Mayor Adams Kicks off Public Review on Atlantic Avenue Mixed-use Plan to Create Approximately 4,600 new Homes, 2,000 Permanent Jobs

October 15, 2024

Building on Extensive Public Engagement, Plan Would Deliver Community Investments, Infrastructure Updates, and Open Space

Along with "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" Proposal, Atlantic Avenue Plan Advances Administration's Moonshot Goal of Building 500,000 New Homes by 2032

New York – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today announced the start of the public review process for the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a community-led proposal for new housing, jobs, and infrastructure investments in Central Brooklyn. The plan would create approximately 4,600 new homes – including 1,440 permanently income-restricted, affordable homes – and 2,800 permanent new jobs to a roughly 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue, including neighboring blocks in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, where restrictive zoning regulations have prevented residential development and job growth. Delivering on a key community priority, the plan would also install traffic safety projects – including planters, bike corrals, and daylighting – at intersections along Atlantic Avenue to improve pedestrian visibility, safety, and accessibility. Today's announcement comes as the Adams administration aims to address the housing crisis with the passage of its "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" proposal and advance several neighborhood zoning plans to produce a moonshot goal of 500,000 new homes by 2032.

"The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan is a bold, visionary reimaging of what our neighborhoods can – and should – look like," said Mayor Adams. "Safer streets, more affordable housing, community spaces for our older adults and young people, jobs for communities in need – this proposal is the result of multiple agencies, City Hall, and everyday New Yorkers coming together to transform and build the neighborhoods of tomorrow, today. As it goes through the public review process, I encourage all New Yorkers to make their voices heard, listen to the facts, and embrace the endless possibilities within this proposal. The future is in their hands and all it requires them to say is 'yes' to opportunity."

"After years of calls from the community to fix outdated zoning along Atlantic Avenue, our administration is taking real action to rejuvenate the corridor and transform the area into a place where hardworking New Yorkers can live, work, and play," said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. "We are thrilled to be kicking off the official public review process for the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan that will deliver approximately 4,600 new homes and 2,800 jobs alongside critical investments that will allow Central Brooklyn to flourish. I want to thank our team at DCP for leading this effort, as well as Councilmembers Hudson and Ossé for their steadfast partnership."

"We are prioritizing the whole community on and around Atlantic Avenue with this proposal – transforming an area previously defined by vacant lots and self-storage facilities into a livable, walkable neighborhood. Our administration is delivering on safer streets, wider sidewalks, and infrastructure at and below our roadways to accommodate more and bigger storms – and we're partnering with the private sector to deliver even more public space," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "This is the kind of thoughtful planning that leads to better connected, more vibrant communities, and I look forward to robust public feedback."

"For far too long, this stretch of Atlantic Avenue has been stymied by outdated zoning that has limited opportunities for new homes and jobs. It's past time for a change, and this plan delivers on a community-driven roadmap for the homes, jobs, safe streets, and investments that Central Brooklyn needs," said Dan Garodnick, Director of the Department of City Planning. "Building on extensive public engagement, this transformational plan would benefit Brooklynites for years to come, and we hope they will continue to make their voices heard as public review gets underway."

"The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan is a community-driven vision informed by extensive engagement and resident input," said New York City Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. "It is a model for how we should plan for the future of our neighborhoods: building more housing with permanent affordability, improved safety, quality jobs, better public spaces, and investments in infrastructure – all for current and future residents. We're excited to kick off public review, and I thank Councilmembers Hudson and Ossé, and the many community members and agency staff who have brought the plan to this important milestone."

“This plan moves the city significantly closer to creating an equitable, inclusive, and vibrant Atlantic Avenue,” said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr. “It’s not enough to simply create new housing options; we need to empower communities and residents. That’s why we are delivering 1,000 much-needed, permanently affordable homes and enhancing tenant protections in partnership with local organizations. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Department of City Planning, community members, and their elected officials as we advance this critical initiative.”

"New Yorkers don't need to be reminded that climate change is bringing more intense storms to the city and we are prioritizing investments to better manage all the rain, reduce flooding, and keep residents safe," said New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner and Chief Climate Officer Rohit T. Aggarwala. "Upgraded sewers, curbside rain gardens, and playgrounds that absorb stormwater are all improving drainage along the Atlantic Avenue corridor, and we will continue to look for ways to improve the quality of life for both residents and businesses."

