Development

Topic

√ NY Agencies

Department of City Planning

The Department of City Planning is responsible for creating and maintaining a comprehensive plan for the development of New York City. This includes zoning regulations, land use policies, and urban design guidelines. Mayor’s Management Report

Economic Development Corporation

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a non-profit organization that works to create jobs and foster economic growth in New York City. It partners with private companies and government agencies to promote business development, real estate development, and infrastructure improvements. Mayor’s Management Report

Housing Preservation and Development

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is responsible for promoting the development of affordable housing in New York City. It works with private developers, community organizations, and government agencies to create and preserve affordable housing units. Mayor’s Management Report

Department of Small Business Services

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is responsible for helping small businesses in New York City start, operate, and grow. It provides a range of services, including business counseling, financial assistance, and access to training and resources. Mayor’s Management Report

Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for the development and maintenance of the city’s transportation infrastructure. This includes roads, bridges, tunnels, and public transportation systems like buses and subways. The DOT also works on improving pedestrian and bike infrastructure to promote sustainable transportation options. Mayor’s Management Report

Mayor's Office of Sustainability

The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability is responsible for creating and implementing policies and programs to promote sustainable development in New York City. This includes initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote renewable energy, and improve energy efficiency in buildings.

Department of Design and Construction

As the City’s primary capital construction project manager, the DDC builds many of the civic facilities New Yorkers use every day: irehouses, libraries, police precincts, courthouses, senior centers and more. Mayor’s Management Report

√ Reports

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity

On December 5, 2024, the New York City Council approved the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal. This initiative aims to address the city’s housing crisis by updating zoning rules to facilitate the construction of approximately 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years.

NYC HOUSING TRACKER REPORT 2024

In 2023, New York City produced 14,227 new affordable housing units– the highest annual production level achieved in recent decades. More than half of the new affordable housing was built using the 421a tax benefit. The city also preserved 13,684 units of affordable housing – 17% less than the average over the previous five years.

Annual State of the City’s Economy and Finances 2024

Published in December 2024 by the New York City Comptroller’s Office, this report provides an overview of the city’s economic and fiscal health. It highlights the city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting record-high labor participation rates and employment levels surpassing pre-pandemic figures. The report also discusses challenges such as population decline and housing affordability.

A Blueprint for Progress at NYC's Housing Preservation and Development

Building Blocks of Change: This report, published on February 8, 2024, by the Office of the New York City Comptroller, examines the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s efforts in financing the development and preservation of affordable homes. It provides recommendations for enhancing the agency’s effectiveness in addressing the city’s housing challenges.

State of the City's Housing and Neighborhoods

This report, published by the NYU Furman Center, provides an overview of the housing market in New York City and analyzes trends in affordability, housing production, and neighborhood change.

NYC Economic Development Corporation Annual Report

This report provides an overview of the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s activities and investments, including efforts to promote job creation, business growth, and infrastructure improvements.

New York City Housing Authority Annual Report

This report provides an overview of the New York City Housing Authority’s activities and investments, including efforts to improve public housing conditions and provide supportive services to residents.

NYC Department of City Planning Annual Report

This report provides an overview of the Department of City Planning’s activities and investments, including efforts to promote sustainable development and equitable growth.

Department of Design & Construction Reports

In an effort to provide greater transparency, the DDC generats annual reports, customized for each of the agencies, elected officials and other entitites it partners with to build New York City.

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity

Annual State of the City’s Economy and Finances 2024

NYC HOUSING TRACKER REPORT 2024

State of the City's Housing and Neighborhoods

This report, published by the NYU Furman Center, provides an overview of the housing market in New York City and analyzes trends in affordability, housing production, and neighborhood change.

NYC Economic Development Corporation Annual Report

A Blueprint for Progress at NYC's Housing Preservation and Development

New York City Housing Authority Annual Report

NYC Department of City Planning Annual Report

This report provides an overview of the Department of City Planning’s activities and investments, including efforts to promote sustainable development and equitable growth.

Department of Design & Construction Reports

In an effort to provide greater transparency, the DDC generats annual reports, customized for each of the agencies, elected officials and other entitites it partners with to build New York City.

√ Data sets

New York City Open Data

NYC Open Data sets:

Capital Projects Database: This data set provides information on current and future capital projects taking place in NYC.

Building Permits Database: This data set provides information on all building permits that have been issued in NYC.

Land Use Data: This data set provides information on the zoning and land use of properties in NYC.

Department of City Planning (DCP) Zoning and Land Use Application (ZoLa) System

The DCP ZoLa system provides access to maps and data on zoning and land use in New York City, including information on zoning districts, land use categories, and development projects.

