What makes a neighborhood complete? Mayor de Blasio’s Housing New York plan proposes re-zoning neighborhoods to spur housing production and address the city’s affordability crisis—but housing is only one piece of the puzzle. A vibrant, engaged, and diverse neighborhood needs other forms of investment and development activity to ensure its dynamism. Civic spaces, infrastructure, commercial and retail spaces, arts, cultural, and educational institutions are all necessary components, and achieving good outcomes calls for a broad range of partnerships. What kind of policy leadership is needed and how can we effectively incentivize, cultivate, and finance neighborhood necessities?
