What You Need to Know About New York City's "City of Yes" Housing Plan

Big changes are coming to New York City’s neighborhoods — and if you live, buy, or sell in Staten Island (or anywhere in the city), it’s something you should know about.

Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council recently approved the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan. It’s a big idea aimed at tackling the city’s long-time housing shortage by making it easier to build more homes across all five boroughs.

So, what does it mean for regular people like you and me? Let’s break it down simply.

What Is the City of Yes Housing Plan?

The City of Yes is a plan to update New York City’s old zoning rules — some of which were written over 60 years ago! — so that more housing can be built faster and in more places.

Here are a few key points:

More Homes, More Places: The city wants to allow new types of housing in areas that haven’t seen much new construction. Think basement apartments, backyard cottages, and apartments above stores.
Affordable Housing Incentives: Builders can add extra homes to a building — but only if some of those homes are set aside as affordable.
Less Parking, More Housing: In neighborhoods with good subway and bus access, new buildings won’t have to include as much parking. That means they can fit in more homes instead.
Easier Conversions: Vacant office buildings and old stores could more easily be turned into apartments.

In short, it’s about creating thousands of new homes, using the space the city already has.

Official Goal: New York City wants to create about 82,000 new homes over the next 15 years thanks to these changes.

Why Is the City Doing This?

Because New York City has a housing crisis.

Rents are sky-high.
Home prices keep rising.
There aren’t enough affordable places for people to live.

The city population is growing, but the number of homes isn’t keeping up. City leaders believe updating the zoning rules is the only way to make enough room for everyone.

And it’s not just NYC — cities all across America are trying to do something similar.

How Will This Affect Staten Island and the Rest of NYC?

Here’s where it gets personal.

More Building in More Neighborhoods: Areas that haven’t seen much new construction (especially parts of Staten Island) could see new apartments, townhouses, and backyard cottages popping up.
Mixed Feelings from Homeowners: Some people are excited because it could mean more affordable housing and livelier neighborhoods. Others are worried it might lead to overcrowding, traffic, and changes in the character of their communities.
Basement Apartments and ADUs: In Staten Island, homeowners might be able to legally rent out a basement apartment or build a small guest house in the backyard — but flood-prone areas will have restrictions for safety reasons.
Shift in Property Values: Over time, having the ability to build extra units could raise property values for homeowners. On the flip side, more housing supply could slow down rapid price increases in some neighborhoods, making buying a home slightly more affordable for first-time buyers.

Will This Affect the Housing Market?

Yes, it likely will — but slowly.

Here’s how:

More Homes Over Time: Building new homes takes years. So don’t expect overnight changes. But over the next decade, you’ll likely see more affordable and middle-income housing options around Staten Island and the rest of NYC.
Sellers Might Face More Competition Later: Right now, Staten Island is a seller’s market, with homes in short supply. As more homes are built, it could balance things out, giving buyers a few more choices.
Opportunities for Investors and Homeowners: If you own property, you could have new opportunities to build rental units and add value to your home (depending on local rules).
Pressure on Rental Prices: If more rental apartments are built, rents might stabilize or even drop slightly — but again, it will take time.

Bottom line: The City of Yes could make Staten Island and NYC a little easier to afford in the long run, but don’t expect huge changes overnight.

What People Are Saying

Not everyone agrees on the plan:

Supporters say it’s a bold step toward solving the housing crisis and giving families more choices.
Critics worry it could hurt the feel of neighborhoods, increase traffic, and cause infrastructure strain if not done carefully.

There’s even a lawsuit filed by Staten Island lawmakers and residents trying to block some parts of it. They argue that the city didn’t do enough environmental studies before making these changes. (NY Post)

The debate will probably continue for a while.

Final Thoughts

The City of Yes is a huge shift in how New York City thinks about housing — and Staten Island will be part of that story.

If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or investing in real estate in the next few years, it’s important to understand how these changes might shape your neighborhood.

Stay informed, plan smart, and be ready for new opportunities ahead!

References

Posted by Robert DeFalco on April 27th, 2025