New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin on Friday announced a proposal to build up to 35,000 new apartments on nearly 3,000 small lots across the five boroughs. These would be made feasible through reforms to the city’s Construction Codes, which currently constrain the feasible design of housing on small lots.
Menin also announced the creation of a new Council Advisory Group on Housing Affordability, a panel of subject matter experts, advocates, organized labor and community organizations. The group will identify and refine proposals the Council can undertake to build, preserve and support housing.
“Across the five boroughs, there are thousands of small, underutilized lots that have the potential to deliver tens of thousands of new homes, but outdated rules and unnecessary red tape are standing in the way,” said Menin. “At a moment when vacancy is at historic lows and rents are at record highs, we have an obligation to act boldly and deliver real results for New Yorkers.”
