New York City voters on Tuesday approved five ballot proposals that could allow Mayor Zohran Mamdani to move more quickly to build housing and to expand outdoor dining and bike lanes, according to The Associated Press.
The measures came from a charter revision commission created by Mr. Mamdani, who argued that they would allow him to implement his agenda more expeditiously.
“On Nov. 3, you can vote on faster government,” Mr. Mamdani posted on social media, along with a video promising he would “cut red tape” and “speed up housing.”
The first four proposals aim to streamline procedures for building permits and street safety projects. The fifth proposal requires the city to do more to plan for an economic downturn and to put more money into a “rainy-day fund” that could be used when the city has a budget shortfall.
The measures might seem wonky or insignificant. But the commission’s leaders said that the city’s current rules slow down housing development and the building of bus and bike lanes. Critics said that the measures would give Mr. Mamdani too much power.
The results are a victory for Mr. Mamdani, a Democrat in his first year in office who is popular in polls. He has set an ambitious goal of building 200,000 affordable homes.
He also had political motivation to create the charter revision commission, which he named the Commission on Government Efficiency, in a barb aimed at President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which did not meet its promise of finding $1 trillion in savings.
Mr. Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams, created his own charter revision commission before leaving office, devoted to creating an open primary system, which Mr. Mamdani’s allies oppose. Mr. Mamdani disbanded that commission and sought to turn attention to his own.
The ballot measures were embraced by pro-housing groups, including Abundance New York. The fourth measure would require the city’s Buildings Department to develop a single central system for permits by 2030. Abundance New York said that it was unfair that builders “must seek 40 unique approvals from across 18 agencies” and that one permitting hub made more sense.
The first measure would make it easier to create a sidewalk cafe, requiring fewer steps to get one approved and eliminating a requirement for a public hearing.
Republican leaders urged New Yorkers to vote against all five proposals, with the Brooklyn G.O.P. warning voters that it would weaken oversight and was a power grab by the mayor.
Some civic groups opposed specific proposals. The Citizens Budget Commission, a fiscal watchdog group, was against the fifth measure and said that the city should set higher targets for its rainy-day fund.
D’Arcy Hearn, 35, a social worker who lives in the St. George neighborhood on Staten Island, said on Tuesday that she had mixed feelings about the proposals. She voted against the first measure and in support of the other four.
“My friend and I were going back and forth even up until we walked in,” she said, adding: “The way that it’s worded makes it sound really good. I feel like there’s a lack of community input in some of these.”
Sean Piccoli contributed reporting.
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