By Michael V. Cusenza
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday simultaneously lauded the Board of Elections vote greenlighting all five questions proposed by the City Charter Revision Commission for the November ballot and blasted the City Council for opposing the proposals.
“Today — in the face of the City Council’s illegal attempt to usurp democracy and strip New York City voters of their right to have a voice on issues that would eliminate barriers to housing — New Yorkers prevailed,” Adams said in a statement. “I am pleased that the Board of Elections did not bend to pressure and did the right thing by following the law, allowing New Yorkers to vote on important proposals to address our city’s historic housing crisis.”
In July, the CRC released its interim final report, including five proposals that the panel may choose to put to Big Apple voters: four on housing and land use, and one on elections.
In its first question, the report proposes new fast track public processes for affordable housing. First, it would create a new action at the Board of Standards and Appeals that could grant relief from zoning for publicly financed affordable housing projects. It would also establish a new, streamlined public review procedure for applications that deliver affordable housing in the community districts that permit the least affordable housing, according to the CRC.
In its second question, the report proposed to create a new Expedited Land Use Review Procedure for certain land use changes.
In its third question, the report proposed replacing the mayor’s veto at the end of ULURP with a new Appeals Board, made up of the relevant borough president, the speaker of the City Council, and the mayor.
In its fourth question, the CRC proposed centralizing and digitizing the City Map.
In its fifth question, the report proposes moving the City’s primary and general election dates to even-numbered years, when presidential elections are held, to improve voter turnout, make local democracy more inclusive, and save taxpayer money.
City Council leadership ripped the CRC questions.
“This commission’s misguided proposals would undermine the ability to deliver more affordable housing, homeownership opportunities, good-paying union jobs, and neighborhood investments for New Yorkers across the five boroughs,” they wrote in a statement in July.
The council released another statement on Tuesday.
“Trying to deceive voters into giving away their power in a democracy through misleading ballot proposals that hide their true impact is fundamentally undemocratic,” said Council spokesperson Julia Agos. “Mayor Adams’ Commission could have offered honestly worded ballot proposals to give voters the choice to make informed decisions, but it chose not to and instead is attempting to trick voters with buzzwords and slogans. We as New Yorkers shouldn’t be surprised that this effort to give the public’s power to developers comes from Mayor Adams, someone who has been selling our city out to Trump and aiding in his authoritarianism at nearly every turn. We will take action to protect democracy from Mayor Adams’ dishonest ballot proposals, which would strip Black, Latino and Asian neighborhoods of their power to secure more affordable housing and community investments.”
