Election Day is Tuesday. Six city and state proposals are on the back of the ballot, and four of them — Proposals 2, 3, 4 and, to a lesser extent, 5 — will have a big impact on the city’s process for building new housing units.
Proponents, like Brooklyn’s Fifth Avenue Committee, say voting “yes” on these proposals will reduce red tape and make it “faster, fairer and easier” to deliver both market-rate and affordable housing.
Opponents, including Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon — who represents areas including Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Heights and parts of Park Slope — say these changes to the City Charter, especially Proposal 4, are undemocratic and will eliminate the role of City Council members and local communities in the land-use process by shifting power to the mayor and developers.
To help voters make a decision, here are op-eds presenting both sides of the argument from Michelle de la Uz, executive director of Fifth Avenue Committee, and Assemblymember Simon.
Simon also gives recommendations on Proposals 1 and 6, which are not as closely related to real estate.
You can read more about the proposals, find your poll site and view your ballot here: nycvotes.org.