Erwin Chemerinsky—Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law and one of the country’s best-known constitutional law scholars—has a blunt thesis: the United States is facing a crisis of legitimacy and institutional design that could make democratic self-government unsustainable. He lays out that argument in his 2024 book, No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States, and in a widely circulated Berkeley Law alumni talk that frames the book as a warning flare for the American system.
That warning has sparked an equally blunt rebuttal from many critics: the United States was never designed to be a “pure democracy” governed by simple majorities. It was designed as a constitutional republic—a representative system constrained by a written constitution—precisely to protect individuals from two perennial dangers: tyranny from above (abuse by rulers) and tyranny from below (majority faction turning politics into legalized coercion).
This debate isn’t an academic parlor game. It’s now moving to a major public stage in New York.
What Chemerinsky argues in No Democracy Lasts Forever
Chemerinsky’s core claim is that American democracy is under severe stress because public confidence in institutions has collapsed and political polarization has hardened into something closer to mutual illegitimacy. In the Berkeley book talk, he argues the crisis is not just cultural—it is structural.
Among the structural issues he highlights:
The Electoral College: He argues it can produce presidents who lose the national popular vote and that winner-take-all allocation in most states amplifies that risk.
The U.S. Senate: Equal representation for states regardless of population, he argues, violates democratic intuitions about political equality and entrenches “minority rule.”
Gerrymandering and representation: He contends partisan map-drawing has made the House less responsive, and that legal constraints limit effective remedies.
The Supreme Court’s role and tenure: He criticizes life tenure as placing too much power in too few hands for too long, and describes the Court as a central actor in democratic backsliding.
Money in politics: He argues that the scale and opacity of campaign spending corrodes public trust and democratic legitimacy.
Chemerinsky also proposes remedies—some statutory, some constitutional—and, in the longer arc, suggests Americans should at least begin thinking about what a modern constitutional replacement process might look like (even if not imminent).
The controversy: “Democracy is failing” vs. “A republic with guardrails is the point”
The sharpest disagreement is not whether the country is polarized. It is what standard should be used to evaluate constitutional design.
Chemerinsky often describes the U.S. as a “constitutional democracy” and measures legitimacy against a majoritarian benchmark: outcomes should track popular majorities more consistently, and institutions that systematically distort majority rule are treated as core democratic defects.
Critics respond that this framing smuggles in a premise the Founders explicitly resisted: that “more direct democracy” is inherently better.
1) The Constitution guarantees “republican” government—not direct majoritarian rule. Article IV, Section 4 requires the United States to guarantee each state a “Republican Form of Government.” Whatever else Americans argue about, the constitutional text chooses “republican” as the baseline civic architecture.
2) Madison’s warning: “pure democracies” can be violent and unstable. In Federalist No. 10, Madison draws a famous contrast between a republic and what he calls “such democracies,” warning they have historically been “spectacles of turbulence and contention” and incompatible with personal security and the rights of property.
This is a foundational insight for critics: the system was designed not to maximize majority power, but to control the predictable pathologies of majority power.
3) The “two tyrannies” problem: protect society from rulers and from majorities. Federalist No. 51 states the principle in plain language: it is vital “in a republic” not only to guard society against oppression by its rulers, but also to guard “one part of the society against the injustice of the other part,” because if a majority unites around a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure.
This is the conceptual backbone of the “constitutional republic” critique of Chemerinsky: many so-called “anti-democratic” features are better understood as anti-tyrannical guardrails—constraints that prevent elections from becoming a moral permission slip to punish disfavored groups.
4) Courts are not meant to be majoritarian institutions. Chemerinsky’s critique of judicial power and long tenure often collides with Hamilton’s argument in Federalist No. 78 that life tenure “during good behavior” is a barrier against despotism in a monarchy—and, in a republic, a barrier against “encroachments and oppressions of the representative body.”
In this view, the judiciary’s legitimacy is not measured by popularity; it is measured by fidelity to higher law—especially when popular majorities demand shortcuts.
A key clarification that strengthens the critique
Even many constitutional conservatives concede an important nuance: the Constitution does not literally contain the phrase “constitutional republic.” The more precise claim is that the U.S. is a representative republic operating under a written constitution, and that “democracy” (as used in modern speech) should be understood as representative democracy, not pure direct democracy.
This matters rhetorically. It allows critics to challenge Chemerinsky’s framing without making an easily refutable claim like “America isn’t a democracy at all.” The stronger, more defensible line is: America is not a pure democracy—and it was never intended to be; it is a constitutional republic built to protect liberty against both top-down tyranny and majority faction.
Coming up in NYC: Brennan Center Jorde Symposium, Feb. 5
This dispute over constitutional legitimacy will intersect with an in-person NYU event next month.
