| Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash
NEW YORK – The New York City Charter Revision has officially adopted five proposals that will appear on the November 2025 ballot, following months of public hearings and deliberations. These proposals aim to address the city’s housing crisis by accelerating the delivery of much-needed housing, particularly affordable housing. They would help move New York City toward even-year elections when turnout is highest.
The proposals are:
- Fast Track Affordable Housing
- Creates a new zoning action at the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) for publicly financed affordable housing.
- Establishes a fast-track review for projects in districts that have produced the least affordable housing.
- Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP)
- Simplifies the review process for modest housing and infrastructure projects.
- Cuts the seven-month ULURP timeline nearly in half for eligible proposals.
- Affordable Housing Appeals Board
- Replaces the mayor’s veto with a three-member board (Mayor, Council Speaker, Borough President).
- Can override City Council rejections of affordable housing proposals if two of three members agree.
- Digital City Map
- Consolidates and digitizes the City Map, which currently comprises over 8,000 paper maps across five borough offices.
- Even-Year Elections
- Moves NYC’s local elections to coincide with presidential election years.
- Aims to boost voter turnout and save the city ~$42 million every two years
These proposals have sparked debate — especially around land use power dynamics. The City Council has pushed back, arguing the changes could undermine community input and union job creation. However, housing advocates say that the reforms are crucial to breaking bottlenecks and addressing racial and economic disparities in housing production.
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The 2025 New York City Charter Revision Commission was convened in December 2024 and has held 10 public hearings, attended by more than 800 New Yorkers, and received over 3,000 written comments.
The 2025 NYC Charter Revision Commission consisted of 13 members, appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in December 2024, to review and propose amendments to the City Charter. Richard R. Buery Jr., CEO of Robin Hood and architect of NYC’s Pre-K for All Initiative, chaired the Commission with Sharon Greenberg as Vice Chair, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York.
Buery emphasized the urgency and equity behind the proposals:
“We have worked exhaustively to find solutions that meet this moment, and I am proud to say that we have a set of proposals before us that can set us on the path towards a more equitable and affordable city.”
He also expressed disappointment that the commission couldn’t reach consensus on open primaries, saying, “I remain personally convinced it is time to open our primary system to independent voters.”
If voters approved these proposals, the NYC Charter Revision could have significant ripple effects for Filipino Americans, particularly those involved in housing advocacy, civic engagement, and community development. Through housing access and equity, Filipino Americans — many of whom live in multi-generational households or face affordability challenges — could benefit from expedited access to affordable housing. It would prioritize development in districts that have historically underproduced affordable units, which may include areas with large Filipino populations, such as Queens and Brooklyn.
With expedited land use review, the process is streamlined for modest housing projects, potentially accelerating housing development near transit hubs and immigrant communities. Also, the Affordable Housing Appeals Board could override City Council rejections, thereby reducing political bottlenecks that often hinder housing development in underserved areas.
These reforms aim to break systemic barriers in housing production, which disproportionately affect immigrant and working-class families.
” These are rational, realistic amendments to our charter that will result in a demonstrable increase in housing units, and I encourage every New Yorker to support them,” said Greenberger.
