Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Open New York

Upzone New Jersey 🏗️ @upzonenj.bsky.social · 4h

This wasn't just bad on its own. This happened at the same time as a few high profile rezonings for more density, so it gave life to the mistaken idea that those were driving price increases.

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

This is one of a record 120+ neighborhood rezonings done under the Bloomberg admin—the vast majority of which were downzonings, reducing our city's housing capacity.

The effects of these rezonings on our city's housing supply are clear:

In one community, North Corona, Queens, housing growth
plummeted after a 2009 rezoning
Far more apartments were built in the 10 years before the rezoning than the 10 years after it.

[Graph shows numbers plummet after 2008

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 6h

Thanks to @ebottcher.bsky.social, @keithpowersnyc.bsky.social, and @marklevinenyc.bsky.social for their leadership in getting this vital plan over the finish line.

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 6h

Rezoning works: The Midtown South plan, approved just 6 weeks ago, is already bringing new housing to Midtown!

This century-old office building is being converted to 107 apartments—including 27 income-restricted affordable homes.

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 6h

🎁link: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

A Wave of New Apartment Buildings Are Set to Take Over Midtown Manhattan

Projects to turn Pfizer’s old company headquarters into apartments are being spurred by tax incentives and zoning changes that are reshaping the middle of Manhattan.

www.bloomberg.com

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 6h

@bloomberg.com did a deep dive on the residential conversions sweeping Manhattan—including the transformational Midtown South rezoning plan we championed earlier this year.

This will bring more than 9000 new homes to Midtown, and the first conversion project was announced today!

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 8h

If I were an elected Dem I would want to side with Brad Lander, Mark Levine, Donovan Richards, and Antonio Reynoso, not Curtis Sliwa and Nicole Malliotakis. Just me tho!

Tweet from Jeff Coltin:

Sliwa urges a no vote on all the ballot proposals. "My allies? Adrienne Adams and the City Council... Curtis sliwa is allied with the predominantly Democratic City Council which shows that I would be able to work with the City Council."

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 10h

More info from @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social

YES on Affordable Housing @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social · 1d

Everyone knows it's too hard to build affordable housing in NYC. We need hundreds of thousands of new units - now.

After voting for Mayor, flip your ballot and vote YES on Affordable Housing Proposals 2-5 to fix our broken system and bring down costs for working New Yorkers!

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 10h

“We have to address housing affordability,” said @annemariegray.bsky.social. “We have to do that in a lot of different ways, but we need every tool in the toolbox and making sure that we’re making it easier to build affordable housing in the places that need it.”

Vote YES on 2-5!!!

Rachel Holliday Smith @rachelholliday.bsky.social · 1d

yes, us! here you go:

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Reposted by Open New York

James Hell Brooks @kleinman.bsky.social · 10h

Got a few questions on this, voting yes on 2-6, still undecided on 1 (conservation groups like it but also the Olympics are always a boondoogle).

Rachel Holliday Smith @rachelholliday.bsky.social · 1d

yes, us! here you go:

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Reposted by Open New York

William Meehan @meehan.nyc · 10h

Vote yes on questions 2–6!

Rachel Holliday Smith @rachelholliday.bsky.social · 1d

yes, us! here you go:

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Reposted by Open New York

New Kings Democrats @newkingsdems.bsky.social · 10h

Great info on the ballot questions here from @thecity.nyc.

NKD members voted to endorse YES on all five of the city charter commission proposals (proposals 2-6 on the ballot).

Rachel Holliday Smith @rachelholliday.bsky.social · 1d

yes, us! here you go:

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

A great reminder that when you give 1 local elected official total power to approve or deny housing, that creates the ideal conditions for corruption.

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the story, including an incredible photo of a young Shelly Silver (he of stealing money from 9/11 victims infamy and $1b Fulton Center spaceship infamy and of downsizing Atlantic Yards infamy etc etc) and Willy Rapfogel (cash in the closet infamy) -- www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/n...

The photo of Ed Koch, young Shelly Silver (behind Koch in the hat) and Willie Rapfogel (edge, right)

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City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the story, including an incredible photo of a young Shelly Silver (he of stealing money from 9/11 victims infamy and $1b Fulton Center spaceship infamy and of downsizing Atlantic Yards infamy etc etc) and Willy Rapfogel (cash in the closet infamy) -- www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/n...

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

Voting @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social this November will help ensure more affordable housing gets built—and doesn't fall victim to NIMBY opposition.

YES on Affordable Housing @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social · 1d

Everyone knows it's too hard to build affordable housing in NYC. We need hundreds of thousands of new units - now.