On Thursday, February 5, 2026, the Brennan Center for Justice will host the Jorde Symposium: “Against Constitutional Theory” at NYU School of Law (Greenberg Lounge), 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY. The program runs 4:00–5:50 p.m. ET, followed by a reception 5:50–6:30 p.m.
Erwin Chemerinsky is the featured lecturer. Commentators include Leah Litman (University of Michigan Law School) and Sherif Girgis (University of Notre Dame Law School). The event is open to the public but requires RSVP, and is listed as free.
For anyone tracking the national argument over “democracy,” constitutional limits, and the role of courts, this is one of the most substantive public constitutional law events on the New York calendar—especially because it puts Chemerinsky’s broader book thesis in conversation with scholars who do not share all of his premises.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed a fatal Bronx fire and detailed extensive city-wide preparations for an incoming winter storm, including snow removal, cold weather protocols, and public safety advisories for residents to stay indoors.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a press conference on January 24, 2026, to discuss two main topics: a tragic fire in the Bronx and the city’s preparations for an upcoming winter storm.
The mayor first addressed a four-alarm fire in Eastchester, Bronx, which resulted in 15 injuries and one fatality (0:21-0:47). He thanked the FDNY and other city agencies for their immediate response and confirmed that utilities in the affected building were shut down, with all 148 apartments vacated (1:21-1:26). A reception center was opened at a nearby school, and the Red Cross is assisting displaced residents (1:27-1:32). An investigation into the fire’s cause is ongoing (2:01-2:06).
Following this, the mayor detailed the city’s winter storm preparations:
Snowfall and conditions: Snow is expected to begin late Sunday evening, intensifying around 5:00 a.m. Monday (2:32-2:42). Heavy snowfall is anticipated in the late morning and early afternoon, with low visibility and winds up to 35 mph, creating near-blizzard conditions (2:53-3:08). The snow is expected to turn to sleet by Sunday evening and clear by early Monday morning (3:09-3:20).
Expected accumulation and cold temperatures: The city anticipates at least 8 to 9 inches of snow, along with a prolonged period of frigid temperatures, possibly the coldest in 8 years (3:22-3:42).
City agency preparations: Various agencies have undertaken extensive measures:
DSNY has brined highways and major roadways (3:59-4:02), and over 2,000 workers will staff 12-hour shifts, deploying more than 700 salt spreaders and 2,300 plow vehicles (6:36-6:51).
Public schools have prepared for remote learning (4:05-4:11) and conducted pressure testing for virtual operations (4:14-4:22). A decision on Monday’s school status will be announced by 12:00 p.m. tomorrow (15:02-15:13).
NYCHA increased staffing for weather-related repairs (4:23-4:26).
Parks workers pre-salted parks (4:27-4:28).
FDNY increased firefighters per engine company and is operating under enhanced readiness (4:30-4:37).
MTA activated its incident command system and emergency operations center (4:37-4:43).
NYC Emergency Management activated its winter weather plan and held daily coordination calls (4:45-4:57). They also used 311 reports from past storms to address previous service shortcomings (4:59-5:14).
Homeless services and public safety: A “Code Blue” is in effect, ensuring homeless New Yorkers have access to shelter beds (5:37-6:01). 311 calls for warmth access will be rerouted to 911 during this period (6:15-6:22).
Travel advisory: A hazardous travel advisory will be in effect on Sunday and Monday. New Yorkers are urged to avoid driving and unnecessary travel (9:00-9:12) and to stay indoors (9:16-9:23).
Suspended services: City bike service will be suspended starting 12:00 p.m. tomorrow (8:13-8:17), and early voting for tomorrow and Monday has been suspended by the State Board of Elections (8:17-8:22). New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for Notify NYC alerts (8:23-8:38).
The mayor expressed gratitude to the city’s workers for their tireless efforts in preparing for the storm and for their ongoing commitment to keeping the city safe (10:11-10:22, 13:36-14:36). He emphasized that every New Yorker will receive the same level of service regardless of their zip code or neighborhood (11:03-11:11).
The video “Anti-ICE Protestors Issue Me a Chilling Warning” by intrepid (and apparently frostbite-resistant) independent journalist Nate Friedman is a hilarious, teeth-chattering dispatch straight from the frozen tundra of a New York City anti-ICE rally—conveniently timed one year after Trump’s big comeback. Nate rolls up early, hands turning into popsicles while he quips about yanking off his gloves, and right away drops the million-dollar question that’s clearly kept every virtue-signaling hipster up at night: “Why are we shivering outside a library like sad penguins when we could be blocking traffic at Trump Tower literally every single day?”
