Statement attributable to Marcel Negret, Director of Land Use at RPA

RPA applauds the passage of the Jamaica Neighborhood Plan. With the largest Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) area in the city, it will deliver up to 4,000 affordable units among nearly 12,000 total. The plan supports transit-oriented development in an area with many transit routes providing access to about 640,000 jobs within a 45-minute commute. Jamaica Station, a key hub on the Long Island Rail Road, is surrounded by diverse land uses, with 12 acres of nearby vacant land offering infill development potential. We commend the City Council and the Department of City Planning for developing this thoughtful framework to deliver affordable housing and investments in civic facilities, sewer systems, and open space, and look forward to its implementation.