Ken Fisher is quoted in The Real Deal’s article discussing new measures that allow builders of entirely publicly funded projects to seek approval from the Board of Standards and Appeals, rather than through New York City’s land use review process. Such changes leave many wondering about the short- and long-term effects on housing construction. Now, rather than needing a mayoral vote to reverse City Council suggestions, one must go through a three-person appeals board.

Ken noted that one of the biggest impacts of this board is that it makes borough presidents more important to the process. Many borough presidents support the shift, as their inclusion on the appeals board restores some of the authority they once had in the land use review process. Ken considers the borough president to be the board’s swing vote. “If the City Planning Commission signs off on a rezoning, presumably, the proposal has the mayor’s support. The City Council speaker, meanwhile, is going to be reluctant to overrule a local Council member,” he said. This may embolden developers who think they can win over the borough president to move forward with a project. “I think that there’s a universe of projects that are stillborn because either the developers think they can never get it past the local Council member, or they met with the council member and learned that they won’t support it. Those projects may now have life.” 

To read more, click here.