Department of City Planning (DCP)

Master Plan: This document provides a long-term vision for the development of NYC.

Neighborhood Profiles: These profiles provide information on the demographics, economy, and housing stock of different neighborhoods in NYC.

NYC Department of Buildings

The NYC Department of Buildings provides data on building permits, construction activity, and building violations in the city.

Building Permits Database: This data set provides information on all building permits that have been issued in NYC.

Inspection Data: This data set provides information on the results of building inspections.

Fire Safety Data: This data set provides information on fire incidents in NYC.

NYU Furman Center

The NYU Furman Center provides research and data on housing and neighborhoods in New York City, including data on affordable housing, rent levels, and housing policy.

NYC Department of Finance

The NYC Department of Finance provides data on property values and tax assessments in New York City, including information on property sales, assessments, and exemptions.

2024 Incentives Portfolio Annual Report

New York City Economic Development Corporation’s first-ever annual report covering discretionary tax incentives deployed through its portfolio’s three entities: New York City Industrial Development Agency (NYCIDA), Build NYC Resource Corporation (Build NYC) and New York City Neighborhood Capital Corporation (NYCNCC).

NYC EDC Impact Report 2023

The NYCEDC Impact Report 2023 is the second annual publication by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), detailing the organization’s initiatives and achievements over the past year. Areas covered: Economic Recovery and Growth, Infrastructure Development, and Sustainability Efforts.

√ Data visualizations

Equitable Development Data Explorer

The New York City Department of City Planning offers this tool to promote fair housing and equitable development across the five boroughs. It provides data to facilitate discussions on housing affordability, racial equity, and displacement, supporting the city’s commitment to equitable development as outlined in the “Where We Live NYC” plan.

NYC Housing and Vacancy Survey

The NYU Furman Center has created an interactive data visualization tool that allows users to explore data from the NYC Housing and Vacancy Survey. The tool shows data on housing affordability, housing conditions, and the housing market across the city.

NYC 3D Zoning Map

The Department of City Planning has created a 3D Zoning Map of New York City that shows the height and density restrictions for different areas of the city. The map is interactive and allows users to explore zoning regulations in a visual way.

Building Permits Map

This map displays permit applications and permits issued for work on Individual, Interior and Scenic Landmarks, as well as Historic District buildings in all five boroughs. It includes detailed up-to-date information on the status of LPC permit applications filed and permits issued since January 1, 2016.

Tower Crane Map

This map shows the location of all tower cranes in NYC. Tower cranes are used to build tall buildings, so this map can be used to track the progress of new construction projects.

Housing Stock Map

This map shows the distribution of different types of housing in NYC. The map is color-coded to show the type of housing, such as single-family homes, apartments, or condominiums.

Critical Land Use and Housing Issues for New York State in 2023

The NYU Furman Center examines key housing issues facing legislators and explores evidence about the efficacy of different policy interventions under consideration. This report has a range of visualizations about housing issues in New York City and State.

NYC Construction Dashboard

The NYC Construction Dashboard provides information on real estate and construction development sites by neighborhood.

NYC Street Map

NYC Street Map is an ongoing effort to digitize official street records, bring them together with other street information, and make them easily accessible to the public. With this app, you can find the official mapped width, name, and status of specific streets and how they may relate to specific properties. You can also see how the street grid has changed over time in your area.

√ STATISTICS

NYC population

million, July 2023, Census

NYC Parks Properties

Parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities

Subway Lines

Population

As of July 1, 2023, the estimated population of New York City is 8,258,035, reflecting a decrease of approximately 6.2% from the 2020 Census count of 8,804,190. This decline is attributed to various factors, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to increased outmigration and a temporary slowdown in international immigration.

Transportation

The city’s transportation infrastructure has 28 subway service lines, 25 commuter rail lines, and 11 ferry routes, plus a dense bus network and a robust Citibike system with over 1,500 stations. Source: Making New York Work for Everyone

Employment

As of November 2024, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for New York City stands at 5.4%, unchanged from October and a slight increase from 5.3% in November 2023. Source: New York State Bureau of Labor

For New York State in 2023, the unemployment rates by race were:

White: 3.2%
Black or African American: 6.5%
Asian: 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino: 4.8%

Source: Bureau of U.S. Labor Statistics

Business Districts

54% of New York City’s jobs are in its business districts, with the vast majority of those in three core employment hubs. The Midtown, Midtown South, and Lower Manhattan office markets represent about 80 percent of all NYC office space.131 As of Fall 2022, the reported vacancy rate for direct and sublet office real estate in Manhattan is 21.9 percent,132 the highest since the mid-1970s when data was first available. Source: Making New York Work for Everyone

Tourism

According to official data from the New York City Mayor’s Office, the city welcomed nearly 65 million visitors in 2024, marking the second-highest number of visitors in its history and a 3.5% increase from the previous year. This influx of tourists generated an economic impact of $79 billion across the city and state economies, including over $51 billion in direct traveler spending. This spending supported over 388,000 leisure and hospitality jobs—approximately 9% of the city’s workforce—and generated more than $6.8 billion in tax revenue, which helped save each New York City household approximately $2,000 in 2024.

