On November 4, 2025, New Yorkers voted to approve three amendments to the New York City Charter that aim to increase housing production, with a focus on development of affordable housing.

The approved charter amendments, known as proposals 2 through 4, appeared on this year’s general election ballot after adoption by the New York City Charter Revision Commission (CRC) earlier this year. Where applicable, the charter amendments modify the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and create new checks on City Council decisions.

Proposal 2 creates a “Fast-Track” public review that replaces the seven-month ULURP for publicly funded affordable projects citywide and for projects that would create affordable housing in the 12 community districts that have historically permitted the least amount of affordable housing units. Proposal 2 also creates a new zoning action for approval of publicly financed, 100 percent affordable housing projects and that is not subject to ULURP.

Proposal 3 creates an Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP), which is half the duration of ULURP and generally eliminates City Council review. ELURP applies to modest zoning changes that either increase permitted residential capacity by no more than 30 percent in medium and high density zoning districts or produce buildings no taller than 45 feet in low density zoning districts. ELURP will also apply to dispositions, acquisitions, and certain city map changes for development of affordable housing and acquisitions and site selections for infrastructure and resiliency projects that do not require an environmental impact statement.

Proposal 4 establishes an Affordable Housing Appeals Board, consisting of the affected borough president, the speaker of the City Council, and the mayor, that is empowered to reverse City Council actions that disapprove or modify land use applications that would create affordable housing. The Affordable Housing Appeals Board replaces the mayor’s ULURP veto power for such applications.

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor-elect, declined to weigh in on proposals 2 through 4 throughout his campaign, but said on Election Day that he voted “yes” on the three measures.

The City Council, which had opposed proposals 2 through 4 in the lead-up to the election, released a statement after election results were announced, stating that the charter amendments “permanently change the city’s constitution to weaken democracy, lasting beyond the next mayor when we inevitably have a mayor who is bad on housing, equity, and justice for communities. This will leave our city without the checks and balances of democracy to protect New Yorkers and ensure outcomes that prioritize them, not simply profits.” The City Council is now calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to sign into law state legislation that would curb the power of mayors to introduce similar ballot proposals in the future.

In addition to proposals 2 through 4, New Yorkers approved proposal 5, which was not opposed by the City Council and will modernize the official city map by creating a digital city map that consolidates planning information currently located in borough-controlled paper maps.

While the language of the New York City Charter states that proposals 2, 3, and 4 are effective immediately, rules must be promulgated so that new processes can take full effect. Proposal 5 will be phased in over the next several years.