City of Yes: NYC Parking Mandate Reform 

Under the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, New York City overhauled its parking rules by creating parking zones and reducing or eliminating minimum parking requirements citywide.

 

​​​​​​​​​​Key Changes

• Parking Zones Established

  • Greater Transit Zone (within ~¼–½ mile of subway or rail stations):

    • No minimum parking requirements

    • Parking is fully optional for residential and mixed-use projects

  • Lower-transit areas:

    • Parking requirements are significantly reduced, with more exemptions

• Elimination of Parking Mandates Near Transit

  • New residential, mixed-use, affordable, and conversion projects near transit are no longer required to provide parking, regardless of unit count.

• Reduced Ratios Where Parking Still Applies

  • Outside transit zones, required parking ratios are lower than before

  • Additional flexibility for small lots, narrow lots, affordable housing, and senior housing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Why It Matters

These reforms:

• Lower construction costs

• Make more housing financially feasible

• Support transit-oriented development

• Remove parking as a barrier to new housing

Bottom line: City of Yes shifts NYC from mandatory parking to housing-first zoning, allowing parking to be a choice—not a requirement.