Proposed Int. No. 178-A
By Council Members Epstein, Louis, Marte, Hanif, Cabán, Maloney, Feliz, Brooks-Powers, Hankerson, Krishnan, Wilson, Aldebol, Banks, Riley and Morano
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing support for the conversion of buildings to a residential use
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-119.13 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 114 for the year 2026, is renumbered as section 3-119.14 of such code.
§ 2. Subchapter 1 of chapter 1 of title 3 the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 3-119.15 to read as follows:
§ 3-119.15 Conversion assistance. a. Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Affordable housing unit. The term “affordable housing unit” means a housing unit that is required to be affordable to an extremely low income household, a very low income household, a low income household, a moderate income household, or a middle income household, as such terms are defined in section 25-117, pursuant to a restrictive declaration or a regulatory agreement with a federal, state, or local governmental entity.
Applicant. The term “applicant” means a person engaging in a conversion project in the city.
Conversion. The term “conversion” means a change of use from a commercial or manufacturing use to a residential use as the terms commercial, manufacturing, and residential are used in section 12-10 of the zoning resolution of the city of New York, provided that such residential use is use group II.
Conversion project. The term “conversion project” means a project for which an alteration application has been filed with the department of buildings to commence a conversion.
b. City agencies including, but not limited to, the department of housing preservation and development, the department of buildings, the department of city planning, the board of standards and appeals, and the landmarks preservation commission shall provide support to prospective applicants and current applicants engaging in a conversion project. Such support shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Designating a liaison to facilitate interagency communications and to respond to inquiries from prospective and current applicants regarding conversions, including but not limited to the status of applications and permits;
2. Liaising with federal and state governmental authorities that intersect with conversion activity, including but not limited to the issuance of permits and the administration of relevant grant, loan, and tax programs;
3. Developing and maintaining a website to provide educational materials and information for the general public on conversions;
4. Collecting the data set forth in subdivision c of this section; and
5. Performing other relevant duties as the mayor may assign.
c. By February 1, 2028, and every 3 years thereafter, an agency or office designated by the mayor shall prepare and submit to the mayor, speaker of the council, and public advocate, and post conspicuously on such agency or office’s website, a report that includes but need not be limited to the following information:
1. The number of applicants that contacted any relevant agency that initiated a conversion project in the city in the preceding 3 calendar years, disaggregated by borough;
2. For projects not yet completed, the number and status of such conversion projects pending in the preceding 3 calendar years, disaggregated by borough;
3. The number of conversion projects completed in the city in the preceding 3 calendar years, disaggregated by borough; and
4. The number of affordable housing units created by conversion projects completed in the city in the preceding 3 calendar years, disaggregated by borough.
§ 3. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.
ALK/APM
LS #19441
Int. #1509-2025
11/4/2026 7:06 PM