City of Yes: Brooklyn Zoning Reform
Changes, Restrictions, and Implications across Brooklyn, NYC (2025)
Overview of City of Yes in Brooklyn
Brooklyn’s zoning reforms under City of Yes focus on increasing housing supply via density expansions, adaptive reuse, and transit-oriented developments. However, the plan applies unevenly due to neighborhood preservation concerns, flood resilience needs, and ongoing community advocacy.
Neighborhood-Level Impact and Alterations
Williamsburg and Greenpoint
- Focus: Enhanced manufacturing-to-residential conversions to increase housing stock.
- Resiliency Mandates: Waterfront areas have strict flood mitigation and elevation requirements.
- Affordable Housing: Mandatory inclusionary housing bonuses prioritized for new developments.
- Restrictions: Some historic industrial zones retain limitations to preserve character and jobs; height limits enforced near East River parks.
Bedford-Stuyvesant (East and West)
- Housing Opportunity: Moderate allowable density increases, focusing on 2-4 family homes transitioning to small multifamily buildings.
- Community Protections: Anti-displacement overlays and Right to Remain policies help limit rapid gentrification.
- Zoning Alteration: Partial relaxation of parking minimums to encourage transit use.
- Implications: Encourages affordable housing while balancing community stability.
Crown Heights
- Density Changes: Expansion of mid-rise multifamily zoning along transit corridors.
- Preservation: Historic district overlays in eastern Crown Heights restrict height and massing changes.
- Anti-Displacement: Zoning codes include tenant protections and affordable housing set-asides.
Flatbush and East Flatbush
- Zoning Focus: Small lot infill allowed with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on wide streets close to transit.
- Density Upzones: Select midblock areas permitted limited 3-4 story apartment developments replacing single-family units.
- Restrictions: Flood-prone zones have height and construction limits to meet climate resilience standards.
Park Slope and Prospect Heights
- FAR Increase: Largest percentage increase in maximum allowable floor area (up to 20%) enabling development of more units.
- Historic District Protections: Landmarks Preservation Commission rules limit building modifications to maintain architectural character.
- Parking: Parking minimums substantially reduced to promote transit use.
- Mixed-Use Encouragement: Ground-floor retail allowed in town center zones, promoting neighborhood commerce.
Brooklyn Navy Yard and Downtown Brooklyn
- Commercial to Residential: Robust office-to-residential conversions encouraged, capitalizing on underused industrial/commercial spaces.
- Transit Oriented Development: Higher density permitted near Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center transit hub.
- Climate Resilience: New green infrastructure and stormwater management mandatory for all new construction.
Southern Brooklyn (Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach)
- Exclusions: Generally excluded from broad City of Yes upzonings to preserve low-density, suburban character.
- Restrictions: Infrastructure limitations and flood concerns prevent significant zoning changes.
- Public Outreach: Extensive community engagement required before any future zoning changes.
Sunset Park
- FAR Boost: Moderate allowable floor area increases supporting affordable housing projects.
- Industrial Buffers: Some manufacturing zones maintain current restrictions to protect jobs.
- Transit Corridors: Upzoning concentrated near the 4th Avenue subway, promoting denser development.
Brooklyn Boroughwide Summary Chart
Scoring reflects scale of allowable density upzoning and policy flexibility:
Blue = High density expansion, Yellow = Moderate/upzone with community safeguards, Red = Mostly restricted zones with minimal change.
Implications and Takeaways
- The City of Yes plan encourages moderately increased housing production across Brooklyn but balances growth with preservation in historic and vulnerable neighborhoods.
- Waterfront and flood-prone areas see stricter resiliency and elevation regulations limiting some density increases.
- Anti-displacement measures like Right to Remain overlays are prominent in gentrification-sensitive neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights.
- Outer and southern parts of Brooklyn retain low-density zoning, reflecting infrastructure and community concerns.
- Transit corridors and commercial strips (Atlantic Ave, 4th Ave, Flatbush Ave) form the backbone for upzoning and mixed-use expansion.
