The City Council has voted to approve the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan, a massive rezoning proposal that is anticipated to create 12,000 new homes and 2 million square feet of commercial space in the neighborhood.
The Council voted 47-0 in favor of the plan at a stated meeting Oct. 29 as part of the final stage of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), giving the green light for a sweeping rezoning proposal that will transform roughly 230 blocks across the neighborhood.
The Department of City Planning has estimated that the rezoning will create roughly 12,000 new affordable housing units, almost 4,000 of which would be affordable.
In addition to over 2 million square feet of commercial and community space, the plan is also anticipated to bring more than 7,000 jobs to the neighborhood.
The plan will map the largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) zone in the entire city, paving the way for 3,800 affordable homes to be built on privately-owned sites. DCP estimates that the entire plan will take 15 years to come to fruition.
Council Member Dr. Nantasha Williams, who represents the area covered by the rezoning, described the Council’s vote as a “major milestone” in the local community’s push for investment and access. Williams further stated that the neighborhood plan brings to life a “comprehensive vision” for Downtown Jamaica and surrounding neighborhoods in Southeast Queens.
“This day is deeply meaningful for the people of southeast Queens,” Williams said in a statement. “For far too long, our community has been asked to wait to be seen and supported. But today, that wait is over.”
Williams stated that the rezoning would deliver $700 million in community investments to Jamaica, including safer streets, modernized schools, upgraded parks and playgrounds, expanded healthcare access, workforce programs and small business support.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards similarly described the rezoning as the “right step forward” for Jamaica, describing the plan as “nothing short of transformative.”
“From building 12,000 new homes to creating thousands more good-paying jobs — along with needed investments in public transit, open space and our small business sector — this plan will be nothing short of transformative for Jamaica,” Richards said in a statement.
He further stated that the plan would unlock the neighborhood’s potential and help build a brighter future for the residents who live there.
Mayor Eric Adams applauded the Council for approving the plan, stating that the plan is the biggest neighborhood-specific rezoning in more than 20 years. However, that title will soon be claimed by the even larger OneLIC neighborhood rezoning, which was recently approved by the Council’s Committee on Land Use.
Adams described the passage of the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan as “historic.”
“From bustling storefronts to busy train lines, Jamaica is exactly where our city should be building new housing and creating new jobs. For too long, the neighborhood’s outdated zoning code has made it harder to do both; but today, we changed that,” Adams said in a statement.