Source: Welcome to NYC.gov

Parks

New York City has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities across the five boroughs. Parks properties range from swimming pools to wetlands and from woodlands to skating rinks. NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. Source: New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

NYC population

million, July 2022, Census

NYC Parks Properties

Parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities

Subway Lines

Population

As of July 1, 2023, the estimated population of New York City is 8,258,035, reflecting a decrease of approximately 6.2% from the 2020 Census count of 8,804,190. This decline is attributed to various factors, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to increased outmigration and a temporary slowdown in international immigration.

Transportation

Employment

For New York State in 2023, the unemployment rates by race were:

White: 3.2%
Black or African American: 6.5%
Asian: 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino: 4.8%

Source: Bureau of U.S. Labor Statistics

Business Districts

Tourism

Source: Welcome to NYC.gov

Parks

√ Census & American Community Survey

Population

The Census and ACS provide data on population size and density, as well as demographic characteristics such as age, race, ethnicity, and income. This data can be used to analyze trends in population growth and demographic changes in different neighborhoods across the city.

Housing

The Census and ACS provide data on housing stock, including the number and type of housing units (such as single-family homes, apartments, and condos), as well as data on vacancy rates, rent levels, and housing affordability. This data can be used to analyze trends in housing supply and demand, as well as the impact of policies and programs aimed at increasing affordable housing.

Transportation

The Census and ACS provide data on transportation use, including the number of commuters using different modes of transportation (such as cars, public transit, and bicycles) and the length of commute times. This data can be used to analyze trends in transportation patterns and to inform transportation policy and planning.

Economic Activity

The Census and ACS provide data on employment, income, and poverty levels across different neighborhoods in New York City. This data can be used to analyze trends in economic activity and to identify areas of the city that may be in need of economic development or revitalization.

Population

Housing

Transportation

Economic Activity

√ Non-Profits

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

LISC is a non-profit community development organization that works to revitalize distressed neighborhoods and create affordable housing in New York City.

Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD)

ANHD is a non-profit organization that promotes equitable development in New York City by working with community groups, government agencies, and private developers to create affordable housing and preserve community assets.

Enterprise Community Partners

Enterprise Community Partners is a national non-profit organization that works to create affordable housing and promote community development in New York City and other cities across the country.

The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land is a non-profit organization that works to protect and create public parks, gardens, and green spaces in New York City.

New York City Housing Partnership

The New York City Housing Partnership is a non-profit organization that works to create and preserve affordable housing in New York City by partnering with government agencies, private developers, and community organizations.

Center for NYC Neighborhoods

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods is a non-profit organization that provides counseling and financial assistance to homeowners in New York City, particularly those at risk of foreclosure.

New York Immigration Coalition

The New York Immigration Coalition is a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of immigrants in New York City and works to promote immigrant integration and economic development.

√ Experts

Richard Florida

Richard Florida is a professor at the University of Toronto and an expert on urban economic development. He has written extensively on the role of creativity and innovation in driving economic growth, and his work has influenced urban policy around the world.

Ingrid Gould Ellen

Ingrid Gould Ellen is a professor at New York University and the director of the NYU Furman Center, which focuses on research and policy analysis related to housing and neighborhoods. She has written extensively on housing affordability, segregation, and urban policy.

Vicki Been

Vicki Been is a professor at New York University and the former commissioner of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. She has written extensively on land use policy, affordable housing, and gentrification.

Jonathan Bowles

Jonathan Bowles is the executive director of the Center for an Urban Future, a think tank focused on economic development in New York City. He has written extensively on the city’s workforce, small businesses, and infrastructure.

Sharon Zukin

Sharon Zukin is a professor emerita at the City University of New York and an expert on urban sociology. She has written extensively on the cultural and social dimensions of urban development, including gentrification and the rise of the creative class.

