New York City Council has green-lighted two Prospect Heights residential projects that had encountered opposition from the area’s newly elected council member.
Y&T Development‘s planned project at 870-888 Atlantic Avenue, along with EMP Capital‘s initiative at 1034-1042 Atlantic Avenue, were approved by City Council on April 28, Commercial Observer (CO) reported.
The projects were approved after the developers followed Council member Crystal Hudson’s suggestion they increase the project’s affordable housing..
Under revised plans, “each developer committed to reserving 35 percent of the respective building’s floor area for families making between $38,000 and $57,000, 10 percent more affordable housing than is required under the city’s mandatory inclusionary housing law,” CO reported. There will be a total of 438 units in the two buildings.
Hudson’s office says the measure allowing the developments to move forward passed the City Council by a vote of 49 in favor, one opposed, and one abstention.
“For too long, developers have driven the land-use and planning process in this city,” Hudson said in a statement. “They’ve convinced New Yorkers that affordability quotas and community demands will stifle development in a time when we need to build more to confront the growing affordability and housing shortage we’re facing. However, the truth is developers can stand to do much more.”
The projects were in the works before Hudson took office in January. When she was sworn in, she intervened to halt the projects until the developers agreed to a better deal for the community.
Hudson said she had managed to negotiate for a total of additional 150 units of affordable housing across both projects. Plans call for 228 units at 870-888 Atlantic Avenue and 210 apartments at 1034-1042 Atlantic Avenue.
