As affordability challenges persist in New York City due to a big housing shortage — Mayor Zohran Mamdani is moving ahead with a big plan to create more homes by targeting areas in Brooklyn.
The Department of City Planning has unveiled a new initiative called the "South of Prospect Neighborhood Plan," which would rezone commercial corridors, including Coney Island and McDonald Avenues. In addition to creating more housing and affordable units in the city, the plan includes community investments and an expansion of economic opportunity.
As the name of the initiative indicates, other targets will include various areas located south of Prospect Park.
"The plan will be developed through extensive engagement community engagement, beginning with an online survey for people who live and work in the neighborhoods south of Prospect Park, including Kensington, Prospect Park South, Ditmas Park, Borough Park and Midwood," the DCP said in a statement.
"It will continue in the months ahead with in-person engagement and visioning sessions."
In an interview with the Gothamist, DCP Director Sideya Sherman said that "there's an opportunity to create potentially thousands of housing units" for the city.
This would mark the first major neighborhood rezoning plan for Mamdani since he took office, according to the local news outlet. A core campaign promise for Mamdani was creating 200,000 new units of affordable housing.
In March, the 34-year-old announced the Neighborhood Builders Fast Track program, which can save over two years of time in the process for certain affordable pre-development projects, combined with the Expedited Land Use Review Procedure. The program focuses on women-owned businesses, minority and non-profit organizations.
Moreover, a rent freeze in the city could be on the horizon, as the Rent Guidelines Board preliminarily votedthat adjustments on stabilized apartments will range from 0 to 4 percent. The housing authority will have its final vote on whether rents stay flat or increase marginally on June 25.
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