Plan will single-handedly produce more affordable housing units than have been built over the entire previous decade in the area 

City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use voted to approve the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan (AAMUP), a rezoning in Council Member Crystal Hudson’s and Council Member Chi Ossé’s districts in Brooklyn. The AAMUP will deliver 4,600 new units of housing, approximately 1,900 of which will be permanently affordable, along with over $215 million in newly committed funding for community investments and infrastructure. Through the negotiation process, the Council secured commitments for increased services in Central Brooklyn, including critical resources for tenant and homeowner protections, investments in streets and public realm improvements to improve traffic and quality of life, full renovations of six neighborhood parks and playgrounds, improvements to local MTA subway stations, modernized infrastructure, and economic development opportunities. The project will return to the City Planning Commission for scope approval prior to being voted on by the full Council.

“New Yorkers urgently need more affordable homes and community investments to stay in their neighborhoods and grow their legacy in this city,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The Council is proud to advance this version of the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan that will deliver thousands of new affordable housing units, improved open spaces, safer streets, strong protections for homeowners and tenants, and new economic opportunities for local residents. At a time when residents are being priced out from the city due to rising costs and an affordability crisis, this comprehensive plan for Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn will make a meaningful contribution towards helping working families remain in New York. The Council’s partnership with the Department of City Planning and community stakeholders, including Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 8, represents a model of community planning and collaboration that can advance housing solutions and community investments that benefit all New Yorkers, and I thank Council Members Hudson and Ossé for their leadership.”

“After more than a decade of advocacy, Central Brooklyn is finally getting the community-led rezoning it has demanded,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson. “I am proud to have secured a commitment from the Administration for a comprehensive neighborhood plan for Atlantic Avenue during my first year in office and — after nearly three years of public engagement sessions, diligent work, and tireless negotiations — we have come to an agreement that will bring not only 4,600 new units of housing to Central Brooklyn (approximately 40%  of which will be affordable, including 1,000 affordable units at an average of 60 AMI from Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, and 900 affordable units across seven public sites, the majority of which will be deeply affordable below 50 AMI) but also over $215 million in dedicated new funding for our communities. The Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP) tackles many severe crises facing our city: our lack of affordable housing; unsafe streets that result in harm to all road users; and a need to facilitate the creation of good-paying, middle class jobs available regardless of educational attainment levels. This neighborhood plan will bring about 1,900 units of affordable housing for lower income New Yorkers and New Yorkers who recently experienced homelessness, a comprehensive redesign of one of the most dangerous thoroughfares in Brooklyn along Atlantic Avenue, $100 million in public space improvements to six beloved parks and playgrounds, hundreds of thousands of dollars in support for local hiring programs, and much more.

“This process shows what consensus-led, community-driven plans can accomplish in our City,” added Council Member Hudson. “With just a little political will and determination, local government can achieve the dual goals of building more affordable housing and delivering significant benefits to the community through comprehensive planning. I’m grateful to the communities of Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Bedford-Stuyvesant for envisioning a robust future of Atlantic Avenue, and for the support of the many city agencies who worked tirelessly on this project, including the Department of City Planning; Department of Housing Preservation and Development; Department of Transportation; Department of Small Business Services; and more, as well as the steadfast partnership of Council Member Chi Ossé, who fought alongside me throughout this process. I hope AAMUP is just the start and that other communities begin the deep work to build consensus that can better the lives of local residents by providing affordable housing, safer streets, better parks, more open space, and stronger communities.”

“AAMUP is a win for our community, district and the broader fight against displacement,” said Council Member Chi Osse. “Tens of thousands of families are being driven out of our neighborhood and city by an affordability crisis caused by housing scarcity. We are taking on that challenge. We are especially proud that the plan includes nearly 2000 units of income-restricted housing, much of which will be deeply affordable, for those most in need. We are also proud to have secured millions of dollars in investments into our parks and infrastructure, so that the plan will bring not only new housing that is desperately needed, but also material improvements for the longtime residents of the community. AAMUP is a win for all.”

“As Chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, I’m proud to support efforts like the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan that prioritize community engagement at the core of the planning process,” said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. “This plan reflects a citywide need for more comprehensive, neighborhood-focused rezonings that uplift resident voices and respond to local priorities. While every community has unique needs, the shared desire for affordable housing, infrastructure investment, and anti-displacement protections remains clear. I commend Council Member Hudson and the stakeholders involved for working toward a model of planning that listens first, plans collaboratively, and aims to build a more equitable New York City for all.”