Cue the greatest hits of performative outrage. A private chef brandishes a “Murderer” sign aimed at the big bad orange man, confidently brands Tom Homan (ICE’s deportation champ) a full-on Nazi… until Nate casually mentions Obama slapped a shiny medal on Homan in 2015 for crushing deportation records. Plot twist! Her enlightened response: “Uh… Trump probably got to him somehow.” Because nothing says “deep thinker” like retroactively canceling your own side’s heroes.
Then there’s the visionary who wants open borders drenched in “empathy” (because empathy fixes logistics, apparently), and the absolute galaxy-brain suggestion to abolish ICE and replace it with… the immigrants themselves. Yes, folks: let the people who just crossed the border moonlight as border guards. What could possibly go wrong? Efficiency, accountability, national security—pfft, details. A Maoist Communist Union duo earnestly pitches their “pre-party organization,” lecturing on mass line theory and brushing off Mao-era famines and purges as mere “bourgeois smears.” But relax—they assure us coffee will survive the revolution. “The workers harvested the beans, comrade.”
The vibe gets extra spicy with masked coordinators slinking around like low-budget spies, hissing “Don’t talk to that Zionist” to anyone who makes eye contact with Nate. When he innocently inquires, “Hey, when’s the Free Iran rally scheduled?” the response is pure gold: “Talk to the People’s Forum.” Classic deflection—because nothing screams “principled solidarity” like selective outrage.
All the while, the crowd chants “F*** ICE” on loop, waves trans flags alongside Ukrainian ones (priorities!), hawks $20 “revolutionary” T-shirts, and engages in profound philosophical debates about whether storming a Minneapolis church mid-service to heckle an ICE-linked parishioner is “a bit much” or “totally fine if the pastor’s chill.” Spoiler: opinions are split, but the nuance is razor-thin.
Nate, bless his chilled soul, endures the nonstop rejection, the “drop dead, fascist” love notes, and actual tailing by what he suspects are paid pros trying to dox his address—all while asking the one question nobody wants to answer: “Okay, abolish ICE… then what?” The answers range from vague “empathy reforms” to letting immigrants self-police the border to straight-up “shut down the whole system.” Passion? Overflowing. Concrete plans? Crickets. It’s a masterclass in feelings-over-facts theater.
His raw, no-makeup style—freezing in the snow, shrugging off insults, and politely pressing for actual solutions—peels back the curtain on this glorious circus: endless rage, zero roadmap, and a burning desire to dismantle government, borders, and common sense itself in the Trump era. All masterfully orchestrated, we can only assume, by the usual shadowy hand behind the curtain (you know the one—rhymes with “People’s Forum funding streams”).
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE: Times Square #NewYearsEve 2026 is just getting started. Stay tuned for performances, special guests, our countdown to the #BallDrop and more!
In a poignant display of interfaith solidarity amid rising global antisemitism, New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani made a private visit to the Ohel, the sacred gravesite of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in Queens’ Old Montefiore Cemetery. The trip, which occurred on the evening of December 15, came just one day after a devastating terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where 16 people—many affiliated with Chabad-Lubavitch—lost their lives to what Australian authorities described as Islamist extremism. Chabad officials confirmed the visit, noting it as a moment of reflection and prayer for the victims, including two prominent Chabad rabbis with deep ties to New York’s Jewish community.
The Ohel, a serene marble structure housing the remains of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson—the revered seventh leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement—and his predecessor, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, has long served as a beacon of spiritual solace. Attracting over a million visitors annually from diverse backgrounds, it has evolved into a pilgrimage site for politicians seeking guidance during turbulent times. Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist and Ugandan-born Muslim who won a stunning upset victory in November’s mayoral race, donned a black velvet kippah as he entered the site. Accompanied by Crown Heights activist Yaacov Behrman, a Chabad liaison, he offered a private prayer at the gravesite before departing quietly. This marked Mamdani’s first known visit to the Ohel, a gesture that Chabad spokespeople described as “reassuring” for New York’s Jewish residents grappling with heightened fears.jta.org
The Sydney Horror: A Hanukkah Nightmar
The attack unfolded on December 14, the first night of Hanukkah, at a joyous public menorah lighting organized by Chabad emissaries on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. Hundreds had gathered to celebrate the Festival of Lights when two gunmen—later identified as a father-son duo with suspected Islamist ties—opened fire with assault rifles, killing 16 and wounding dozens more. Among the dead were Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 40, an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi Beach who had trained at Brooklyn’s Lubavitch yeshiva, and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, both leaving behind young families. Schlanger, a vocal advocate against Australian antisemitism, was remembered for his upbeat spirit; just a year prior, he had shared a video of himself dancing with a car-top menorah as a defiant stand against hate.jfeed.com
