Long Island City rezoning plans could mean 4,000+ affordable new homes in the neighborhood

"The city's Planning Commission just greenlit the OneLIC rezoning plan , a sweeping proposal that could bring nearly 15,000 new apartments to the Queens waterfront-more than 4,000 of them labeled "affordable." The rezoning encompasses 54 blocks and promises not only housing but also 3.5 million square feet of new commercial and industrial space, along with approximately 14,400 jobs."

"Mayor Eric Adams is hyping OneLIC as a cornerstone of his housing push , which also targets rezonings in Midtown, Jamaica, Atlantic Avenue and the East Bronx. "Our 'OneLIC Plan' will help Long Island City write the next great chapter in its history," Adams said, adding that it will keep homes affordable, businesses thriving and the waterfront accessible. The plan locks in about 4,300 permanently income-restricted units, but critics argue many will still be out of reach for the working-class New Yorkers who need them most."

""The overall effect will be more market-rate housing most of us can't afford," warned Memo Salazar of the Western Queens Community Land Trust, who fears further displacement of long-term residents, per Gothamist. Local Council Member Julie Won has said she won't support the rezoning without stronger guarantees: family-sized units, public open space under the Queensboro Bridge and upgrades to aging infrastructure like schools and sewers."

The OneLIC rezoning approved by the city's Planning Commission would permit nearly 15,000 new apartments in Long Island City, including roughly 4,300 permanently income-restricted units, along with 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space and an estimated 14,400 jobs. The plan would connect Gantry Plaza State Park and Queensbridge Park into continuous waterfront public green space. City leadership promotes the plan as central to a broader housing effort, while local leaders and community groups demand more family-sized affordable units, public open space under the Queensboro Bridge, and upgrades to schools, sewers, and other infrastructure amid displacement concerns.

Read at Time Out New York