City Hall's New Power Play: Borough Presidents Take Center Stage in Housing Decisions
In a significant shift, New York City's five borough presidents have gained more control over housing decisions than they have had in decades. The change is thanks to a ballot measure approved last November, which established a three-member appeals board comprising the mayor, city council speaker, and local borough president. This new authority will allow the borough president to overturn Council land use votes that kill or modify housing plans, effectively giving them more power over what gets built and where.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is already strategizing on how to utilize this newfound authority. He has released a comprehensive plan outlining development goals for every neighborhood in the borough and will consider voting to reverse Council decisions blocking or modifying housing applications in areas that fall short of his "density target," particularly in neighborhoods like Bensonhurst, Midwood, and Borough Park.
Reynoso's approach is designed to be more universal and less politicized. He claims that his decisions will be guided by a formula, which he hopes will help him avoid making subjective choices that could alienate voters. His rubric assigns development goals for every neighborhood in Brooklyn, with the aim of increasing housing production in areas that are currently underproducing.
However, not everyone is convinced that this new power play will lead to better outcomes. Some community groups and elected officials, including most members of the City Council, have expressed concerns about the appeals board process. They fear that it could undermine the ability of the Council to negotiate greater affordability and public benefits for communities.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal has taken a more cautious approach, stating that he will use the appeals board as a "backstop" and evaluate each proposal on a case-by-case basis. He is keenly interested in seeing whether this new tool will spur more housing applications.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has also announced plans to use the appeals board in a thoughtful and flexible manner, evaluating each proposal based on its merits and the interests of his constituents. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossela has not yet commented on the appeals board, while Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson will assess each proposal individually.
The stakes are high, with developers hoping to capitalize on this new power dynamic to push through their projects. However, borough presidents are determined to use their authority wisely and ensure that every district is contributing to increasing affordable housing for New Yorkers. The question remains whether they can navigate this new landscape effectively and balance competing interests to deliver meaningful change.
In a significant shift, New York City's five borough presidents have gained more control over housing decisions than they have had in decades. The change is thanks to a ballot measure approved last November, which established a three-member appeals board comprising the mayor, city council speaker, and local borough president. This new authority will allow the borough president to overturn Council land use votes that kill or modify housing plans, effectively giving them more power over what gets built and where.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is already strategizing on how to utilize this newfound authority. He has released a comprehensive plan outlining development goals for every neighborhood in the borough and will consider voting to reverse Council decisions blocking or modifying housing applications in areas that fall short of his "density target," particularly in neighborhoods like Bensonhurst, Midwood, and Borough Park.
Reynoso's approach is designed to be more universal and less politicized. He claims that his decisions will be guided by a formula, which he hopes will help him avoid making subjective choices that could alienate voters. His rubric assigns development goals for every neighborhood in Brooklyn, with the aim of increasing housing production in areas that are currently underproducing.
However, not everyone is convinced that this new power play will lead to better outcomes. Some community groups and elected officials, including most members of the City Council, have expressed concerns about the appeals board process. They fear that it could undermine the ability of the Council to negotiate greater affordability and public benefits for communities.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal has taken a more cautious approach, stating that he will use the appeals board as a "backstop" and evaluate each proposal on a case-by-case basis. He is keenly interested in seeing whether this new tool will spur more housing applications.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has also announced plans to use the appeals board in a thoughtful and flexible manner, evaluating each proposal based on its merits and the interests of his constituents. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossela has not yet commented on the appeals board, while Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson will assess each proposal individually.
The stakes are high, with developers hoping to capitalize on this new power dynamic to push through their projects. However, borough presidents are determined to use their authority wisely and ensure that every district is contributing to increasing affordable housing for New Yorkers. The question remains whether they can navigate this new landscape effectively and balance competing interests to deliver meaningful change.
. It's about time we had some local input on what gets built and where, right? I mean, Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso is already making waves with his comprehensive plan and density targets 
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. I've heard from some community groups that it could lead to more decisions being made behind closed doors, without enough transparency or public input 
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. And Queens Borough President Richards seems to be on the same page with his thoughtful and flexible approach 
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. I mean, what if Bensonhurst doesn't want more apartments? What then? It's like, the borough presidents need to find a balance between progress and community input, you know?
. I think it's about time, we've been seeing so many development projects get stuck in limbo due to council back-and-forth. Reynoso seems like he's got a solid plan in place, and I'm curious to see how the others will play out. Hopefully, they can use this new authority to actually increase affordable housing numbers, not just push through projects for the sake of profits 
. It's all about finding that sweet spot between growth and community needs 
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like i know borough pres is trying to do better, but whats gonna happen to affordability? it feels like developers just wanna make bank off these new rules 
they're just gonna make it easier for rich people developers to build more apartments and push out actual residents, you know the density target is probably just code for "we need more condos and fewer community spaces" 
... like, it's finally time someone had a say in what gets built where! I mean, we all know those Council members are just too caught up in their own little worlds 
, but these guys are actually trying to make a change. Brooklyn's got some major issues with density, and if the borough president can actually start making progress on that... it'll be a game changer for the whole city! 
But at the same time, I'm also low-key worried about how this all gonna play out 
And don't even get me started on the 'density target' - sounds like just another way to push through developments that won't benefit the average Joe 
. And I'm low-key rooting for Manhattan Borough President Hoylman-Sigal to take a cautious approach, 'cause we don't want any major mistakes 
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. I mean, how can we trust that the borough presidents are making decisions based on what's good for the community, and not just what's good for their own careers?