Chabad, known for its outreach to Jews in remote areas, has faced increasing threats at public events. Yet, in defiance, the movement urged its chapters to proceed with Hanukkah celebrations, bolstering security and attendance in places like New York, where menorah lightings drew record crowds. Rabbi Ben Tzion Krasnianski of Chabad of the Upper East Side echoed this resolve at a Manhattan lighting: “We light brighter in the face of darkness.”jta.orgforward.com
Mamdani’s Response: Condemnation and Controversy
Hours after the Sydney shooting, Mamdani issued a statement from his transition team: “The attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney today was a vile act of antisemitic terror. I mourn those who were murdered and will be keeping their families, the Jewish community, and the Chabad movement in my prayers.” He specifically honored Rabbi Schlanger’s “deep ties to Crown Heights,” the Brooklyn hub of Chabad, and warned that the violence mirrored fears haunting Jewish New Yorkers: “What happened at Bondi is what many Jewish people fear will happen in their communities too.” Mamdani pledged to “confront hatred with the urgency and action it demands,” vowing daily protection for Jews in subways, streets, and synagogues.lavocedinewyork.comjta.org
Yet, the mayor-elect’s words drew immediate backlash. Critics seized on his description of the attackers as “men with long guns,” accusing him of sidestepping the Islamist motivations cited by officials. This echoed ongoing scrutiny of Mamdani’s record, including his reluctance to denounce the slogan “globalize the intifada”—a phrase chanted at pro-Palestinian protests and interpreted by many Jews as a call for violence against them. During his campaign, Mamdani defended the term as “aspiration for equality,” alienating pro-Israel voters and prompting Israeli President Isaac Herzog to publicly decry his “contempt for the Jewish and democratic State of Israel.” In Crown Heights, where Chabad is headquartered, turnout favored Mamdani’s rival, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, by wide margins.theyeshivaworld.com
Social media amplified the divide. Conservative voices like Laura Loomer tweeted, “You got your wish of ‘globalize the intifada,’” directly at Mamdani. Progressive Jewish allies, however, praised his outreach, with one X user noting, “Zohran is one of the biggest friends and supporters of the Jewish community, his words are constantly being taken out of context.” Mamdani’s visit to the Ohel—shared widely by Chabad chapters on Instagram—has been hailed by some as a bridge-building step, though skeptics question its sincerity given his ties to anti-Israel groups like Satmar Hasidim.newsweek.com
A Tradition of Political Pilgrimage
Eyewitness accounts described chaos as families fled the beachfront, with one attendee—later hailed a hero—rushing toward the gunfire to disarm a shooter, sustaining two wounds in the process. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the massacre as a “cowardly act of terror,” prompting swift calls for stricter gun laws in a nation unaccustomed to such violence. The incident, the deadliest antisemitic attack since the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, sent shockwaves through Jewish communities worldwide, amplifying concerns over a 400% surge in antisemitic incidents globally since October 2023.lavocedinewyork.com
Mamdani is far from the first leader to seek the Rebbe’s wisdom at the Ohel. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, a frequent visitor (at least seven times), has called it a refuge during “the most difficult days” of his tenure. Former President Donald Trump stopped by in October 2024, and figures like Hillary Clinton and Michael Bloomberg have made the trek, underscoring its role as a nonpartisan spiritual nexus. For Mamdani, whose campaign courted progressive and Muslim voters while navigating NYC’s diverse Jewish electorate, the visit signals an effort to mend fences ahead of his January inauguration.
As Hanukkah’s flames flicker against a backdrop of grief, Jewish leaders in New York—from UJA-Federation events at Gracie Mansion to street-corner lightings—emphasize resilience. “We will not hide our light,” declared one rabbi at a Midtown vigil honoring Sydney’s fallen. Mamdani’s gesture at the Ohel, whatever its motivations, adds a layer to this story of defiance: a Muslim leader at a Jewish holy site, praying for shared safety in a city that prides itself on pluralism.
Whether this marks a turning point in Mamdani’s relationship with New York’s Jews remains to be seen. For now, in the quiet of Queens’ cemetery, it stands as a reminder that even in division, moments of quiet reverence can illuminate the path forward.
NY1 Interview: Schools Chancellor Melissa Avilés-Ramos on Staying Under Mayor-Elect Mamdani, Universal Child Care, and Closing NYC’s “Opportunity Gap”
In this NY1 segment, the host frames the looming transition at City Hall: Mayor-elect Alex Zoron Mamdani is expected to announce early appointments while also weighing whether to retain senior officials from the Adams administration. The focus then turns to NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Avilés-Ramos, who signals she wants to remain in the role and says she has already met with the mayor-elect for what she describes as a wide-ranging conversation on education priorities.
