Council proposes construction code updates to build 35,000 new homes on thousands of small lots across NYC
The project “System for Narrow Living” by Only If Architecture was a finalist in the city’s 2019 competition “Big Ideas for Small Lots.” The design calls for a 4,900-square-foot building with seven units.
The New York City Council is advancing reforms that could unlock up to 35,000 new homes on small and oddly-shaped lots across the five boroughs. During an American Institute of Architects (AIA) luncheon on Friday, Council Speaker Julie Menin proposed changes to the city’s construction codes that would allow for new housing on roughly 3,000 tiny, underutilized lots without requiring lengthy zoning approvals. Menin also announced the creation of a new panel, the Council Advisory Group on Housing Affordability, to help guide the Council’s policies addressing the city’s housing crisis.
“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there are thousands of small, underutilized lots that have the potential to deliver tens of thousands of new homes, but outdated rules and unnecessary red tape are standing in the way,” Menin said.
“That’s why we’re taking a proactive approach by convening a first-of-its-kind Advisory Group on Housing Affordability and advancing smart, targeted reforms to our Construction Codes,” she added. “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.”
According to the Council, about 2,850 small lots across the five boroughs are vacant or underbuilt. Under the proposed reforms, these sites could be developed as-of-right with housing in buildings up to eight stories, which are generally cheaper to build and tend to rent or sell at lower prices than taller buildings.
While the city’s construction codes are intended to ensure building safety, Menin said some regulations and red tape unnecessarily hinder housing development.
The proposed reforms would maintain safety on small lots while allowing new, “appropriately-sized” housing in buildings 15 to 27 feet wide.
Officials say developing these sites would create jobs and generate tax revenue, while converting often-abandoned, trash-filled lots into accessible housing for New Yorkers.
The plan comes as the city faces a continued housing shortage, with a 1.4 percent vacancy rate, the lowest in more than five decades. Additionally, median Manhattan rent is about $5,000 per month as of March, while active listings have declined for 19 consecutive months.
Menin added that the new advisory group, made up of subject matter experts, advocates, organized labor, and community organizations, will guide the reforms.
The group will be co-chaired by Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York; Barika Williams, executive director of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development; and James Simmons III, CEO and founder of Asland Capital Partners.
“By taking a hard look at outdated rules and unlocking the potential of small lots across the five boroughs, we have a historic opportunity to create tens of thousands of new homes while putting thousands of New Yorkers to work in good-paying, union jobs,” LaBarbera said.
“As co-chair of this Advisory Group, I’m proud to partner with Speaker Menin, industry experts, and community stakeholders to make sure these reforms are smart, safe, and deliver for working people. Expanding housing supply and strengthening our workforce go hand in hand, and this initiative is a meaningful step forward on both fronts.”
This is not the first time the city has looked to small lots as a source of new housing. In 2019, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development launched “Big Ideas for Small Lots NYC,” a design competition that solicited proposals for housing on 23 unusually small or narrow lots across the city.
While the city selected five finalists out of more than 400 proposals submitted, no designs were ultimately utilized by developers.
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