The New York City Council voted 35-16 Thursday to approve a contested rezoning plan that will allow construction of approximately 3,000 new apartments in East New York, setting the stage for one of the largest residential developments in Brooklyn’s recent history.
The vote followed months of contentious debate over whether the project would help address the city’s housing shortage or accelerate the displacement of longtime residents in a neighborhood that has already seen significant demographic change.
“This is not a perfect plan,” acknowledged Council Member Sandy Nurse, whose district includes the affected area. “But doing nothing is not an option. Our communities need housing, and this project will deliver more affordable units than any development in East New York’s history.”
The rezoning covers approximately 190 blocks bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Conduit Boulevard, Linden Boulevard, and the Brooklyn-Queens border. Current zoning limits the area primarily to one- and two-family homes, but the new rules will permit buildings up to 14 stories along major corridors.
Under the terms negotiated between the city, developers, and community groups, 30 percent of all new apartments must be set aside for households earning below 80 percent of the area median income. An additional 10 percent must be reserved for formerly homeless families.
Critics argued that even with these requirements, the development would primarily benefit newcomers while pricing out current residents.
“They call it affordable, but affordable for who?” asked Carmen Rodriguez, president of the East New York Community Coalition. “A family earning $80,000 is not poor, but that is who these affordable units are designed for. The families who have lived here for generations, who earn far less, will be pushed out.”
The coalition had pushed for deeper affordability requirements and stronger anti-displacement protections. While the final plan includes some concessions, including a $50 million fund for tenant legal services and home repair assistance, activists said it falls short.
Housing advocates on the other side of the debate countered that the city’s housing crisis requires building at scale, and that blocking development perpetuates scarcity.
“Every time we stop a project, we make the overall housing crunch worse,” said Rachel Fee of the New York Housing Conference. “This rezoning will add 3,000 units to a borough that desperately needs them. Are there tradeoffs? Yes. But the alternative is a city that only the wealthy can afford.”
The Adams administration celebrated the vote as vindication of its housing-first approach. The mayor has made increasing housing production a centerpiece of his policy agenda, arguing that supply constraints are the primary driver of New York’s affordability crisis.
“Today’s vote shows what we can accomplish when we work together,” Mayor Adams said in a statement. “East New York will see new homes, new jobs, and new opportunities. That is the kind of progress our city needs.”
Construction on the first phase of development, encompassing approximately 800 units on city-owned land near Atlantic Avenue, is expected to begin in late 2026. Full buildout of the rezoned area will likely take 15 to 20 years.
The rezoning also includes provisions for commercial development, including space reserved for local businesses displaced by construction. A community advisory board will oversee implementation and recommend adjustments as the project proceeds.
Council members who voted against the plan cited concerns about infrastructure capacity. East New York’s subway service, centered on the L, J, Z, and 3 trains, already operates near capacity during rush hours. Schools in the area are similarly stretched.
“You cannot add 10,000 new residents without investing in schools, transit, and parks,” said Council Member Charles Barron, who represents an adjacent district. “This plan puts the cart before the horse.”
City officials said infrastructure investments would accompany development, though specific funding commitments remain vague. A planned school expansion in the rezoned area is currently stuck in preliminary design, with no construction date set.
For longtime East New York residents, the vote marks a turning point that many had dreaded.
“I have lived here 40 years,” said James Washington, 68, a retired bus driver. “I raised my kids here, buried my wife here. Now they tell me development is coming and it will make things better. Better for who? Not for me.”
Washington said he plans to stay as long as he can afford to, though rising property taxes and assessments concern him.
The rezoning takes effect immediately, allowing developers to begin filing permit applications. Market analysts expect activity to accelerate quickly given the strong demand for residential land in Brooklyn.