Avilés-Ramos highlights a mix of safety, academic performance, and student support initiatives. She points to efforts aimed at boosting math and reading proficiency and emphasizes an initiative launched earlier in the year—“Every Child and Family is Known”—designed to better support students in temporary housing by strengthening connections to families and city resources. On universal child care, she draws a clear line between “daycare” and early childhood education and argues that community-based providers and caregivers should be supported and treated as educators who help prepare children for academic success from the earliest years.
On outcomes, she reframes the traditional “achievement gap” discussion as an “opportunity gap,” arguing that improved resources and consistent instructional supports drive score gains—citing noted growth among Black and Latino students even as proficiency rates remain under 50%. She credits standardized curriculum work under “NYC Reads” and “NYC Solves,” including a K-5 push to concentrate schools into one of three curricula to enable targeted, job-embedded coaching. The conversation also touches on compliance with the state class-size law, a proposal for paid apprenticeship-style pathways for new teachers, the impact of federal immigration enforcement on students and families (including “Project Open Arms”), and the rollout of cell-phone restrictions with flexible, school-by-school approaches. Avilés-Ramos closes by underscoring that she is “first and foremost a parent” in the system and wants to be an advocate for families.
NYC Weekly City Hall Recap: Citywide Translation Tech, $1B Coney Island Shoreline Plan, and 100 Gold Street Housing Conversion
This short City Hall–style recap frames the week as part of New York City’s “next chapter,” highlighting recent actions the administration says are aimed at improving day-to-day life for working-class New Yorkers. The narration positions the updates as proof the administration is “getting stuff done,” emphasizing operational changes and big capital commitments.
One major focus is language access: the city says it is rolling out language applications on all city-owned smart mobile devices and directing agencies to leverage translation technology. The stated goal is to improve communication with residents whose first language is one of the many languages spoken across the five boroughs.
The video also spotlights two large development and resiliency initiatives. First, it cites a $1 billion investment to renovate the Coney Island shoreline—reimagining the boardwalk, building flood-resilient infrastructure, upgrading public spaces, and adding 1,500 new homes. Second, it describes next steps in a housing initiative to convert the city-owned building at 100 Gold Street into a mixed-income residential project with 3,700 housing units (with at least 25% “permanently affordable”), plus 40,000 square feet of public space and new facilities for public use.
New York State is putting more than $300 million into hospital upgrades aimed at making care safer and more connected, Governor Kathy Hochul announced. The funding will support 22 projects statewide to improve health information technology, expand electronic medical records, strengthen cybersecurity to protect patient data, and grow telehealth services. State officials say the goal is to help hospitals—especially financially strained providers—modernize critical systems, reduce cyber risk, and make it easier for New Yorkers to access care remotely. The awards are part of New York’s broader push to improve hospital infrastructure and resilience across the state.
Governor Hochul Announces More Than $300 Million to Advance Health Information Technology and Cybersecurity in Hospitals Across New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced more than $300 million in new state funding to support health care transformation projects across New York. The awards, made through the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV and V, will support 22 projects aimed at improving health information technology by expanding patient electronic medical records, strengthening cybersecurity and patient information security, and expanding telehealth services.
“By modernizing our hospitals’ IT infrastructure and protecting patients’ information, we’re strengthening the foundation of health care in New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments will help ensure that hospitals have the tools they need to safeguard patient data, expand telehealth services and deliver a healthier future for all New Yorkers.”
New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “With these investments, we are focused on developing safe, reliable and connected patient-centered care. By expanding data capabilities and improving cybersecurity defenses, we’re enhancing clinical decision making across the state’s health care network.”
This funding prioritizes projects that:
Support financially distressed providers;
Modernize critical health information technology infrastructure;
Strengthen cybersecurity and patient information security; and
Expand telehealth services.
Awardees include hospitals in every region of the State.
This investment builds on Governor Hochul’s continued efforts to strengthen New York’s health care delivery system. The Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program has awarded more than $1.75 billion to providers working to improve access, equity, and quality of care across New York. These awards are part of a broader, long-term commitment that has directed more than $4.7 billion in health care capital funding statewide since 2016.
Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State enacted nation-leading cybersecurity regulations for hospitals, establishing a robust blueprint to protect critical systems and enhance the resilience of the state’s health care network against cyber threats.
In Coney Island, Mayor Eric Adams announced a historic $1 billion investment to revitalize the iconic waterfront community, marking a major commitment in the final weeks of his administration. Reflecting on his early career as a transit police officer in the area, Adams highlighted Coney Island’s legacy as “America’s playground” while acknowledging past underinvestment. The plan includes constructing 1,500 new mixed-income homes (with 25% affordable), fully reconstructing the century-old Riegelmann Boardwalk, upgrading infrastructure such as streets and sewers, and renovating the Abe Stark Sports Center with a $42 million project to modernize its ice rink and facilities. Adams emphasized stabilizing life for residents, preventing displacement, and transforming the area into a year-round livable community rather than just a seasonal attraction.
