Council Members Robert Holden and Joann Ariola have issued strong statements opposing the progression of Mayor Eric Adams’ controversial ‘City of Yes’ zoning reform plan through the City Council.
The plan, which underwent slight modifications to strike a final deal with the council, includes a $5 billion commitment from the administration. Despite these changes, both council members remain steadfast in their opposition.
After hours of delays on Thursday, Nov. 21, two council committees approved the proposal, advancing it to a full Council vote scheduled for Dec. 5.
“After three years, the City Council was forced to negotiate with the Mayor’s office in the 11th hour to approve a plan that the majority of community boards and civic associations in this city oppose,” stated Council Member Robert Holden. “New Yorkers are clear: they do not support the City of Yes and reject the idea of giving real estate developers a blank check to overdevelop our city. No matter what this deal offers, it remains a terrible plan that should have been opposed at all costs. Our neighborhoods deserve thoughtful planning that prioritizes infrastructure, affordability, and community input—not a plan that ignores the will of the people.”
Council Member Joann Ariola echoed Holden’s concerns, labeling the plan ‘disastrous’ and urging her fellow council members to vote against it in December.
“The movement of the Mayor’s disastrous City of Yes plan through the New York City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Land Use Committee brings our city two steps closer to disaster. It now falls to the rest of the Council to put a stop to this ticking time bomb during the general vote in December,” Ariola said.
“Time and time again, the residents of New York City have made their voices clear and rejected the City of Yes. The majority of the community boards in this city have stated that they are against this proposal, including 12 of the 14 boards in my home borough of Queens.”
Ariola emphasized that these boards and the communities they represent have an “intimate knowledge” of their areas, making them well-equipped to understand why the proposed plan is unsuitable.
“Cramming thousands upon thousands of additional residents into sections of the city that lack the vital medical, transportation, education, and public safety infrastructure to sustain them will only make things even more difficult for New Yorkers in the years to come and will dramatically impact the quality of life that our citizens have come to expect when living in the Greatest City in the World,” she said. “In my area and other coastal areas in particular, where flooding is already a grave issue, the influx of so many people can have lethal consequences in the event of a natural disaster.”
Ariola criticized the administration for prioritizing the interests of real estate developers and campaign donors over the needs of New Yorkers.
“Rather than listen to the people of New York, however, the current administration and its supporters seem much more keen to play into the special interests of real estate developers and monied donors who supported his campaign,” she said. “Far from listening to the real demands of everyday New Yorkers, Mayor Adams and his band have decided to make good on the backroom campaign promises they made to the city’s billionaires who supported his electoral run. As a result, we will all soon be made to pay the price.”
Ariola concluded by urging her colleagues to listen to their constituents before the decisive vote.
“I would like to thank my colleagues Lynn Schulman, David Carr, and Kamillah Hanks for representing the wishes of their council districts and voting no during yesterday’s sessions. I only hope the rest of the Council will find the same kind of strength to stand up for their constituents on December 5,” she added.