Jerilyn Perine

Jerilyn Perine is the executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, a non-profit organization focused on urban policy and planning. She has extensive experience in city government, including as commissioner of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

√ Journal Articles

"Optimal Dynamic Climate Adaptation Pathways: A Case Study of New York City"

This study proposes a flexible approach based on real options analysis and extreme value theory to select optimal adaptation pathways for climate adaptation projects in NYC, focusing on reducing flood and storm surge risks.

"In the zone: the effects of 2002–2010 upzoning on urban life in New York City"

This study examines the impact of upzoning in NYC between 2002 and 2010, analyzing its effects on housing prices, urban greening, and transportation patterns. The findings suggest that upzoning led to increased home values and urban greening but did not significantly affect rent prices or transportation patterns.

"Frameworks to envision equitable urban futures in a changing climate: A multi-level, multidisciplinary case study of New York City"

“Frameworks to envision equitable urban futures in a changing climate: A multi-level, multidisciplinary case study of New York City” by D. Balk, Daniela Tagtachian, and Leiwen Jiang. In this paper, we review a wide-range of existing approaches to generate estimates of future populations and identify their vulnerabilities to climate-change hazards, ranging from subnational population projections or the spatially-explicit allocation of populations linked to SSPs for the US and selected cities, city-specific population forecasting without climate considerations, and participatory approaches to future scenario development and fine-scale, within-city land use change models.

"The Precarious Project and the Wasted Opportunity: The Social and Cultural Dynamics of Conflict over Urban Development"

“The Precarious Project and the Wasted Opportunity: The Social and Cultural Dynamics of Conflict over Urban Development” by Richard E. Ocejo 2020, Urban Affairs Review. Much of the research on residents’ responses to urban development projects focuses on their self-interests, specifically economic position or quality of life. especially under conditions of gentrification. This article reveals new explanations for the complex dynamics behind residents’ reactions to urban growth initiatives.

"Approaching a zero-waste strategy by reuse in New York City: Challenges and potential"

“Approaching a zero-waste strategy by reuse in New York City: Challenges and potential” by Michael Lugo, S. Dasappa, Marco J. Castaldi
2020 Waste Manag Res. In New York City (NYC), the aspiring target of zero waste to landfills is robustly engaging the often poorly understood solid waste management technique of reuse. This article compares the NYC reuse activities with that occurring in some select cities of the world. It is shown that the maximum recycle potential is saturated at 66%, and only auxiliary strategies like reuse can achieve the zero waste to landfill ambitions.

"On the Auction Block: The Garment Industry and the Deindustrialization of New York City"

“On the Auction Block: The Garment Industry and the Deindustrialization of New York City” Andy Battle, 2022 Inter. Labor Working-Class Hist .In terms of the historiography of New York City’s deindustrialization, this account offers an alternative emphasis to that of Robert Fitch, whose influential account emphasized “a conscious policy” to deindustrialize the city, overseen by the real estate industry. Instead, I show how deindustrialization was rooted in significant ways in the dynamics of competition themselves, shaped at each stage by particular social relationships, state policy, and world politics.

"Implementing the Federal Smoke-Free Public Housing Policy in New York City: Understanding Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Policy Impact"

“Implementing the Federal Smoke-Free Public Housing Policy in New York City: Understanding Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Policy Impact” by Nan Jiang, Emily Gill, Lorna E. Thorpe et al. 2021 IJERPH. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development required public housing authorities to implement a smoke-free housing (SFH) policy that included individual apartments. We analyzed the policy implementation process in the New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA).

√ Key Issues

Affordability

One of the biggest issues around development in New York City is the affordability of housing. The cost of living is high, and many people struggle to find affordable housing options. This has led to debates around rent regulation, affordable housing production, and gentrification.

Gentrification

Gentrification, which is the process of wealthier residents moving into low-income neighborhoods, has been a major issue around development in New York City. Some argue that gentrification leads to displacement of long-term residents, cultural erasure, and loss of affordable housing.

Zoning and land use

Zoning regulations and land use policies are a critical aspect of development in New York City. There have been debates around the appropriate density of development, the use of public land, and the balance between commercial and residential development.

Transportation

Transportation is a key issue around development in New York City. The city’s public transit system is often overburdened, and there are debates around the appropriate investment in new transportation infrastructure, such as bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

Environmental sustainability

Another issue around development in New York City is environmental sustainability. The city is vulnerable to climate change, and there are debates around the appropriate level of investment in green infrastructure, such as parks, green roofs, and renewable energy.

Equity

Equity is a central issue in development in New York City. There are debates around how to ensure that development benefits all residents, particularly those who have historically been excluded from economic opportunity.

√ Social Media Accounts