Speakers, including Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and EDC President Andrew Kimball, underscored the investment’s focus on climate resiliency amid rising sea levels and extreme weather. Detailed technical surveys have informed plans to rebuild the boardwalk from the ground up with storm-protective measures inspired by Superstorm Sandy, incorporating sustainable materials and elevated design for future flood protection. The project will proceed with extensive community engagement, with a request for proposals for design and construction expected in early 2026, followed by phased work to minimize disruption to beachgoers and businesses. Additional efforts include recent selections for nearby mixed-income housing and retail developments to support economic growth.
Community leaders and local officials praised the announcement as transformative, crediting Adams’ long-standing advocacy for Coney Island. Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny and others expressed gratitude, noting the mayor’s personal connection to the neighborhood and his administration’s record on affordable housing. During the Q&A, officials clarified that while no final decisions have been made on materials or exact timelines, the project will continue through the transition to the incoming administration, with potential adjustments at the new mayor’s discretion. The event concluded on a note of optimism for a more resilient, vibrant, and equitable Coney Island for generations to come.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is marking the first anniversary of his “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” zoning overhaul by touting a 22.8% rise in permitted housing units in 2025 compared with the year before the policy was approved, as well as a growing pipeline of affordable units and office-to-residential conversions. The package, billed as the most pro-housing legislation in city history, relaxes parking mandates, legalizes accessory dwelling units, creates new high-density districts and offers an affordability bonus that has attracted more than 100 projects expected to yield some 5,400 homes, including roughly 900 income-restricted units. New R11 and R12 zones in Midtown South and other locations could add nearly 11,000 homes, while conversions of underused office buildings are projected to produce more than 12,000 apartments, 3,000 of them permanently affordable. Combined with five neighborhood rezonings slated to deliver about 50,000 homes and what City Hall describes as record production of nearly 86,000 affordable units since Adams took office, the administration is seeking to cement its legacy as aggressively pro-development amid a long-running housing shortage.
“One year ago today, our city said ‘yes’ to more housing and a more affordable future for working-class New Yorkers. We turned the page on decades of half-measures and proved that government can still meet the challenges of our time with energy, ambition, and resolve,” said Mayor Adams. “One year later, we are already seeing the results, with thousands of new affordable homes in the pipeline across our city. Whether it’s passing the first citywide rezoning in six decades, investing historic amounts of money into new homes, or creating record amounts of affordable housing, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in city history.
“With the adoption of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we have begun to turn the tide on the housing crisis in New York City. The full impact of these changes will take time to be felt, but twelve months in, we’re already seeing success delivering a little more housing in every neighborhood,” said DCP Director Garodnick. “New York City’s housing crisis has been growing for so long that it is easy to take it for granted. But with City of Yes and other policy changes, we are changing course and creating a more affordable city for generations to come.”
The initiative — which was approved by the New York City Council on December 5, 2024 — aims to deliver “a little more housing in every neighborhood” through carefully-crafted zoning changes, including creating a new affordable housing bonus; legalizing accessory dwelling units (ADU) for homeowners; re-legalizing three-, four-, or five-story apartment buildings near transit and along commercial corridors; reducing costly parking mandates for new construction; and allowing underused office buildings to become housing; among other reforms.
Already, many of these new tools are being used to create new housing across the city:
Universal Affordability Preference: Over 100 housing developments across the five boroughs have already applied to use the Universal Affordability Preference, which allows buildings in medium- and high-density parts of the city to add at least 20 percent more housing if the additional homes are permanently affordable. These projects are expected to deliver 5,400 new homes, of which approximately 900 would be affordable to households at an average 60 percent Area Median Income.
High-density zoning districts: New, higher-density R11 and R12 zoning districts created through City of Yes have been mapped in Mayor Adams’ Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan that the City Council approved in August, where they will deliver 9,500 new homes, including 2,800 permanently income-restricted affordable homes. These new zoning districts are also being proposed at the site of the future 125th Street Second Avenue Subway station and at 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension in Downtown Brooklyn, which are currently in public review, where they could deliver another 1,800 new homes.
Reduced parking mandates: Rolled-back requirements for off-street parking are also helping to deliver more housing near transit. For example:
At 2060 Walton Avenue in the Bronx, an underused lot close to the 4, B, and D trains is being transformed into 94 new homes — without the 25 parking spots that had previously been required, a change that meaningfully lowers building costs.
At 21 Freeman Street in Brooklyn, a vacant lot close to the G train is set to become over 500 new homes without the 140 parking spaces that would have been required prior to City of Yes.
Meanwhile, as envisioned, new housing in less transit-accessible areas continues to include parking.
