Categories: New York City
12.09.2024
Yesterday, the New York City Council passed the “City of Yes For Housing Opportunity.” The final approved version includes critical negotiations from the Council’s “City for All” plan, which was negotiated last month when passing the NYC Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee of Land Use. A full summary of the modified proposal is available here. Read the Network's statement here.
As part of the final deal between Mayor Adams and the Council, NYC and NYS committed to funding up to $5 billion for the purposes of: deepening the affordability of housing, supporting affordable homeownership, bolstering neighborhood infrastructure, preserving affordable housing (including NYCHA), protecting tenants, strengthening housing agencies’ capacities, and supporting new planning efforts that can produce more housing—including programs focused on supportive housing.
The Supportive Housing Network of New York is proud to have played an integral part in ensuring that $137 million in capital funding was included to bolster the NYC 15/15 Initiative and the Justice Involved Supportive Housing (JISH) program. The NYC 15/15 Supportive Housing initiative aims to create 15,000 units of supportive housing over 15 years, targeting vulnerable populations, including those with mental health and substance use disorders. The JISH program provides service and operating funding for providers of scattered-site and congregate housing for homeless individuals with behavioral health needs who have histories of cycling through the criminal justice system. We thank Speaker Adams and the Council for this critical investment which will expand housing options, promote stability and reduce recidivism across New York City.
The modified zoning proposal for the City of Yes plan introduces a three-zone system with specific implications for affordable and supportive housing.
- Zone 1, which includes all of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn and Queens, eliminates parking requirements entirely for new developments, making it easier to build affordable and supportive housing projects in high-density, transit-accessible areas.
- Zone 2, covering areas with moderate transit access, significantly reduces parking requirements for multi-family developments, while maintaining them for smaller developments like one- and two-family homes. This zone (along with Zone 3 low-density areas) includes incentives for affordable housing projects, such as a 20% affordability requirement for large developments.
- Zone 3, consisting of areas with higher car dependency, retains most parking mandates but offers reduced requirements for affordable housing developments. Across all zones, policies aim to maximize housing potential while tailoring requirements to the needs of each area, creating opportunities to address housing affordability and expand supportive housing for vulnerable populations near transit and essential services.
These changes mark a significant step toward increasing supportive housing availability in New York City, with the goal of providing stability and resources for vulnerable populations across the city.