City Council Approves Major Reszonings in Queens, Paving Way for Thousands of New Homes
The New York City Council has given the green light to two major rezonings in Queens, one in Long Island City and another in Elmhurst. The approvals are expected to bring nearly 15,000 new homes to Long Island City, including over 4,000 affordable units, as well as a 13-story residential high-rise in Elmhurst.
The OneLIC plan is being hailed by its backers as a game-changer for the Queens neighborhood. "Long Island City continues to grow faster than any other community in the country, but for years that growth has pushed out longtime residents and exacerbated our worsening inequality and housing crises," said Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "The transformational OneLIC plan is how we begin to correct the errors of our past and ensure an equitable future for all Long Island City families, regardless of socioeconomic status."
In Elmhurst, the rezoning was met with opposition from residents who expressed concerns about gentrification and displacement. However, Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, who represents the area, said he worked behind the scenes to secure concessions from the developer, Apex Development Group. The 13-story high-rise will include 79 affordable units, a community center, and a swimming pool.
Krishnan argued that doing nothing in a housing crisis is not an option, and that the project shows how development can be done differently to serve the public good. He also said he is in talks with the developer and Commonpoint Queens to build a second residential tower featuring 100% affordable housing.
The rezonings come after another major Queens rezoning, this one targeting a large swath of Jamaica, Queens. The approvals are expected to create 27,000 new homes across Queens, addressing a severe shortage of affordable housing in the borough.
However, local officials and developers acknowledge that gentrification is a concern in many neighborhoods. "Additional community spaces and things that don’t generate revenue make it more expensive to us," said Andrew Esposito, founder and principal of Apex Development Group. The nonprofit organization Commonpoint Queens will offer free and low-cost swimming lessons as well as lifeguard training for neighborhood youth.
The City Council's approvals are a major step forward in addressing the city's housing crisis, but many questions remain about how the rezonings will impact local residents and businesses.
The New York City Council has given the green light to two major rezonings in Queens, one in Long Island City and another in Elmhurst. The approvals are expected to bring nearly 15,000 new homes to Long Island City, including over 4,000 affordable units, as well as a 13-story residential high-rise in Elmhurst.
The OneLIC plan is being hailed by its backers as a game-changer for the Queens neighborhood. "Long Island City continues to grow faster than any other community in the country, but for years that growth has pushed out longtime residents and exacerbated our worsening inequality and housing crises," said Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "The transformational OneLIC plan is how we begin to correct the errors of our past and ensure an equitable future for all Long Island City families, regardless of socioeconomic status."
In Elmhurst, the rezoning was met with opposition from residents who expressed concerns about gentrification and displacement. However, Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, who represents the area, said he worked behind the scenes to secure concessions from the developer, Apex Development Group. The 13-story high-rise will include 79 affordable units, a community center, and a swimming pool.
Krishnan argued that doing nothing in a housing crisis is not an option, and that the project shows how development can be done differently to serve the public good. He also said he is in talks with the developer and Commonpoint Queens to build a second residential tower featuring 100% affordable housing.
The rezonings come after another major Queens rezoning, this one targeting a large swath of Jamaica, Queens. The approvals are expected to create 27,000 new homes across Queens, addressing a severe shortage of affordable housing in the borough.
However, local officials and developers acknowledge that gentrification is a concern in many neighborhoods. "Additional community spaces and things that don’t generate revenue make it more expensive to us," said Andrew Esposito, founder and principal of Apex Development Group. The nonprofit organization Commonpoint Queens will offer free and low-cost swimming lessons as well as lifeguard training for neighborhood youth.
The City Council's approvals are a major step forward in addressing the city's housing crisis, but many questions remain about how the rezonings will impact local residents and businesses.
so they're just gonna keep building and building till everyone can afford to live in queens... or not? 
i mean, 15k new homes sounds great on paper, but what's the real cost of gentrification? are we just gonna push out all the long-time residents and watch as the neighborhood changes beyond recognition? 
at least they're trying to throw some affordable units into the mix, but 4k is a drop in the bucket compared to the millions being spent on luxury condos. let's hope they don't forget about the people who've been living here for decades... 
. I mean, 15k new homes is a good start, but it's not like it's going to make a dent in the gentrification problem that's been ruining Queens for years 
. What's really needed is more community spaces and programs that support existing residents, not just some fancy-schmancy high-rises with a few token affordable units 
. And what about the displacement of long-time residents? I've heard horror stories from friends who were forced out of their own neighborhoods to make way for these "progressive" developments 
. Let's not get too caught up in the hype, folks. We need real solutions, not just PR stunts 
, 15k new homes is like whoa, Queens is finally gonna get some love 
. I've been saying it for ages, affordable housing is a crisis in NYC, and now it looks like the city council is taking steps to fix it 
. Of course, there's always gonna be controversy around gentrification, but at least the devs are tryna do better this time 
. The fact that they're including 100% affordable housing in a new tower is like a dream come true 
. We need more of that kind of innovation and community engagement, not just some tokenistic concessions 
However, I do worry about gentrification concerns in Elmhurst and Jamaica - it's crucial that the developers prioritize community spaces and inclusive zoning to ensure these rezonings benefit local residents, not just wealthy investors 
, but we gotta think about the community too. I'm all for growth, but gentrification is a real concern here. Long Island City's been gentrifying already, and this new rezoning might push out some of those long-time residents 
. What's gonna happen to their rent prices? Are they gonna be able to afford their own homes?
. We need to figure out ways to keep these neighborhoods inclusive and affordable for generations to come...
. And Elmhurst, which is already struggling with rising costs of living, gets hit with a 13-story high-rise that's gonna push out even more working-class families? Not cool, not cool at all 
.
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. Anyways, it's all about finding that balance between growth and community needs. 
lets hope it dont turn out to be another east hampton situation 
but at least it'll bring in some cash 
and btw, have you seen those crazy prices for apartments in queens lately? it's like, how are people supposed to afford that? 
so I'm thinking about these rezonings in Queens and it feels like a double-edged sword, you know? On one hand, they're gonna bring in thousands of new homes, including some affordable ones which is super necessary given the state of housing in NYC right now. But on the other hand, we gotta think about the people who are already living there and how this whole gentrification thing might affect them. Like, are these affordable units really affordable for low-income families or will they just end up being priced out too?