Office-to-residential conversions: Together with the 467-M tax incentive — which the Adams administration successfully advocated for in Albany — City of Yes has supported a boom of office-to-residential conversion projects. There are more than 12,000 homes in the pipeline from office conversions, including more than 3,000 permanently affordable units.
Landmark Transferable Development Rights: In the last year, five landmarked buildings have begun seeking approval to transfer their development rights to nearby housing projects through a process that was streamlined and expanded by City of Yes. These transfers will enable over 400,000 square feet of new development, while bringing in additional revenue to support maintenance of landmarked buildings. Those five applications in less than one year compare to a total of 15 applications over more than 50 years before City of Yes.
Accessory Dwelling Units: So far this year, the New York City Department of Buildings has received 98 filings from homeowners in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, seeking to construct ADUs on their properties. Half of these filings have come in just the past two months, since the city finalized rules for safe, code-compliant ADUs and launched the “ADU for You” homeowner assistance program. ADUs like backyard cottages, garage conversions, and basement apartments are a proven tool to support homeowners and expand housing choice in lower-density areas without a changing neighborhood’s look-and-feel.
As these City of Yes tools are deployed, new data shows that New York City permitted 22.8 percent more new homes in 2025 than the same time period in 2024 (through October 23), when the Adams administration was already shattering several housing records for the second year in a row. This permitting increase includes a boom in homes from alterations — more than double the number of permitted units from 2024, many of which are from office conversions — and an increase in units from new construction over the previous year.
The Adams administration has continued working to deliver the full benefits of City of Yes, including successfully defending the policy in court, where a judge recently dismissed a challenge. HPD also recently released the Shared Housing Roadmap, which — building on the City of Yes zoning reforms and in concert with new legislation — clears the way for reintroducing shared homes as a safe, affordable housing option for single New Yorkers.
Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments to create more affordable housing and ensure more New Yorkers have a place to call home. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, the Adams administration created the most affordable rental units in city history and celebrated back-to-back-to-back record-breaking years for producing permanently-affordable homes for formerly-homeless New Yorkers, placing homeless New Yorkers into housing, and connecting New Yorkers to housing through the city’s housing lottery. HPD has now produced nearly 86,000 affordable homes since the start of the Adams administration, with the last three fiscal years representing the most new affordable homes ever created in a three fiscal-year stretch (FY 2023 to FY 2025).
Building on the success of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Adams unveiled his “City of Yes for Families” strategy in his State of the City address earlier this year to build more homes and create more family-friendly neighborhoods across New York City. Under City of Yes for Families, the Adams administration is advancing more housing on city-owned sites, creating new tools to support homeownership, and building more housing alongside schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, accessible transit stations, and libraries.
Further, the Adams administration is actively working to strengthen tenant protections and support homeowners. The “Partners in Preservation” program was expanded citywide in 2024 through a $24-million investment in local organizations to support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing. The Homeowner Help Desk, a trusted one-stop shop for low-income homeowners to receive financial and legal counseling from local organizations, was also expanded citywide in 2024 with a $13 million funding commitment.
“A mayoral administration rarely advances a policy that can fundamentally change the future health of a city for generations to come. The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, coupled with the City Council led “City For All” initiative, is such a policy,” said Marc Greenberg, executive director, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. “With City of Yes, the Adams administration has changed the momentum of a city that has been losing ground on affordable housing for decades and has begun again to lift Lady Liberty’s Lamp beside New York City’s golden door.”
“One year after the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the results speak for themselves. Across all five boroughs, thousands of new homes are being constructed thanks to modernized zoning that promotes transit-oriented development, the elimination of outdated parking mandates, new tools like the Universal Affordability Preference, expanded opportunities for office-to-residential conversions, and more,” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., president and CEO, New York Building Congress. “Among the most significant wins are more than 12,000 homes, including 3,000 permanently affordable units, already in the pipeline from office-to-residential conversions, breathing new life into underused buildings and neighborhoods. This is the smart, forward-thinking development New York has needed for decades, and it’s exactly why the Building Congress worked so closely with the Adams administration to get it across the finish line.”
“City of Yes is already proving to be a major step toward achievement of our housing goals,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City. “This carefully crafted initiative is encouraging development that is consistent with neighborhood standards by lowering costs and accelerating or eliminating the need for multiple public approvals.”
“As we mark one year since the launch of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re already seeing real progress on housing growth in New York City,” said Rachel Fee, executive director, New York Housing Conference. “Housing continues to be one of New Yorkers’ most urgent needs, and City of Yes shows what a common-sense approach can deliver. By modernizing outdated rules and unlocking new housing in every community, City of Yes is giving New Yorkers the tools to spur affordable housing production. This initiative is clearing the path for meaningful housing victories, including the passage of ballot Proposals 2 – 5, and laying the groundwork for even more progress in the year ahead. We commend the administration for advancing these critical reforms to reduce delays and promote a fairer, more equitable distribution of housing across the city.”
