Good morning, my name is Sojung Kim, and I am here representing the Regional Plan Association. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan.
RPA has long supported and advocated for increased housing in central, transit-rich areas, such as Long Island City. This neighborhood is a vibrant part of New York City, known for its excellent transportation options, diverse economy, and beautiful waterfront. However, many areas of Long Island City are currently hindered by outdated zoning regulations that restrict the construction of new multifamily buildings. Moreover, large sections of the waterfront remain closed or inaccessible to the public. At the same time, both the neighborhood and the city are in urgent need of new income-restricted affordable housing, as well as resilient, multipurpose open space infrastructure.
The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan has been a collaborative and comprehensive effort that will help address these challenges. The plan and proposed actions under consideration cover approximately 54 blocks in Long Island City. Together, they outline a strategy to revise zoning laws, allowing for over 14,700 new homes, including up to 4,800 permanently affordable homes. The plan also aims to create jobs by expanding spaces for businesses and community services. Additionally, it will enhance the neighborhood with investments and develop a continuous, resilient waterfront connecting Gantry Plaza to Queensbridge Park.
As proposed, the plan supports developing residential areas at higher densities along the waterfront where such uses are currently not allowed. With the appropriate resiliency and design standards, this will promote the redevelopment of underutilized properties and create connected open spaces along the East River and Anable Basin. To facilitate this, the existing Waterfront Access Plan will be amended to guide the development of up to 6 acres of high-quality open space that links the waterfront with the community. The updated Access Plan will ensure a variety of active and passive uses while implementing stricter elevation requirements to mitigate flood risk. Additionally, new street mapping will create a public waterfront open space along the East River.
To ensure the completion of the entire segment of the envisioned waterfront open space, the Commission should consider extending the proposed bulk and residential use changes to all parcels within the waterfront subdistrict. This includes the Con Edison Training Facility and parcels currently zoned for manufacturing West from Vernon Boulevard in between 44th Avenue and Queensboro bridge.
These actions are urgently needed. New York City is facing a significant housing crisis, as demand for housing units, particularly affordable ones, is at an all-time high. The city faces a historically low rental vacancy rate of just 1.4%. As a result of the housing shortage, market-rate rents in New York City have increased by 36% since 2015. Today, 52% of renters are cost-burdened, spending up to a third of their income on housing. Nearly a third are severely cost-burdened, spending half or more of their income. In addition, by the year 2040, the city could lose up to 19,000 homes due to coastal flooding, a situation that will only exacerbate housing scarcity.
Long Island City faces the dual challenge of managing significant climate risks while accommodating substantial housing growth. To effectively tackle this complexity, the proposed plan prioritizes policies that integrate climate-resilient multipurpose open space with mixed-use and affordable housing development. The forward-looking land use and zoning policies being considered today can shape a more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive Long Island City. As such, we recommend that the City Planning Commission adopt this measure. As always, RPA is available to discuss concerns or offer insights to help realize our shared priorities.
