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Voters will weigh in on housing reforms, a change to election years and an Olympic Sports Complex in upstate New York
By: Marina Samuel
Election Day is approaching and New Yorkers won’t simply have a say on who represents them.
On the back of each ballot, you will find six questions that could ultimately amend the state’s constitution and revise the city charter, the document that outlines the powers and duties of the municipal government.
Four questions aim to speed and simplify the lengthy approval processes for affordable housing projects. Another proposal would move all municipal elections to even-numbered years in an effort to increase voter turnout. State lawmakers are also asking New Yorkers’ to sign off on an amendment to expand an Olympic sports complex near Lake Placid.
Remember, Election Day is Nov. 4. Early voting starts Oct. 25 — make sure you’re registered.
Why Are These Questions On My Ballot?
Voters have the opportunity to directly weigh in on ballot measures that were created by an appointed commission to amend the city charter. Last December, Mayor Eric Adams convened the Charter Revision Commission with a mandate to focus on alleviating the housing affordability crisis. Over seven months, the 13-member panel held public hearings to gather feedback from New Yorkers about potential ballot questions.
The process has been bumpy and not without controversy.
City Council leaders have pushed back against the panel, describing it as a power grab by Adams that “would put a wide range of land-use decisions in the hands of mayoral appointees.”
After the City Clerk’s Office certified the ballot measures, Council leadership published a letter on Aug. 27 calling on the Board of Elections to reject them. They claimed that the language of the questions were vague and did not inform voters of the Council’s reduced authority over land use decisions for affordable housing projects.
The Board of Elections ignored that request and ultimately decided to approve the ballot measures. In a last-ditch effort to block them from appearing on the ballot, members of the Council’s Common Sense Caucus filed a lawsuit to block three of the questions, charging that the measures violate environmental and city laws.
Proposal #1: Amendment to Allow an Olympic Sports Complex on Forest Preserve
Language on the ballot: “Allows skiing and related trail facilities on state forest preserve land. The site is 1,039 acres. Requires State to add 2,500 acres of new forest land in Adirondack Park.”
A “YES” vote authorizes new ski trails and related facilities in the Adirondack forest preserve.
A “NO” vote does not authorize this use.
The first question is the only one that will appear on ballots statewide this year. It concerns the Mount Van Hoevenberg Winter Sports Complex in Lake Placid, a state-owned facility managed by the Olympic Regional Development Authority, which had hosted events for the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics and other major international athletic competitions over the years.
Part of the complex sits on state forest preserve land protected under Article 14 of the New York State Constitution, which requires that the land must be “forever kept wild.” Because of this provision, efforts to expand the facility have sparked decades of legal disputes.
A new proposal addressed by the ballot question would authorize the state to use 323 acres of the preserve land for the complex and allow future upgrades. In exchange, the state plans to purchase 2,500 acres of Adirondacks land to add to the Forest Preserve, a trade that the preservationist group Adirondacks Council described as “the best case scenario.”
Proposal #2: Fast Track Affordable Housing to Build More Across the City
Language on the ballot: Fast track publicly financed affordable housing. Fast track applications delivering affordable housing in the community districts that produce the least affordable housing, significantly reducing review time. Maintain Community Board review.
“YES” fast tracks applications at the Board of Standards and Appeals or City Planning Commission.
“No” leaves affordable housing subject to longer review and final decision at City Council.
Many affordable housing developments in the city are subject to a long process for zoning approvals — called the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP — that can take up to seven months to complete. This proposal aims to speed and simplify zoning-change procedures for affordable-housing projects by creating two actions.
Proposal #3: Simplify Review of Modest Housing and Infrastructure Projects
Language on the ballot: Simplify review of modest amounts of additional housing and minor infrastructure projects, significantly reducing review time. Maintain Community Board review, with final decision by the City Planning Commission.
“YES” simplifies review for limited land-use changes, including modest housing and minor infrastructure projects.
“NO” leaves these changes subject to longer review, with final decision by City Council
The third proposal would create an expedited ULURP, or ELURP, offering a faster and simpler land-use review timeline. It would apply for proposals for small-scale changes that are often delayed and burdened with the costs of the current seven-month timeline
Proposal #4: Establish an Affordable Housing Appeals Board with Council, Borough and Citywide Representation
Language on the ballot: Establish an Affordable Housing Appeals Board with the Council Speaker, local Borough President, and Mayor to review Council actions that reject or change applications creating affordable housing.
“YES” creates the three-member Affordable Housing Appeals Board to reflect Council, borough, and citywide perspectives.
“NO” leaves affordable housing subject to the Mayor’s veto and final decision by City Council.
The fifth proposal would remove the mayor’s veto power in ULURP (the city’s land use review process), replacing it with an Appeals Board for affordable housing developments.
Proposal #5: Create a Digital City Map to Modernize City Operations
Language on the ballot: Consolidate borough map office and address assignment functions, and create one digital City Map at Department of City Planning. Today, the City Map consists of paper maps across five offices.
“YES” creates a consolidated, digital City Map.
“NO” leaves in place five separate map and address assignment functions, administered by Borough President Offices.
Proposal #6: Move Local Elections to Presidential Election Years
Language on the ballot: Move the City’s primary and general election dates so that City elections are held in the same year as Federal Presidential elections, when permitted by state law.
“YES” moves City elections to the same year as Federal Presidential elections, when permitted by state law.
“NO” leaves laws unchanged.
The only non-housing proposal put forth by the city commission would give the OK to move local elections to even-numbered years, aligning them with federal elections, with the aim of increasing voter turnout. Historically, New York City has had dismal voter turnout. In 2021, just 23% of voters went to the polls to elect a new mayor, according to the Board of Elections.