Cities Nationwide Revamp Zoning Codes to Spur Housing, but New York City Lags Behind
With the City Council expected to pass a modified version of Mayor Eric Adams’ package of development reforms Thursday, New York City will join a growing list of cities around the country that have updated rules in a bid to spur more housing.
The Competition Heats Up
While Adams and his city planners acknowledge that their City of Yes for Housing Opportunity builds on ideas implemented elsewhere in the U.S., left unsaid is a harsh reality for the nation’s biggest metropolis: smaller cities that recently revamped their zoning codes far outdid New York City’s changes.
"What we did is a gentle density plan designed to solve the housing shortage of a medium-sized city or a small city," said Alex Armlovich, a senior housing policy analyst at the Niskanen Center, citing Raleigh or Durham in North Carolina as examples. "The sheer size of New York means that the citywide thing adds up to a bunch of units, but in terms of, like, how bold is it in any one spot? Columbus outgunned us on this one, the Minneapolis comprehensive plan outgunned us."
New York’s Approach Falls Short
Columbus, Ohio, now allows for residential buildings up to 16 stories tall on certain streets near existing and future transit. New York City’s proposal, by contrast, would allow buildings of up to five stories near transit in low-rise residential neighborhoods.
"Downtown Columbus, Ohio, June 8, 2023."
"Minneapolis lets builders construct duplexes and triplexes on lots that had been restricted to single-family homes. New York’s City of Yes would not.
"Residential neighborhoods surround downtown Minneapolis."
Comparison with Other Cities
The City of Yes plan constitutes the first revamp of the city’s zoning code in over six decades and has the potential to create up to 80,000 new units of housing over 15 years, according to City Hall. Some housing experts said Council modifications that are likely to preserve low density in suburban-style outer borough areas run counter to the initial promise of City of Yes to create "a little bit more housing in every neighborhood."
Conclusion
The article concludes that New York City’s approach to zoning code changes falls short of what other cities, such as Columbus, Minneapolis, and Austin, have accomplished in recent years. While City of Yes does make some progress, the scale and ambition of these cities’ reforms are striking, and the article argues that New York City needs to do more to address its housing crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did other cities revamp their zoning codes, but not New York City?
A: New York City’s city planners and politicians have made an effort to update zoning codes, but the reforms were less ambitious than what other cities have implemented.
Q: How do New York City’s zoning code changes compare to those in other cities?
A: Other cities have made bolder changes to their zoning codes, allowing for more density, height, and housing types in certain areas. New York City’s changes are less dramatic, and the city still lags behind in terms of its housing stock.
Q: Will City of Yes still result in new housing, despite being less ambitious?
A: Yes, the City of Yes plan is still expected to create new housing units, and it represents the first significant revamp of the city’s zoning code in decades. However, the city may need to revisit its zoning code in the future to address ongoing housing challenges.
