New York CityProposal 4

Case for

Supports a single coordinated permitting hub to reduce delays and costs in developing housing.

Gotham Organization · July 23, 2026

What the adopted text says

Agencies cooperate with Buildings on a system “subject to appropriations” and “shall accept such applications through such system,” by December 1, 2029 or a later date the commissioner finds feasible.

Case against

Vital City, which says all five proposals merit passage, notes that housing advocates asked for Buildings to be the single permitting authority; instead the proposal mainly creates a shared website, with each agency still approving on its own schedule. The Citizens Budget Commission, which also supports the proposal, notes that some of the changes, including a centralized permitting portal, could be pursued administratively without changing the Charter.

Vital City · July 23, 2026 · Before adoption

What the adopted text says

The system handles “the issuance of permits and approvals for construction projects by all such agencies.” Apart from waterfront permitting, no agency’s approval power moves to Buildings.

Case against

The three statements filed against this proposal with the NYC Votes guide (D9 Harlem Votes is the only organization among them) ask how the consolidated permitting system would be overseen, when and how community input would occur, and how waterfront construction updates and decisions would be communicated to the public.

D9 Harlem Votes · October 16, 2026

What the adopted text says

Agencies build the system with Buildings “subject to appropriations” and must accept applications through it by December 1, 2029 “or within such further period of time as the commissioner determines may be feasible.” This subdivision sets no reporting or public-input steps of its own.