Cuomo Vows to Protect Neighborhood Character in City of Yes Rollout
NEW YORK, NY – Andrew Cuomo, candidate for New York City mayor, today pledged to ensure the implementation of the City of Yes housing initiative preserves the character of low-density neighborhoods in Staten Island and across the five boroughs.
Cuomo said that while he supports the law’s goals, its rollout must be handled carefully — especially when it comes to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and their potential impact on parking and neighborhood infrastructure.
“I supported City of Yes because the final version made real changes – scaling back ADU construction in residential areas and protecting the character of low-density neighborhoods like those on Staten Island,” Cuomo continued. “Councilmember Kamilah Hanks and her colleagues fought hard for those protections, and I’ll honor that victory. Now, as the law takes effect, key details – from flood-zone maps to historic districts and parking rules – will determine how New Yorkers actually experience it. The final regulations must reflect the spirit and intent of those reforms.”
One of the major concerns about ADUs involves the impact on availability of parking. Cuomo said based on the number of applications to build ADUs in certain neighborhoods, he would pursue a special district designation requiring parking as well as exploring residential parking permits, which are used in cities such as London that face similar parking pressures.
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