The Daily Dirt: City’s housing plan advances

The year ahead may bring city-level housing changes. 

On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams is expected to sign City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ “fair housing framework” into law, which will set five-year housing targets for each of the city’s 59 community districts. These goals will be based on existing housing stock in each district, as well as the level of displacement in neighborhoods, mass transit access, climate change risks and other factors.

Unlike the governor’s failed Housing Compact, this plan does not include a threat of builder’s remedy if districts fail to meet their targets.

Next year the mayor’s Zoning for Housing Opportunity text amendment, which would eliminate parking mandates and make certain zoning changes to allow more office-to-residential conversions, among other changes, will make its way through public review. This week the mayor proposed rule changes that will allow midsize multifamily projects to avoid environmental review.

Meanwhile, the governor is moving forward with plans to build affordable housing on state-owned land and providing incentives to localities that prove that they are dedicated to housing growth.

Other state-level changes, including good cause eviction, 421a, the FAR cap and a tax break for office-to-residential conversions, are up in the air. The governor has indicated that this year she will not pursue the mandates pitched under her Housing Compact. Last week, RuthAnne Visnauskas, who heads Hochul’s housing agency, said the administration’s attitude on incentives for localities has not changed: that is, enticing rather than requiring them to build their fair share of housing doesn’t work. But, with the legislature unmoved, the administration is focusing on executive-level action.

“This is a marathon and not a sprint,” she said.

What we’re thinking about: Who do you think will take the helm of a combined CHIP and RSA? Send a note to kathryn@therealdeal.com.

A thing we’ve learned: New York Rangers hockey legend Mike Richter is the president of Brightcore Energy, a clean-energy firm that specializes in renewable heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, electrical vehicle charging and other technologies. Thank you to Erik Engquist for passing this along!

Elsewhere in New York…

— New York’s highest court on Tuesday ruled that the Independent Redistricting Commission can redraw the state’s congressional districts, the New York Times reports. The decision could enable state Democrats to flip as many as six Republican seats — which today would be enough to retake control of the House.

— The MTA released a plan on Tuesday to overhaul its bus network in Queens, Gothamist reports. If approved, it would be the first redesign of the bus routes since the 1950s. The plan creates 15 routes and eliminates 10.

— The City Council may soon vote on a bill that would ban the use of solitary confinement at Rikers Island, the City reports. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is negotiating with the mayor to bring the bill to a vote before the end of the year.

Closing Time

Residential: The priciest residential closing Tuesday was $7.5 million for a condo at 35 Hudson Yards.

Commercial: The most expensive commercial closing of the day was $910,000 for a three-unit building at 1820 Hone Avenue, the Bronx.

New to the Market: The priciest residence to hit the market Tuesday was a condo at 30 Park Place in Tribeca asking $8.4 million. Corcoran Group has the listing.

Breaking Ground: The largest new building filing of the day was for a 60,000-square-foot, 16-story residential building at 180 Christopher Street in the West Village. B.I.G. Architecture filed the permit application. — Jay Young