New York City voters sent a clear message in Tuesday's elections — and one that resonates nationwide — that they want the city to make it easier to build and obtain affordable housing.​

Now, all eyes are on whether New York City can improve housing affordability, given the hurdles already in place.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has promised greater affordability through more rent stabilization, which developers and landlords have long opposed, and the New York City Council still opposes three of the four ballot measures voters approved.​

With the largest election turnout in nearly six decades, all four housing-related charter amendments garnered support, with margins of victory ranging from 13 to 46 percentage points.​

The election's main draw was the hotly contested mayoral race, which Zohran Mamdani won with just over 50% of the vote, eclipsing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 9 points.​

New York, tonight you have delivered ... a mandate for a city we can afford, and a mandate for a government that delivers exactly that," Mamdani said in his victory speech.​

During his campaign, he pitched the idea of fast-tracking the planning review for projects that commit to affordability, rent stabilization, union labor, and sustainability goals. Mamdani has promised to seek an expansion of rent stabilization in the city, which requires approval from the New York State Assembly.​

Mamdani had not supported the ballot measures until he said he voted for them on Tuesday.​

What Passed

One amendment creates two new expedited review processes for affordable housing developments. The first process is for projects financed with public funds. The second applies to affordable housing proposals in the 12 community districts that have historically produced the least amount of affordable housing.​

The goal is to reduce review times by having these applications reviewed by the Board of Standards and Appeals or the City Planning Commission, while maintaining Community Board review.​

An additional provision establishes a simplified, faster review process for specific land-use changes. These include modest increases in housing density, minor infrastructure projects, and climate resiliency initiatives. Under this proposal, the final decision for most of these projects would shift from the City Council to the City Planning Commission while still preserving the Community Board review step.​

The third amendment provides for an Affordable Housing Appeals Board. This three-member board would consist of the mayor, the City Council Speaker, and the relevant Borough President. Its purpose is to review and reverse City Council decisions that reject or modify applications for affordable housing projects. A two-to-one vote by the board would be required to overturn a council decision.​

The fourth amendment, approved by the widest margin, requires modernizing the city's 70-year-old mapping system, which involves 8,000 paper maps spread across the offices of the five borough presidents. Developers must go through the time-consuming process of reviewing maps across different offices when planning a housing project.​

Under the new amendment, the maps would be consolidated into a single digitized map, making them much easier and quicker to access and shaving time off housing development.​

A Fight is Brewing

As boxing great Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."​

The digital map amendment is unlikely to face much resistance, if any, as it received more than 70% of the vote.​

However, the other three amendments and Mamdani's push for broader rent stabilization will likely erupt into major fights.​

The New York City Council had already opposed the three ballot proposals, claiming they took zoning power away from the council. In July, the council argued it was a power grab by then-Mayor Eric Adams, who later withdrew from the race.​

Council opposition did not let up once the measures passed and Mamdani won.​

Tonight's results are not surprising given the misleading language placed on the ballot to describe these proposals that intentionally sought to deceive voters by hiding what they do," the council said in a statement. "The fact that there is no accountability or scrutiny for ballot language and abuses of mayoral charter revisions exposes a continued threat to our democracy that the State must address."​

The fight, however, could be strongest in Albany. When Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June, developers, landlords, and investors scrambled to figure out how to defeat him and what to do if he won.​

New York developer Scott Rechler told the Wall Street Journal that the real estate industry would take the fight to state lawmakers.​

We would actively work to make sure the state was muscular in protecting the long-term values and vitality of the city," Rechler said.​

For years, whether in New York, California, or anywhere rent controls are in place, the real estate industry has argued that rent controls are a disincentive to new development and that developers will flee. Landlords have argued that they can't raise rents to keep pace with renovation costs, particularly after the 2019 laws expanded rent controls.​

What this all means for building more for-sale housing is an unanswered question. Empty land is scarce for new housing construction.​

New York City leads the country in converting underused and empty office buildings to residential use. Commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield recently reported that conversions have accelerated, particularly in Manhattan, where the office vacancy rate exceeds 22%.​

Through August, 4.1 million square feet of office space was in the conversion pipeline, up from last year's 3.3 million, and the pipeline is expected to grow.​

Residential conversions have shifted from a talking point to a market reality," Reed Hatcher, Cushman's senior manager for New York City research, said in a statement when the report was released. "Conversions are not just repositioning obsolete office stock—they are helping address New York City's critical housing shortage and reshaping the future of our built environment."​

Property values have fallen, making conversions more economically feasible. The 467-m program, enacted in May 2024, provides substantial, long-term property tax exemptions for developers who convert non-residential buildings into rental housing. Final rules for the program went into effect in January 2025. The program is available citywide but offers enhanced benefits for projects in Manhattan.

How Mamdani’s administration and a resistant City Council navigate these new mandates will determine whether New York City can make a dent in its housing crisis. Or, will political infighting stall progress before it begins?

The nation's largest city has voted for change, but the path to achieving it is lined with formidable obstacles that will test the resolve of all stakeholders involved.