Brooklyn’s Community Board 1, comprising Greenpoint and Williamsburg, added the most new housing in Brooklyn last year, according to data from the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP).
The DCP’s Housing Database recently shared updated numbers on where new housing is being created across the city. Last year, Greenpoint and Williamsburg added 2,306 units, edged out only by the 2,932 units created in The Bronx’s Community Board 1 (Melrose, Mott Haven, Port Morris).
The Housing Database tracks construction projects from 2010 onwards, and the numbers highlight just how much the Brooklyn waterfront has grown in popularity. Greenpoint and Williamsburg have added 26,253 new housing units over the past 13 years. Our neighboring BK CB 2 (Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Ferry, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard) built 21,431 over this time period. Western Queens also saw a lot of new development, and southern Brooklyn saw very little.
As Brownstoner has pointed out, while New York City currently has more housing than ever before, much of it remains unaffordable for the average renter, who must also grapple with record low vacancy rates (if local social media is to be believed, looking for a place right now seems like a nightmare).
There are some bright spots on the horizon, like the recent opening of 35 Commercial Street, an actually affordable housing lottery building with some units reserved for formerly homeless tenants.
The data didn’t specify what type of housing has been created, although locals don’t have to look far to see the high-rise development popping up along our waterfront at an increasingly fast clip. Friendly reminder—today’s North Brooklyn Construction Task Force meeting will be an opportunity to get some face time with these developers and ask them your questions (such as, why are you using non-union labor on your 1 Java project?)
Good info and nice map. I have seen the situation go up and down re this. Back in the day, rents were regulated and extremely low and the landlords struggled to make money. Now it is just the opposite, only the rich or upper middle class can afford the housing unless they are lucky to win a lotto of sleep five to an apt. It is just a matter of time before it goes in the opposite direction.
Greenpoint may have created “more” housing, but at $5200/month for a small white box in one of those high rises (I did a tour, firsthand knowledge speaking. Oh and amenities not included, you pay more for those) it’s definitely not considered affordable housing in any way, shape or form, even for those making a decent income. Let’s be more transparent, here with the details.