The New York City Council on Wednesday approved the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan (AAMUP), a major rezoning program that will add several thousand new housing units to Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The plan, which calls for 4,600 new units, of which about 1,900 will be permanently affordable, also includes over $235 million in funding for infrastructure and streetscape upgrades.
"These investments will improve open spaces, deliver safer streets and strong protections for homeowners and tenants, as well as new economic opportunities for local residents," Speaker Adrienne Adams said in a statement. "At a time when residents are being priced out from the city due to rising costs and an affordability crisis, this Council is taking decisive action to build more affordable homes and deliver much-needed investments in our communities."
There were many community meetings throughout the past several years, with many residents calling for protections for tenants living in rent-stabilized homes so they are not displaced out of the area and get priority access to the new affordable units.
“After more than a decade of advocacy, central Brooklyn is finally getting the community-led rezoning it has long demanded," said City Council Member Crystal Hudson. "This process has shown what’s possible when planning is driven by community: we build more affordable housing and deliver real, lasting benefits to our neighborhoods."
The plan will revitalize a roughly 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue and neighboring streets between Vanderbilt Avenue and Nostrand Avenue. Since the 1960s, this area’s zoning has largely banned new housing, allowing only one-to-two story industrial buildings and storage facilities, despite its proximity to job hubs and transit, and the city’s deep housing shortage.
Mayor Eric Adams said the approval of the plan marks a major milestone in the city's mission to build a more affordable housing and creating jobs.
“By advancing this plan, we’re not just creating homes — we’re investing in jobs, streets, and parks that strengthen our city," he said in a statement.
The plan is "a massive win,” said Council member Chi Ossé. "New York City must recognize the housing shortage and move boldly to counter it. Projects like this are necessary to stopping displacement."