"We are proud to deliver safer streets and transportation options as part of the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "This plan will create desperately needed new, affordable housing and generate thousands of jobs in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. We welcome Brooklynites to come out and have their voices heard. And, we look forward to working alongside our sister agencies and New Yorkers on reimagining streets, in the short-, medium-, and long-term, so that they enrich, protect, and uplift the standard of living for all New Yorkers."

"The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan rezoning has been a long time in the making," said New York City Councilmember Crystal Hudson. "For more than a decade, the community surrounding Atlantic Avenue has called for a new vision for this dangerous corridor that delivers more deeply affordable housing, increased investments in the area's local economy, safer streets, and greater consideration of local infrastructure needs. The scope of this project was exhaustive, ultimately delivering a framework that brings us closer toward pursuing comprehensive planning across Council District 35. Community stakeholders shared local priorities and dozens of community-informed recommendations to ensure this vital section of Brooklyn can support its small businesses, visitors, and, most importantly, protect and uplift its longtime residents. As the process moves forward, I will continue to fight for a final plan that realizes these priorities and delivers a more just, equitable, and vibrant Atlantic Avenue."

"There is no doubt that our city and my district specifically face a dire housing shortage that is causing prices to skyrocket and driving everyday New Yorkers to financial crisis," said New York City Councilmember Chi Ossé. "I strongly support efforts to ease the housing shortage and proud to work hand-in-hand with my community to make sure we get this right"

A New Vision for Atlantic Avenue

The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan focuses on a section of Atlantic Avenue and neighboring streets between Vanderbilt Avenue and Nostrand Avenue. Since the 1960s, this area of Atlantic Avenue has been zoned for one-to-two industrial buildings and storage, despite its proximity to a major commercial area and transit hub. The Atlantic Avenue-Mixed Use Plan offers a transformational opportunity to create urgently-needed housing, including income-restricted affordable housing, as well as space for 2,800 permanent new jobs in the commercial and industrial sectors.

Along Atlantic Avenue, the plan calls for high-density housing – with permanently income-restricted and rent-stabilized affordable units through Mandatory Inclusionary Housing – and a mix of commercial uses to create active ground floors. Through this change, the area will transform from a corridor of vacant lots, self-storage facilities, and auto-shops to a mix of residential, commercial, and manufacturing, providing much-needed homes and jobs for New Yorkers. On neighboring avenues and streets, the plan would encourage moderately-sized mixed-use buildings with income-restricted affordable housing and job-generating uses.

Map of the impacted areas within the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan.

Building More Affordable Housing

The plan will create nearly 4,600 new homes, including approximately 1,055 permanently affordable homes through the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program, and an additional 380 units of permanent affordable housing on city-owned or controlled sites found throughout the neighborhood. Utilizing HPD programs, the Adams administration has committed to building over 380 income-restricted affordable homes at several sites in Crown Heights and Prospect Heights, such as 542 Dean Street, 516 Bergen Street, and 1134-1142 Pacific Street. These affordable units will include set-asides for older New Yorkers and the formerly homeless. The administration will continue to explore opportunities for additional affordable developments during the public review process.

To preserve existing affordability, the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan will provide a nearly $3 million investment from HPD's Partners in Preservation program to community-based organizations focused on anti-harassment and anti-displacement programming for area tenants.

Crown Heights and Bedford Stuyvesant are also priority areas for the city's new $10 million Homeowner Help Desk, a one-stop shop to provide low-income homeowners with housing and legal counseling that will launch later this fall.

Creating Safer Streets and Investing in Public Spaces

The Adams administration is committing to several street safety projects to create a better, safer experience for pedestrians and bicyclists along Atlantic Avenue, as well as nearby transit corridors. This work will include painted "neckdowns," which are raised curb extensions that narrow the travel lane at intersections or midblock locations, to expand curbside protections; daylighting to improve visibility at intersections; planters; and bike corrals along medians throughout the neighborhood; as well as a new bike lane on Bedford Avenue. To better serve pedestrians, new developments in the plan's geography would be required to set their buildings further away from the street to create up to a 20-foot-wide sidewalk – an increase from the 8-to-15-foot-wide sidewalks that exist today.

Rendering of Atlantic Avenue's improved, and safer streets.

