STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A New York City think tank is calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to convert underutilized parking lots and vacant spaces at College of Staten Island, and other city campuses, into affordable housing.
The Center for an Urban Future — a nonprofit organization that works to “reduce inequality, increase economic mobility and grow the economy”— has released a report recommending the Mamdani administration take on the initiative, which they say would address the city’s housing shortage while bringing in revenue.
The project could generate between $30 million and $55 million annually for the city and City University of New York campuses, the group estimates.
“This is an idea the mayor could run with,” Eli Dvorkin, the center’s editorial and policy director, told the New York Post. “There’s a lot of opportunity on CUNY campuses. We’re talking about vacant land.”
The center’s analysis identified specific development opportunities at multiple locations, such as Lehman College, York College, Brooklyn College, City College, Bronx Community College and Queensborough Community College.
But the College of Staten Island’s Willowbrook campus offers particularly strong potential.
The 204-acre campus devotes more than 25 acres to parking. Redeveloping a single 5-acre parking site could generate roughly $500,000 to $900,000 in annual revenue while preserving most campus parking, according to the report. Four such projects could produce $2 million to $3.6 million.
The Center for the Arts is one of several buildings on the College of Staten Island campus in Willowbrook. Parking lots and vacant spaces on the campus are being eyed by an activist organization who argue they could be used for affordable housing while generating city funding.Staff-Shot
The campuses are all located in residential neighborhoods with a growing demand for housing, the report continues.
Other locations identified by the organization include Queens College in Flushing and Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn.
At Queens College, two parking lots covering 2.2 acres could support more than 200 homes and generate approximately $1.2 million to $1.9 million in annual revenue, according to the group. The campus currently uses 12% of its land for 17 parking lots.
Kingsborough devotes roughly 15% of its campus to parking, including several lots within a mile of subway lines. Redeveloping a portion of those lots could generate $800,000 to $1.4 million annually with minimal impact on campus operations, the report estimates.
According to the organization, the developments could follow the model currently used for New York City Housing Authority property, in which public land remains in government ownership while generating recurring revenue through privately developed apartment complexes.
When asked about the proposal, a spokesperson for Mamdani said the following:
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our work to deliver the affordable housing that New Yorkers need.
Our LIFT task force will be looking at every opportunity to build housing on publicly-owned land, including CUNY campuses where appropriate, and we will be meeting with CUNY representatives as a part of the task force’s work.”
In this Feb. 7, 2026 photo, Mayor Zohran Mamdani thanks firefighters and EMS personnel for keeping New Yorkers safe during the cold snap at Engine 168, EMS Battalion 23 in Rossville.Owen Reiter
The proposal is expected to be highly debated on Staten Island by residents and officials alike.
“You’ll have to excuse me if I’m a little skeptical, when a ‘think tank’ whose board is filled with real estate developers and investors is proposing we seize property specifically preserved for affordable public education for everyone, in order to build more housing,” said Councilmember David Carr, a Republican who represents the Mid-Island and Brooklyn in the City Council.
In this November 2025 photo, City Councilmember David Carr, a Republican who represents the Mid-Island and parts of Brooklyn, addresses supporters after his successful re-election at the Vanderbilt in South Beach. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon)
“The future of CSI, which is the recipient of ongoing investment for expansion and renewal, should be determined by Staten Islanders, not outsiders and activists,” said Carr.
The project as currently mapped out in the report would require approval from Albany and CUNY’s board of trustees. The state Dormitory Authority oversees capital construction at CUNY, and senior colleges receive state funding in addition to tuition revenue.