“One year after the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re seeing what happens when New York City chooses vision over fear,” said Emma Pfohman, CEO, Association for a Better New York (ABNY). “ABNY applauds the herculean work of the Adams administration, in partnership with Governor Hochul and the City Council, to pass the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity and approve the creation of thousands of units through the successful rezonings championed by the Department of City Planning over the last year. Together, these efforts ensure New York remains a city where every resident has the chance to live, thrive, and build their future.”
“In just its first year, City of Yes has opened the door to more homes in every borough,” said Andrew Fine, chief of staff and policy director, Open New York. “In the Bronx, longtime proposals are finally moving forward with deeper levels of affordability. Homeowners from Staten Island to Queens are excited to add ADUs, and in Brooklyn, new apartment buildings near the subway are being built without costly parking requirements. In Manhattan, the Midtown South rezoning was the first to use new higher-density districts, creating room for more homes through office conversions and new construction. All of this shows what is possible when City leaders work together to break down barriers to housing. And since then, the need for homes and the public’s support for building them have only grown. With November’s historic pro-housing ballot proposals behind us, we are ready to keep working toward a more affordable future for New York.”
“A year on from the most expansive citywide zoning changes for housing that New York City has seen, it’s a great moment to reflect on this achievement, and redouble our commitment to its implementation,” said Howard Slatkin, executive director, Citizens Housing and Planning Council. “City of Yes has opened the door for a generation of new housing achievements, which with sustained effort can stand as a legacy to what we can do when we agree that no challenge is too large for New Yorkers to tackle.”
“One year ago marked a turning point in the fight against New York City’s housing crisis with the enactment of the City of Yes zoning text amendments,” said Baaba Halm, senior vice president for programs, Enterprise Community Partners. “By allowing more housing types, increased density, and more flexible zoning options in a wider swath of New York, we collectively took a major step toward significantly increasing needed housing supply and reducing development barriers which add costs. Importantly, the amendments also specifically increased affordable housing, and came alongside robust new capital and programmatic resources. The results are already evident through more projects in the pipeline, and we look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”
“Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester is driven by a simple goal, to create permanent, affordable homeownership opportunities for New Yorkers who need them most,” said Sabrina Lippman, CEO, Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester. “One year after the approval of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, we’re already expanding our pipeline by nearly 50 percent as a direct result of zoning reforms that remove barriers and make it easier to build. City of Yes is perfectly aligned with Habitat’s work to build stable, inclusive communities and ensure more families can call New York City home.”
“One year in and we are already seeing the tremendous impact of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. This landmark rezoning has already begun to unlock meaningful opportunities to deliver high quality, affordable homes in neighborhoods across the city. By removing outdated barriers and enabling smarter, more flexible design, we are creating the conditions for a more equitable and resilient city,” said Jesse Lazar, executive director, American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. “Building on the momentum generated by City of Yes, we must continue to explore how we capture the future value of our city today, creating thriving communities and building housing that serves all New Yorkers.”
“The rising cost of housing is chipping away at hard-earned wages and pushing too many New Yorkers out of the city. Last year’s passage of the landmark City of Yes legislation represented a monumental step forward toward addressing the urgent housing affordability crisis,” said Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ SEIU. “We’re seeing progress and look forward to continuing this momentum alongside stakeholders, to deliver the housing essential workers and their communities need, while creating thousands of good jobs.”
“City of Yes is a landmark achievement and a testament to the hard work of everyone who helped make these vital zoning reforms a reality,” said Basha Gerhards, executive vice president of public policy, Real Estate Board of New York. “With growing momentum behind adaptive reuse, New York City has the best conversion rules in the country, positioning us to unlock much needed homes across all five boroughs.”
“After one year, City of Yes is delivering on the promise of more affordable housing and giving hope to the over 2 million New Yorkers struggling to keep a roof over their head,” said Rich Buery, CEO, Robin Hood. “By taking an all-of-the-above approach, the city is unleashing the pent-up potential we knew existed. When paired with the recent pro-housing City Charter amendments, overwhelmingly approved by voters, our city is making progress toward being a place where people of all incomes can live, raise children, and flourish.”
“City of Yes set a new bar for what pro-housing policy can look like in New York, and the first year has already shown that the old excuses for doing nothing don’t hold up,” said Aaron Carr, founder and executive director, Housing Rights Initiative. “It’s given us a real foundation to build upon and proven that smarter zoning and bolder reforms can actually make a dent in our housing crisis. This is just the beginning.”
