The Department of City Planning (DCP) Commission voted to pass the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan during a public hearing on Tuesday, Aug 12.
Since the plan has passed the commission, it will move forward to the City Council for a vote. The City Council has 50 days to review the plan, and a hearing will take place this fall, followed by a vote at a later date.
DCP Director Dan Gardonick chairs the commission, which has 13 members. Eleven of the 13 members voted yes, and the two remaining members voted no.
In an interview with QNS the day prior to the vote, Gardonick said the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan is an “important step forward for the neighborhood and the city.”
“The Jamaica Neighborhood Plan is complementary to the other neighborhood plans as well as our other citywide initiatives to spur housing creation. We are in a severe housing crisis with a citywide vacancy rate of 1.41%, and that is even worse in Queens, where it is .88%. We need to create housing of all types to serve New Yorkers at every income level,” Gardonick told QNS.
The hearing
Gardonick, who voted to approve the plan, described downtown Jamaica as a space ready for further development.
“Anyone who has spent any time in Jamaica knows it is one of the most bustling commercial and transit hubs in Queens and the entire city. It is exactly the type of place we should make sure has a vibrant mixed-use landscape,” said Gardonick.
He said that outdated zoning and lack of investment have held the area back, and that it is time to usher in change.
“The Jamaica Neighborhood will overhaul zoning to facilitate the creation of over 12,000 new homes, including approximately 4,000 permanently income-restricted affordable homes across a 230 block area, making this the largest mandatory inclusionary housing zone ever mapped in New York City,” Gardonick said.
” I think this is a comprehensive rezoning that addresses all of the challenges that Jamaica has faced historically. This is a vital community, and I proudly vote yes,” said Vice Chair Kevin J. Knuckles.
Commissioner Leah Goodridge and Commissioner Juan C. Osorio testified about why they voted against the plan.
Goodridge said her biggest concern was that the designated affordable housing was not affordable enough. “Only about 4,000 out of the 11 or 12,000 of these units will be affordable. And most… of that affordable housing or a good chunk of it will mainly be for low to moderate income, and when I say low to moderate, we’re talking $2000 studios. So I have a real issue with having a neighborhood plan where the main issue is affordability, but affordability is not the issue that is actually being addressed,” Goodridge said.
Commissioner Juan C. Osorio said his concerns were directed at environmental equity and a lack of comprehensive affordable housing.
“Without a clear investment commitment to address significant adverse impacts, I cannot support a proposal of this size, particularly in a predominantly low-income community of color. According to the final environmental impact assessment, there are significant adverse impacts on several domains, including elementary schools, open space, and air quality that remains unaddressed,” Osorio said.
“Number two, a mixed-use manufacturing district that does not require industrial usage can displace these companies, and working-class New Yorkers rely on these jobs to be able to afford housing here and everywhere in New York,” he added.
What is the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan?
The Jamaica Neighborhood Plan is the Department of City Planning’s multipronged long-term rezoning plan for Jamaica. The plan, a vision for the next 15 years, aims to create more housing in the neighborhood, support job growth across various industries, improve public spaces, and invest in local infrastructure.
The plan is currently in its third phase, which includes an extensive public review process to develop recommendations that will be applied to the finalized plan.
The proposal covers approximately 300 blocks, located primarily within Queens’ Community District 12 and parts of Community District 8. It would create 12,000 new homes, including 4,000 permanently affordable income-restricted units. Additionally, it would create over 2 million square feet of commercial space and bring more than 7,000 jobs to the area.
Beginning in 2023, the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan committee partnered with 52 community groups, cultural institutions, and elected officials to form a steering committee that meets monthly. Over the past two years, 38 public meetings have been held and residents have left nearly 3,000 comments.
