Baruch School of Public Affairs
Gotham Gazette
Topics / Land Use
Land Use Newsletter
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The Topic
Land Use refers to the ways the city's built environment is used, preserved and developed. City planning is a discipline concerned with the present and future use of land and the quality of urban life. Zoning refers to a set of regulations that determine such matters as which areas will be deemed residential, commercial or industrial, how tall buildings can be in a specific area, how much open space will be required. The law governing zoning, New York City's Zoning Resolution first passed in 1916 and was substantially revised in 1961.
The Context
New York City has over 200,000 acres of land, and we fight over every square foot. The city's land use policies set the stage for that fight. Will there be parks? And where? How high can Donald Trump build? All these questions and more are are addressed by the city's land use policies and community planning. The City Planning Commission sets land use and planning policies through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). Community boards may prepare neighborhood plans for approval by the City Planning Commission and the New York City Council.

Researching ...

Prevailing Wages for Affordable Housing?
Imposing government determined prevailing wages for affordable housing construction could increase total development costs by about 25 percent, according to a recent report by the Citizens Housing and Planning Council. They also found no evidence to suggest that construction safety or quality would improve, as some have argued, by imposing the wage rates. The report further suggests that many black and Latino laborers could lose their jobs if the higher wages were imposed, since they are disproportionately found in the lower wage sectors of the construction industry. (December 29, 2008)

A Blueprint for Growth
"One City/One Future: A Blueprint for Growth That Works for All New Yorkers" is the product of four years of collaboration by civic leaders, neighborhood advocates, community development organizations, labor unions, affordable housing groups, environmentalists, immigrant advocates, and others. It offers policy 54 recommendations. (December 19, 2008)

Improving Street Life
The city's Department of Transportation last week published "World Class Streets," a report that assesses the public life on New York's streets. It found overcrowded sidewalks, a lack of public seating, and a number of hard to reach public places. The report also outlines the measures the city has already taken to address these issues. (November 21, 2008)

Supportive Housing and Property Values
Supportive housing - affordable housing that offers on-site social services - does not affect the property values of surrounding homes, according a new report by The Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. Indeed, they found property values rose in the years after construction. The report examined the impacts 7,500 supportive housing units over the course of 20 years. (November 7, 2008)

Global Cities Index
New York City is ranked as the most global city in an annual index created by Foreign Policy magazine, the consulting firm A.T. Kearney, and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. New York's financial markets, network of multinational corporations and the strength of its creative class gave the city its edge over the 59 other cities included in the index. (November 6, 2008)

Regional Plan Association
The independent planning organization that has been making recommendations for 80 years on region-wide policy and infrastructure needs, including open space and natural resource protection.
American Planning Association: New York Metro Chapter
Strong job and event listings for tri-state area planners. Metro Chapter is a professional membership group.
Municipal Art Society
The Municipal Art Society of New York is a private, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote a more livable city. Since 1893, the MAS has worked to enrich the culture, neighborhoods and physical design of New York City. It advocates for excellence in urban design and planning, contemporary architecture, historic preservation and public art.
Planners Network
The national organization of progressive urban planners and community activists, founded in 1975, publishes Planners Network: The Magazine of Progressive Planning four times a year. Selected articles from back issues and other working papers are on the web site. Membership is affordable and open to all, and members receive the Magazine free.
How Zoning Works
An overview of zoning its definition, purpose and implementation in NYS and NYC. This primer published by Pace University's School of Law also explains who has authority to make which decisions, with accompanying laws and citations. Excellent.
Historic Places in New York State
This page, part of the site of the National Register of Historic Places, has a list of all the New York State sites on the register. Each listing includes the architect and architectural style, significance, own, and historic and current functions.
Project for Public Spaces: Jane Jacobs
PPS was founded as a non-profit in 1975 to build upon the pioneering Street Life Project of writer-sociologist William H. Whyte. Since then they have developed a unique process for transforming public spaces, which they call "Placemaking."
onNYTurf
Blogging for political and community coverage of NYC's 5 Boroughs.
Highbridge Horizon
The Highbridge Horizon is a monthly bilingual community advocacy newspaper produced by and for the residents of Highbridge Bronx.
Tenant Net
A comprehensive online resource for tenants. Info on tenants' rights, tips on organizing, and updates on goings-on at Housing Court, the City Council, and the Rent Guidelines Board.

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