of a screen that reads: "The best answer to affordability? Business development More opportunity More high-paying jobs More economic growth Not anti-business socialism."

Interesting that “build more housing” isn’t up there

Image of the El Dorado building overlooking Central Park

The MSMX plan is the first to take advantage of new higher-density residential districts, enabled by last year’s elimination of the State’s outdated FAR cap on housing in New York City.

The FAR cap would have prevented many of NYC’s most iconic buildings from being built.

Red busway on NYC street, with a bus driving down it and wide sidewalks on either side

We’re also thrilled to see this rezoning paired with essential investments in transit and safer streets.

The 34th St Busway is a long-overdue connector that will tame traffic and speed the commutes of thousands.

Watercolor image of a pedestrianized Broadway at 34th St, with trees, bike lanes, and lots of people walking.

And the pedestrianization of Broadway is the culmination of a 20-year effort to bring more vibrancy and pedestrians to this iconic thoroughfare.

Congratulations to everyone who has fought for more housing, safer streets, and a more livable Midtown!

Red busway on NYC street, with a bus driving down it and wide sidewalks on either side

We’re also thrilled to see this rezoning paired with essential investments in transit and safer streets.

The 34th St Busway is a long-overdue connector that will tame traffic and speed the commutes of thousands.

By using the new R11 and R12 zoning districts created in “City of Yes,” this plan sets a critical precedent for future rezonings in central, transit-connected areas.

City doubles housing target for Midtown South rezoning New state laws could help the Adams administration remake industrial Midtown into a residential neighborhood.

As a result, this was one of the first rezoning plans to actually expand from its initial proposal (!!) not get cut back.
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

Rally in front of City Hall

We stood alongside @marklevinenyc.bsky.social, @keithpowersnyc.bsky.social, @ebottcher.bsky.social, and @bradhoylmansigal.bsky.social and more to call for lifting the FAR cap, and last year, the State finally did.

Image of the El Dorado building overlooking Central Park

The MSMX plan is the first to take advantage of new higher-density residential districts, enabled by last year’s elimination of the State’s outdated FAR cap on housing in New York City.

The FAR cap would have prevented many of NYC’s most iconic buildings from being built.

The approved plan preserves virtually all of the housing proposed.

Our members have played a key role in building support for housing in Midtown, from the visioning process in 2023 through numerous Community Board, City Planning, and City Council hearings in 2025.

See our video on the plan for more info!
bsky.app/profile/open...

This plan is a major step toward a more affordable NYC—helping to lower rents, keeping New Yorkers close to jobs and transit, and bringing more customers to local businesses.

Thank you to @ebottcher.bsky.social and @keithpowersnyc.bsky.social for their leadership and steadfast support for housing.

The Midtown South Mixed-Use rezoning was just approved by the @council.nyc.gov Land-Use Committee!

This will bring nearly 10,000 new homes to one of New York’s most central neighborhoods. 🧵

How an NYC Suburb Is Actually Managing to Bring Rents Down New Rochelle embraces development and makes it easy to build, leading to thousands of new apartments.

via @beccpicc.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...

How an NYC Suburb Is Actually Managing to Bring Rents Down New Rochelle embraces development and makes it easy to build, leading to thousands of new apartments

New Rochelle is leading the way on building more housing, and they're seeing the results:

"New Rochelle’s median rent actually declined 2% from 2020 to 2023, while median rent nationally was surging at a double-digit rate."

New Housing Slows Rent Growth Most for Older, More Affordable Units The nationwide housing shortage has driven rents up more in low-income neighborhoods than in the U.S. overall, but in areas that have recently added large amounts of housing, rents have fallen the mos...

New: According to @pewtrusts.org, building 10% more homes in an area means tenants pay "at least $470 less in payments over the course of a year"

That's why building more homes is essential to any affordability agenda.

www.pew.org/en/research-...

Map of NYC with red (Manhattan and Western Queens, Northwest Brooklyn) yellow, and blue (outer areas of Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and most of Staten Island)

Building parking is expensive, and requiring it where it's unneeded can drive up the cost of new housing.

Last year NYC tried repealing this, but City Council pared back the plan, preserving parking mandates in much of the city.

Red = none, yellow = reduced, blue = no change

Congratulations to Denver for ending all parking mandates citywide!

NYC should do the same.

New York is facing rising rents and a historic housing shortage, but Midtown built just 19 new homes last year.

Tell your Council Member you support more housing in Midtown South! @ebottcher.bsky.social @keithpowersnyc.bsky.social
@marklevinenyc.bsky.social

Watercolor image of new buildings along the Western Queens waterfront

After three hours of testimony on the OneLIC rezoning plan, the final count is 43 in favor and 5 against! 🥳

Thank you all for showing up for more housing in Queens. Next up: City Council!

As the MTA hikes fares 3.5%, MTA Chair Janno Lieber names the highest cost facing New Yorkers: "the price of housing — which is the central issue in our affordability crisis — has gone up 68%."

Any conversation on affordability must start with housing.

via @agounardes.bsky.social!

Our zoning code lets you build this, but not a 5-story apartment building... 🤔

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Right now, the City Planning Commission is holding its hearing on the OneLIC plan.

This could bring more than 14,000 new homes to Long Island City, as well as new jobs and waterfront space.

There's still time to testify—sign up and join here!
cpchearing.nyc.gov/Pages/Guest/...