Curtis Sliwa Proposes Repeal of 'City of Yes' Zoning, Prioritizing Local Control in NYC Housing Strategy

New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa recently reiterated his strong opposition to widespread new housing development, advocating instead for increased local control over zoning decisions. During recent campaign discussions and debates, Sliwa delivered a "rambling statement against building more homes and explicitly in favor of more local control," as noted by social media commentator Crémieux. This stance underscores his campaign's focus on addressing the city's affordability crisis through alternative means, rather than solely through new construction.

Sliwa's housing platform, detailed on his campaign website, explicitly calls for the repeal of the "City of Yes" rezoning plan, which he describes as a "top-down" approach that disregards community needs and infrastructure limitations. He pledges to return zoning power to local communities to prevent "developer-driven overdevelopment" that strains public services. His proposals also include incentivizing the rehabilitation of thousands of vacant rent-controlled apartments and converting underutilized commercial spaces into residential units.

The Republican candidate argues that simply "building more housing" will not resolve New York City's affordability crisis, particularly when luxury developers receive significant tax breaks for decades. He criticizes the reliance on the Area Median Income (AMI) system for determining affordability, stating it "misrepresents true affordability" by failing to account for residents' actual financial burdens like energy bills and student loans. Sliwa aims to implement policies that provide immediate relief, such as ending unfair property tax hikes on working-class homeowners.

Sliwa's position contrasts with that of other mayoral candidates, such as Zohran Mamdani, who has remained undecided on contentious housing ballot measures designed to streamline development approvals, and Andrew Cuomo, who supports these measures. Sliwa has referred to these ballot items as "City of Yes on steroids," expressing concern that they would grant developers excessive power and centralize control away from local communities. He emphasizes a "bottom-up" housing approach focused on existing spaces and small landlords.

By prioritizing local control and the utilization of existing infrastructure, Sliwa's proposed approach seeks to shift the paradigm of housing development in New York City. His plan emphasizes supporting working-class residents and preventing displacement, aiming to create a more equitable housing market by focusing on current housing stock and community-led initiatives rather than large-scale new construction. This strategy reflects a broader sentiment among some New Yorkers wary of rapid, developer-led changes to their neighborhoods.