Highlights of the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan include:

Housing & Affordable Housing Production (4,600 units, 1,900 affordable units)

  • Facilitating the development of 4,600 new units of housing across Community Districts 3 and 8 in Brooklyn
    • Approximately 40% – 1,900 units – will be permanently affordable, which is more new affordable housing than has been built in the area in the entire previous decade (2014-2024)
      • 1,000 permanently affordable units at an average of 60% of the AMI is projected through MIH developments, including 400 deeply affordable units at 40 % of the AMI
      • 900 additional units of affordable housing will be built as part of HPD-financed, 100% affordable development on seven public sites, including 542 Dean Street, 516 Bergen Street, 1134 Pacific Street, the parking lot of the Brooklyn Adult Learning Center at 457 Nostrand Avenue, 32-34 Putnam Avenue, the vacant state-owned property at 1024 Fulton Street, and the current site of the MTA Cable Shop at 1110 Atlantic Avenue.

Streets & Public Realm Improvements ($215 million)

  • $115 million capital commitment from the City for a comprehensive redesign of Atlantic Avenue, including a traffic study to begin in 2025, immediate safety improvement projects at key intersections along Atlantic and surrounding areas, and bike infrastructure improvements along Dean, Bergen, and/or Pacific Streets after the results of the traffic study are revealed and in conjunction with the MTA’s soon-to-be unveiled Brooklyn Bus Network redesign changes
  • Nearly $100 million for full redesigns and upgrades of six major open spaces, including Underhill Plaza/Lowry Triangle, St. Andrews Playground, Hancock Playground, Potomac Playground, Dean Playground, and James Forten Playground.
    • PS 93’s school yard to receive $72,000 annually for upgrades
    • Lefferts Place Community Garden will also receive $450,000 for improvements
  • MTA commitments to improve conditions at the Franklin Ave A/C and shuttle station and surrounding area, including resurfacing of the wall on the west side of Franklin Ave and working with the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) on an art installation, and opening and improving the area under the Lefferts Place overpass.
  • The 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan includes MTA investments in signal modernization on the A/C line which will increase the capacity, speed, and reliability of service, ADA accessibility projects at the Nostrand A/C train station, and column repairs, cleaning, and repainting at Franklin A/C train station
  • New zoning tool to incentivize public space development in residential areas by providing a density bonus to any lots of 30,000-square-feet or larger on Atlantic Avenue that add publicly accessible open space, which will be subject to community review. Currently four sites would be eligible under this size threshold.

Tenant and Homeowner Protections

  • $1.2 million in expense funding to increase tenant and legal assistance services in Council District 35’s and District 36’s district offices for four years
  • Citywide housing preservation resources targeted for Central Brooklyn rolling out now and in the coming year:
    • Partners in Preservation: new $2.9 million investment over 3 years in Central Brooklyn to support tenant organizing efforts
    • Homeownership Help Desk new $9.85+ million investment over 3 years
      • The Center for New York City Neighborhoods will partner with four community-based organizations to offer services and support to local homeowners in the AAMUP area: Brooklyn Neighborhood Services, Grow Brooklyn, Mutual Housing Association of New York Management Inc. (MHANY), and Neighbors Helping Neighbors
  • Anti-Harassment Tenant Program: $7.6 million funding restored in City for All commitments to provide anti-tenant harassment services and help connect tenants with right-to-counsel services

Economic Development & Light Manufacturing ($1.5 million)

  • $500,000 study to begin the re-activation process of the Bedford Atlantic Armory to identify new potential uses in addition to continuing to serve a critical function as a men’s shelter.
  • $200,000 annually for 5 years for a new locally targeted workforce development program, in partnership with local community-based organizations
  • At least one local hiring hall annually organized by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to directly connect local residents with good-paying jobs
  • Commitment from the Department of City Planning (DCP) to revise the mixed-use incentive via a Follow-Up Corrective Action that will be completed before the end of the year to match the Gowanus Mix to support light industrial, arts, and cultural space, which has been a priority of Brooklyn Community Board 8 for nearly a decade
  • The Council is modifying the zoning to ensure that existing light industrial spaces on the block between Dean, Bergen, Classon, and Franklin (including 1000 Dean Street) will remain preserved for light industrial, arts, and small business.

Community Oversight

  • Meetings will be held twice a year to provide updates on AAMUP implementation with Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 8.

The Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan was created after Council Member Hudson, the Department of City Planning, and local stakeholders embarked on a community-led planning process that incorporated feedback from community members on the future of this corridor. After months of meetings and discussions, they released a Community Vision and Priorities Report that outlined recommendations. The AAUMP is a model case study of community-led planning that addresses the citywide planning challenges facing New York City, such as the need to increase housing production, deepen affordability, and advance equity, while also delivering comprehensive investments in infrastructure, open space, and economic opportunity that serve  community needs and priorities. In her 2025 State of the City address, Speaker Adams previewed the release of a Community Planning Framework that lays out a roadmap and strategies to advance community planning efforts.

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