The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan provides $24.2 million in improvements to St. Andrew's Playground, including adding a new, synthetic turf multi-use field with a running track, upgraded basketball and handball courts, renovated playground spaces, a remodeled public restroom, new seating, shade trees, plantings, and other green infrastructure. The administration will also improve Lowry Triangle, near Atlantic Avenue and Washington Avenue, to help community members better enjoy and use the space. The plan would also create a zoning incentive for additional publicly accessible open space. The project will complete the design phase in 2025 and anticipate construction to start in 2026.

Other infrastructure enhancements in the wider neighborhood include storm water and sewer upgrades, along Atlantic Avenue and Dean Street, as well as subsurface stormwater detention systems and 140 rain gardens throughout the community. These investments will bolster sewer capacity and help the neighborhood better handle storm and flooding events.

Engaging with the Community

The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan is the result of extensive of community-based planning, building on engagement work started by local leaders and Brooklyn Community Board 8 in 2013. Since the official Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan study kicked off in early 2023 with facilitator WXY Studio, DCP has closely collaborated with the Offices of New York City Councilmembers Crystal Hudson and Chi Ossé, the New York City Council Land Use Division, and agency partners to craft the plan. Today's certification begins the roughly seven-month Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, which includes recommendations from Community Boards 3 and 8 and Borough President Reynoso, which will be followed by hearings and binding votes at the CPC and then a City Council vote.

The Adams Administration's Record on Housing

The Adams administration is also in the midst of public review for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the most pro-housing zoning proposal in New York City's history. In addition to the City of Yes and the Atlantic Avenue Plan, DCP is advancing several robust neighborhood plans that, if adopted, would deliver more than 50,000 units over the next 15 years in Midtown South in Manhattan and in Long Island City and Jamaica in Queens. Earlier this year, the City Council approved the Bronx-Metro North Station Area Plan, which will create approximately 7,000 homes and 10,000 permanent jobs in the East Bronx.

Since the start of his administration, Mayor Adams has made record investments towards creating and preserving affordable housing. This past July, Mayor Adams announced back-to-back record breaking years in both creating and connecting New Yorkers to affordable housing. In June, the Adams administration delivered an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget that invests $2 billion in capital funds across FY25 and FY26 to HPD and the New York City Housing Authority's capital budgets. In total, the Adams administration has committed a record $26 billion in housing capital in the current 10-year plan as the city faces a generational housing crisis. And this past spring, thanks to Mayor Adams' vision and leadership, the city celebrated the largest 100 percent affordable housing project in 40 years with the Willets Point transformation. 

Further, the Adams administration is using every tool available to address the city's housing crisis. This summer, Mayor Adams announced multiple new tools, including a $4 million state grant, to help New York City homeowners create accessory dwelling units on their properties that will not only help them to afford to remain in the communities they call home, but also to build generational wealth for their families. 

Earlier this year, Mayor Adams and members of his administration successfully advocated for new tools in the 2024 New York state budget that will spur the creation of urgently needed housing. These tools include a new tax incentive for multifamily rental construction, a tax incentive program to encourage office conversions to create more affordable units, lifting the arbitrary "floor-to-area ratio" cap that held back affordable housing production in certain high-demand areas of the city, and the ability to create a pilot program to legalize and make safe basement apartments.  

Additionally, under Mayor Adams' leadership, the city is fulfilling its 2024 State of the City commitment to build more affordable housing across the city, including by being ahead of schedule on advancing two dozen affordable housing projects on city-owned land this year through the "24 in '24" initiative, reopening the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program waitlist after being closed to general applications for nearly 15 years, and creating the Tenant Protection Cabinet to coordinate across agencies to better serve tenants. The city has also taken several steps to cut red tape and speed up the delivery of much-needed housing, including through the "Green Fast Track for Housing," a streamlined environmental review process for qualifying small- and medium-sized housing projects; the "Office Conversion Accelerator," an interagency effort to guide buildings that wish to convert through city bureaucracy; and other initiatives of the Building and Land Use Approval Streamlining Taskforce. 

"I applaud Councilmember Hudson and the Department of City Planning for orchestrating such a collaborative and inclusive process with a focus on community needs," said Lenny Singletary, chair, Brooklyn Community Board 2. "This plan's undertaking thoughtfully considered and received feedback on land use, zoning, traffic, and community priorities in a collaborative way."

"This plan was developed by community members, looking at our community and asking the question, 'What can be done in this footprint to address our needs?'" said Irsa Weatherspoon, chair, Brooklyn Community Board 8. "Realistic and affordable, income based housing is one of our dire needs. The community is excited that we are moving forward with concrete solutions in this process."