New NYC Council Plan Promises 15,000 New Homes in Long Island City with Focus on Affordable Housing

The New York City Council convened on November 12, 2025, to discuss the One LIC neighborhood plan, a transformative initiative for Long Island City aimed at addressing housing and infrastructure needs while promoting community engagement. Council Member Julie Won presented the plan, which seeks to rezone approximately 54 blocks, resulting in the addition of nearly 15,000 homes, including 4,350 designated as affordable housing. This initiative reflects a commitment to public investment alongside private development, a notable contrast to previous efforts that suffered from inadequate community input and oversight.

The One LIC plan incorporates extensive feedback from the community, gathering over 4,200 comments during a 17-month engagement process. Residents expressed a strong desire for affordable housing options to alleviate displacement concerns, particularly for low-income families and seniors (Source: https://youtu.be/Efmwv6Scf7A&t=946). This focus on affordability marks a significant shift, as it introduces permanent income-restricted housing in a neighborhood where market-rate developments have predominated.

In comparison to earlier initiatives, such as the four previous planning efforts noted during the meeting, the One LIC plan emphasizes a more collaborative approach. Community members were engaged through various outreach strategies, including public events, surveys, and discussions, demonstrating a concerted effort to reshape the planning process based on resident feedback (Source: https://youtu.be/MKF7mmQ2398&t=1825). This level of participation aims to ensure that the development reflects the community’s aspirations and addresses pressing issues such as climate resilience, improved infrastructure, and access to parks and public spaces.

The plan also aims to create 3.8 million square feet of commercial and community space, which is expected to bolster the local economy and provide diverse job opportunities. Investments in public amenities, including schools, parks, and infrastructure improvements, represent a holistic approach to urban development, differentiating One LIC from past approaches that often neglected these aspects (Source: https://youtu.be/PW3HRmXpeEE&t=85).

While the One LIC initiative leans heavily on community involvement and strives for broad-based benefits, concerns persist about whether these ambitious goals can be effectively realized. Participants in earlier planning meetings had expressed skepticism, fearing that the proposed rezoning could lead to gentrification without adequate protections in place for current residents (Source: https://getlocalpost.com/2025/10/15/community-weighs-in-on-nycs-comprehensive-industrial-plan-amid-housing-concerns/). Nonetheless, the current council members stressed the importance of ongoing engagement as the project moves through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), emphasizing the commitment to adapt based on community needs over time (Source: https://getlocalpost.com/2025/04/17/long-island-citys-onelic-plan-a-blueprint-for-affordable-housing-and-resilient-community-transformation/).

Overall, the One LIC neighborhood plan represents a significant evolution in how urban development is approached in Long Island City, leveraging robust community input and aiming to foster a balanced, integrated, and resilient neighborhood.