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Q&A
Discussion on how zoning affects the housing market and affordability
1:20:10
ยท
145 sec
Chair Garodnick explains the relationship between zoning, the housing market, and affordability in response to Council Member Riley's questions. He emphasizes that this proposal is the most pro-housing policy in NYC zoning history.
- Garodnick highlights the proposal's aim to create new housing in every neighborhood
- He contrasts this proposal with previous citywide text amendments
- The chair emphasizes the connection between zoning changes and housing costs for New Yorkers
Kevin C. Riley
1:20:10
Thank you, chair.
1:20:11
Before I continue, we've been joined by customer, my Joseph, and customer, my mom, Murano.
1:20:16
We can all agree that the city is facing the housing crisis as we stated here with many of my colleagues.
1:20:22
Like I said in my opening remarks, is a crisis fueled by a lack of supply, but also the lack of affordability.
1:20:30
Can you explain in simple terms how zoning affects the housing market?
1:20:34
And why should we care about zoning when it comes to affordability?
Daniel Garodnick
1:20:38
Thank you for that question.
1:20:39
I think it's really important because this is the most pro housing policy in the history of New York City zoning.
1:20:48
We've never attempted to do something like this.
1:20:53
It's the first time that a mayorial administration is taking action to create new housing in every neighborhood from the lowest density to the highest density.
1:21:03
And I think it's worth recognizing that for a moment.
1:21:06
In contrast, you know, the one of the last citywide text amendments when I sat among you all in the council zoning for quality and affordability, ZQA.
1:21:18
It largely left low density areas unchanged and opted to focus on medium and high density areas only.
1:21:26
It lifted some parking mandates.
1:21:30
It created the air's density bonus.
1:21:35
But this is directly related to the cost of housing for New Yorkers.
1:21:42
And with a 1.41 percent vacancy rate, it is a result of our failure to deliver not just in the last 2 or 5 or 10 years, but over many, many decades.
1:21:54
So opening the door and zoning, creating a little more housing in every neighborhood, it will meaningfully reduce the cost for New Yorkers, but will note that we have not We have not done this before.
1:22:07
Our affordability program within CDBS, our affordability preference, it'll be the largest income restricted affordable housing program in New York City zoning history, and with the deepest affordability.
1:22:21
For the changes that we're making here.
1:22:23
So this is directly related to zoning.
1:22:26
We wanna do the things that we can do in zoning while recognizing that there are other things that we cannot do in zoning that we should continue to talk about.