Mayor Eric Adams’s Constitution Revision Fee (CRC), which shouldn’t be mistaken for the dueling CRC convened by the Metropolis Council, voted to undertake poll proposals largely about housing final month. These will seem on ballots through the basic election this November, giving voters a option to make about the way forward for housing in New York Metropolis.
Adams describes his administration because the “most pro-housing in metropolis historical past,” so it’s unsurprising that his CRC got here up with 4 poll proposals that heart on housing and land use. The last word objective of his Metropolis of Sure for Housing Alternative (CHO) plan is to construct 500,000 properties in each neighborhood throughout town by 2032.
After about seven months of public hearings, the CRC concluded on July 21 and put out a closing proposal report quickly after. The proposals will seem as questions on the poll to be voted on in November.
Query 1: Quick Monitor Inexpensive Housing to Construct Extra Inexpensive Housing Throughout the Metropolis
This proposal would create a brand new motion on the Board of Requirements and Appeals (BSA), and set up a streamlined public assessment process for housing functions.
Query 2: Simplify Evaluation of Modest Housing and Infrastructure Tasks
This proposal would create a brand new Expedited Land Use Evaluation Process (ELURP) course of, as a substitute of the present Uniform Land Use Evaluation Process (ULURP).
Query 3: Set up an Inexpensive Housing Appeals Board with Council, Borough, and Citywide Illustration
This proposal would create a brand new Inexpensive Housing Appeals Board to interchange the mayor’s veto on the finish of the ULURP course of and have the power to reverse Metropolis Council choices about sure land use issues. It will be made up of a borough president, the Sspeaker of the Metropolis Council, and the mayor.
Query 4: Create a Digital Metropolis Map to Modernize Metropolis Operations
This proposal would consolidate the official Metropolis Map, which performs a little-known however essential function within the approval of housing and infrastructure initiatives, right into a single map and digitize it. As we speak, the Metropolis Map consists of 5 units of maps, one for every borough, totaling greater than 8,000 particular person paper maps.
Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and councilmembers pushed again in opposition to the primary 4 proposals, asserting that they have been examples of the mayor’s try and broaden his energy over land use choices. “This fee’s misguided proposals would undermine the power to ship extra inexpensive housing, homeownership alternatives, good-paying union jobs, and neighborhood investments for New Yorkers throughout the 5 boroughs,” they stated in a joint assertion.
The fifth poll proposal would transfer metropolis elections to even-numbered years when presidential elections are held, additionally known as a “jungle main” system, in an effort to extend voter turnout. Nonetheless, it was the one adopted proposal that the fee wouldn’t transfer ahead with, in response to NYC Constitution Revision Chair Richard Buery.
The choice to drop the final proposal was celebrated by grassroots organizations like Citizen Motion of New York.
As well as, the state Senate handed a invoice in June 2025 that might defend poll entry for constitution revision proposals superior by New Yorkers or native elected officers from being blocked by mayoral-enacted constitution revision commissions, and improve transparency necessities for commissions.
