How New York’s Next Mayor Can Shape Land Use and Planning: Rezoning Process Reforms

Some of the most contentious local politics in New York City involve rezonings, especially those which allow for increased development and density. Changes in allowed land use create important opportunities for new housing and new jobs but provoke concerns about strain on infrastructure, displacement, and the inequitable targeting of neighborhoods for growth. Accordingly, many stakeholders think that the rezoning process should be reworked—in one direction or another—to better account for considerations that they feel are under-valued. These goals include promoting racial equity and minimizing displacement, increasing neighborhood control over local zoning, and streamlining and speeding up the approval process to better accommodate growth. While most reforms to the land use process would require City Council legislation and revision of the city charter, the mayor will play a central role in shaping any change in this area.