NYC Introduces Tools to Expand Housing Development & Safeguard Communities
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, along with Lisa Kersavage, Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Chair, has unveiled a new set of tools designed to assist New Yorkers in increasing housing availability within historic districts.
“The tools released today as part of Mayor Mamdani’s Block by Block Housing Plan demonstrate that we can preserve our historic districts and landmarks while also increasing New York City’s housing supply,” Kersavage said. “These new resources will help homeowners and owners of smaller properties take advantage of new zoning opportunities, whether by adding an ADU for extended family or rental income, or by using landmark transfers to generate funds for maintaining their historic buildings while making it possible to create new housing nearby.”
These innovative tools are included in Block by Block, the comprehensive housing initiative of the Mamdani administration aimed at constructing and maintaining affordable housing throughout New York City. This plan guarantees that each neighborhood plays a role in addressing the housing requirements of the city and encompasses significant investments in affordable housing, tenant protections, code enforcement, and public housing.
These new resources aim to simplify the process for homeowners wishing to construct Ancillary Dwelling Units (ADUs) and for owners of landmark properties to utilize Landmark Transferable Development Rights (TDRs). This initiative will facilitate the addition of housing in neighborhoods while maintaining the character and integrity of New York City’s 157 historic districts and extensions, as well as the tens of thousands of landmarked properties.
“New York needs more homes, and every neighborhood has a role to play in building them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Preserving our history and building are future are not competing goals. These new tools will help homeowners create more space for their families, help landmarked buildings stay financially stable and help our city add the housing we need—all while protecting the neighborhoods we love. That’s what Block by Block is all about.”
Breaking Down the New Initiative
The launch features a searchable map that indicates locations where homeowners are permitted to construct ADUs in historic districts, along with a new fact sheet on ADUs and a specialized LPC team to assist property owners in navigating the approval process. Additionally, the City is providing a fact sheet and comprehensive guidance on landmark transferable development rights, facilitating revenue generation for maintenance and preservation of landmarked properties while allowing for the development of new housing in the vicinity.
“It will take a whole-of-government, citywide approach to deliver the housing relief that New Yorkers need,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “I’m grateful to the LPC team for taking up that charge with the urgency that New Yorkers demand and for their thoughtful approach to ensuring that every neighborhood in the city adds housing while protecting historic districts and properties for generations to come.”
In order to further the City’s housing objectives, the LPC is proposing new regulations aimed at simplifying the modification of building characteristics within historic districts and at individual landmarks. Should these regulations be approved, they would streamline the application and review process by broadening the types of projects that qualify for staff-level approval, thereby decreasing the number that necessitate a vote by the entire commission during a public hearing.
Both the ADU and TDR resources are designed to enable New Yorkers to benefit from the pro-housing zoning reforms established through the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity in 2024. These reforms have legalized ADUs in many areas of the city and have outlined specific stipulations for certain ADUs situated in historic districts. The LPC’s newly developed interactive map and guidance will assist homeowners in navigating these stipulations and the approval process. Additionally, the Departments of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Buildings (DOB) have recently launched the ADU for You program to simplify the process for homeowners wishing to create ADUs.
In conclusion, reports show that New York City has also streamlined and enhanced the Landmark TDR process, facilitating the addition of housing in proximity to landmarks while generating funds to maintain the historic properties there.