After voting for Mayor, flip your ballot and vote YES on Affordable Housing Proposals 2-5 to fix our broken system and bring down costs for working New Yorkers!

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

Weird choice of location to rally for member deference

Tweet from Jeff Coltin:

We’re at Essex Crossing, and Speaker Adams said council negotiations got the community benefits like this park. But it’s an interesting choice, since the blocks were infamously empty for *50 YEARS* b/c a local pol opposed development. The ballot props are meant to counter that.

[Screenshot of NYT headline: They Kept a Lower East Side Lot Vacant for Decades]

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Reposted by Open New York

YES on Affordable Housing @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social · 2d

New Yorkers: After voting for candidates who will fight for affordability on the front of your November ballots, flip↩️your ballot to vote YES on affordable housing proposals 2-5

So that New Yorkers like Austin can afford to stay in the neighborhoods that raised them.

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Reposted by Open New York

YES on Affordable Housing @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social · 1d

Everyone knows it's too hard to build affordable housing in NYC. We need hundreds of thousands of new units - now.

After voting for Mayor, flip your ballot and vote YES on Affordable Housing Proposals 2-5 to fix our broken system and bring down costs for working New Yorkers!

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

huh

2 of 25
What is restricting housing supply in TriBeCa?

Restrictive C6-2A / R8 zoning limiting FAR to 6
The Tribeca West Historic District
Both
Housing is not constrained in Tribeca, Tribeca is affordable

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

The best way for our next mayor to create affordable homes is to vote @yesonaffhousing.bsky.social props 2-5.

If passed, these will accelerate the approval of new affordable housing and ensure it's being built in every neighborhood—no matter how rich.

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 1d

"140,000 N.Y.C. Students Are Homeless. Can the Next Mayor Change That? The city’s housing crisis has contributed to an education crisis, with more children than ever living in temporary housing. They face dismal outcomes"

Fixing housing crisis is a moral imperative: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/n...

140,000 N.Y.C. Students Are Homeless. Can the Next Mayor Change That?

www.nytimes.com

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 1d

wow there's a lot more zoning stuff in here than you'd expect

5 of 25
Which citywide rezoning is most responsible for our
housing crisis?
1916
1996
1961
1691

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TEMU Mark Ruffalo @brianvan.bsky.social · 2d

Lmao at the deadass street naming here

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

Unfortunately, apartments are banned here.

Due to outdated zoning, you can only build 1 and 2-family detached homes on the block bounded by 60th Ave, 60th Ln, 60th Rd, and 60th St.

Tweet from Basil: “I love Queens so much”

Image shows Google maps with 60th St, 60th Pl, 60th Ave, 60th Ln, 60th Rd, 60th Dr, 60th Ct

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Reposted by Open New York

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

This contributed to our city's housing shortage, causing prices to rise to today's record levels.

It also crushed NYC's industry of small builders, which previously created naturally-affordable homes while providing a path to the middle class for diverse immigrant groups.

Building permits issued in NYC. Graph shows that small buildings plummet in 2009 and never recover.

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Reposted by Open New York

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

This is one of a record 120+ neighborhood rezonings done under the Bloomberg admin—the vast majority of which were downzonings, reducing our city's housing capacity.

The effects of these rezonings on our city's housing supply are clear:

2 1 15

Reposted by Open New York

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

The NYC Charter changes on ballots this November could help change that. Prop 3 provides a quicker path to approval for buildings under 45 ft — exactly the kind of mid-size buildings these rezonings have made extinct.

@yesonaffhousing.bsky.social

VOTE YES ON PROPS 2, 3, 4, AND 5 BY TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH

Prop 2 - Fast Tracks Affordable Housing: Creates a simpler and faster approval process for publicly funded affordable housing and speeds up affordable housing
approvals in neighborhoods that haven't built enough affordable homes.

Prop 3 - Simplifies Review of Modest Housing and Infrastructure Projects: This would exempt modest housing and climate resiliency projects - solar arrays, backyard accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and new buildings under 45 feet in
height - from lengthy, costly, and unnecessary reviews.

Prop 4 -Establishes a Land Use Appeals Board: Preserves local community voices and City Council authority in land use decisions while ensuring that broader housing needs can also be considered by a new appeals board that has
the power to review Council decisions.

Prop 5 - Modernizes the City Map: Replaces the 8,000 outdated paper maps with a unified digital system, reducing the long reviews for housing and infrastructure projects.

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Open New York @opennewyork.org · 2d

The NYC Charter changes on ballots this November could help change that. Prop 3 provides a quicker path to approval for buildings under 45 ft — exactly the kind of mid-size buildings these rezonings have made extinct.

@yesonaffhousing.bsky.social

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