March 16, 2016 By Christian Murray
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer will vote in favor of two controversial zoning text amendments next week.
The zoning text amendments, called Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) and Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA), are likely to be put up for a council vote March 22.
The amendments were designed by the de Blasio administration to promote the construction of affordable housing and high quality developments. They initially received a cool reception from Community Board 2.
Van Bramer is in favor of the amendments since they have been revised and they address many of the concerns residents have voiced, according to his spokesperson Arielle Swernoff.
Several elements of de Blasio’s zoning text amendments were changed as part of a deal struck with the City Council Monday. For instance, the Council has created a new affordable housing option where developers are given the option to construct a reduced number of subsidized units as long as they target residents in a lower income bracket.
Critics had claimed that the income bands to qualify for affordable housing were too high.
Another change aims to spread the affordable units throughout a development instead of allowing them to be more clustered within one section of a building. It also requires developers who build the affordable units in a different building–offsite–to build more rent-subsidized apartments.
The deal also aims to clamp down on developers trying to skirt their affordable housing requirements by claiming hardship through the Board of Standards and Appeals.
Van Bramer’s spokeswoman said the Councilman will remain attentive to infrastructure keeping pace with the increased housing stock.
She said that he has a strong record of bringing schools to the district.
Last month it was announced that the mayor had allocated $225 million for the construction of four schools in the 26th Council district. Three would be in Long Island City and the other in Woodside.
