The city’s Board of Elections approved three ballot measures on Tuesday aimed at expediting housing construction and reducing the City Council’s influence over rezoning decisions. The move is expected to prompt a legal challenge ahead of the general election, as City Council members have signaled possible litigation once procedural options are exhausted.
During the meeting, six speakers advocated for including the questions on the November ballot. The board did not pose any questions and voted in favor of advancing the proposals. A City Council spokesperson responded, “We as New Yorkers shouldn’t be surprised that this effort to give the public’s power to developers comes from Mayor Adams, someone who has been selling our city out to Trump and aiding in his authoritarianism at nearly every turn,” adding, “We will take action to protect democracy from Mayor Adams’ dishonest ballot proposals, which would strip Black, Latino and Asian neighborhoods of their power to secure more affordable housing and community investments.”
A potential lawsuit could delay ballot printing; Thursday is the deadline for finalizing ballots.
Mayor Eric Adams reiterated his administration’s focus on housing: “This Council will now be remembered for trying to block voters from having a say in eliminating New York City’s barriers to housing and bringing down the cost of rent.”
Despite speculation that commissioners might align with the Council, most voted to move forward with placing the measures on the ballot. Commissioner Michele Sileo later asked her vote be recorded as a “no,” but support remained strong. Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “I’m glad the Board of Elections listened to the voices of New Yorkers — myself included — who want to see these critical initiatives brought to voters in November.”
Typically, such approvals are routine. However, City Council leaders sent a letter August 27 urging rejection of three out of five proposed questions, arguing they obscure their consequences and shift power away from local representatives. The Charter Revision Commission countered that state law limits board authority in these matters and affirmed adherence to required word counts for ballot language.
Afterward, Charter Revision Commission member Schierenbeck expressed relief: “We had a little bit of a heart attack over the last week, and my pulse is down… We’re prepared to move forward on a robust public education campaign, which is what we should have been focusing on to make sure that New Yorkers understand what’s going to be on the ballot and can make an informed choice.”
Amit Singh Bagga leads a $3 million campaign supporting land use-related questions. He told reporters voter education would clarify why projects stall: “There is an unknown ‘they’ that stops things from happening… We need to educate New Yorkers that this system is in fact that unknown ‘they.’” He also referred to efforts against moving forward as “Trumpian,” stating: “BOE, nice try cosplaying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue… But we won.”
The contested proposals challenge “member deference,” where Council members traditionally follow local colleagues’ wishes regarding development projects under Ulurp (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure). One measure proposes replacing mayoral vetoes in Ulurp with an appeals board consisting of the mayor, Council speaker, and borough president—applicable only for certain affordable housing projects within one borough.
Currently, mayoral vetoes are rare since supermajority overrides by City Council are likely. Supporters hope developers will submit more applications if an appeals process exists beyond single-member opposition.
Another proposal would create an expedited review (Elurp) bypassing City Council or Planning approval for some modest projects. A third seeks faster processing for affordable housing projects in districts lagging behind others while allowing zoning waivers by the Board of Standards and Appeals.
Two other measures—moving local elections to even years alongside presidential contests and digitizing/consolidating official street maps—were also approved without challenge.
In July, after months of hearings, five questions were placed on November’s ballot by Mayor Adams’ Charter Revision Commission. This commission superseded another initiated by City Council seeking increased oversight over mayoral appointments.
Mayor Adams’ commission built upon policies like “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,” which reduced parking requirements for new developments and enabled higher residential density zones—a plan opposed by some council members due partly to concerns about environmental reviews.
The eventual passage came after negotiations securing $5 billion in public funding and modifications maintaining parking minimums in certain areas while limiting accessory dwelling units.
At a hearing earlier Tuesday before board approval was finalized, Speaker Adrienne Adams cited recent agreements tied to Jamaica rezoning projected at over 12,000 new homes alongside infrastructure investment pledges totaling $300 million. She said: “It’s important to note that none of these investments and community benefits would be possible without the City Council’s direct role within the land use process… New Yorkers… deserve the ability to fight for more affordable housing and neighborhood investments.”
Quinn Waller contributed reporting.
