N.Y.C. Admin. Code § L.L. 2026/019: L.L. 2026/019

Enactment date: 1/17/2026

Int. No. 571-A

By Council Members Brewer, Ayala, Restler, Hudson, Krishnan, Cabán, Williams, Hanks, Banks, Ossé, Joseph, Brooks-Powers, Louis and Feliz

A Local Law in relation to studying the feasibility of building affordable housing on Wards Island

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Wards Island study.

a. No later than July 1, 2027, the department of housing preservation and development, in consultation with the department of parks and recreation, the department of city planning, and any other agency or office the department of housing preservation and development deems relevant, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and publish on its website a study on the feasibility of building affordable housing on Wards Island.

b. Such study shall include, but not be limited to:

1. A summary of existing active uses on Wards Island and the feasibility of their relocation or redevelopment;

2. An assessment of potential locations for housing or mixed use development on vacant sites or sites where existing uses could be relocated and the potential scale of development on such sites;

3. An assessment of needs for services, amenities, infrastructure, and access to transportation to support potential housing development on Wards Island;

4. Information on fiscal considerations associated with building affordable housing on Wards Island;

5. An assessment of existing restrictions on permissible land use on Wards Island, including those set forth in section 18-130 of the administrative code of the city of New York, and the potential for removing any such restrictions; and

6. Recommendations for legislation and policy relating to building affordable housing on Wards Island.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.