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Housing Affordable Housing Transit Transit [ ] SEARCH Sign Up for the Newsletter Get the best of six sq ft in your inbox every day. Email(Required) [ ] [SIGN UP] No Worries. We Don't Spam. 6sqft New bill would revive single-room occupancy apartments in NYC Newsletter Sign Up Share ( shares) [INS::INS] New bill would revive single-room occupancy apartments in NYC By Aaron Ginsburg November 26, 2025 New bill would revive single-room occupancy apartments in NYC An SRO in the famous Chelsea Hotel, featured in a 2018 6sqft story. Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft. Looking for new ways to tackle the city's housing shortage, a New York City Council member is calling for the return of single-room occupancy units (SROs). Council Member Erik Bottcher on Tuesday introduced legislation backed by the Department of Buildings that would allow the construction of SROs as small as 100 square feet for the first time in decades. The city once had as many as 100,000 SROs, but their numbers began declining in the 1950s as new laws restricted their construction and encouraged conversions, driven by stigma that linked the housing type to poverty and crime, according to the New York Times. SROs typically feature shared kitchens and bathrooms, resembling dormitory-style housing. Their small footprints and minimal design make them one of the city's most affordable options, especially for single residents, newcomers, and people transitioning out of homelessness. The compact units were widely used in the early 20th century, when immigration and rapid population growth created urgent demand for low-cost housing. Over time, however, they became associated with crime, poverty, and quality-of-life issues, prompting laws that effectively banned the construction of new units. Today, only about 30,000 to 40,000 remain, down from more than 100,000 in the early 1900s, as reported by the Times. Support for their revival reflects the urgent need for affordable housing amid the city's historic shortage and cost-of-living crisis. To prevent SROs from regaining their former stigma, the bill includes safety standards, such as limiting shared kitchens or bathrooms to no more than three units and requiring sprinklers and adequate electrical to power small appliances in each room. The legislation also targets companies marketing themselves as "co-living" providers, which typically own a building and rent out rooms in shared suites. These landlords often operate in an unregulated space where tenants lack formal leases and, under current city rules, cannot perform basic actions such as placing locks on bedroom doors. Officials cited changing household patterns as part of their reasoning. Between 2018 and 2023, single-person households rose nearly 9 percent, while non-family households grew more than 11 percent, according to Crain's. "Shared housing was once a lifeline for generations of New Yorkers, and its disappearance for single people has tracked directly with the rise in homelessness," Bottcher said in a post on X. "Restoring this category of housing will give people safe, affordable places to live and free up larger apartments for families who need them." The legislation would also make it easier to convert office buildings into SROs, following another popular trend in housing development across the city. In December 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $50 million to rehabilitate up to 500 existing SROs across the state. Mayor Eric Adams has also expressed support for SROs--his "City of Yes" housing plan includes reforms allowing small apartments with shared kitchens and bathrooms, as well as accessory dwelling units. RELATED: * New York to spend $50M restoring single-room occupancy units * See plan to redevelop Bronx public library with 100+ affordable homes * Plan for 2,000+ homes at vacant Creedmoor campus in Queens approved Get Inspired by NYC. CAPTCHA Email(Required) [ ] [Sign Up for the Newsletter] By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. More: Affordable Housing, Policy Leave a reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Comment * [ ] [ ] Name * [ ] Email * [ ] [ ] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [Leave Reply] World's highest duplex lists for $128M at Central Park Tower World's highest duplex lists for $128M at Central Park Tower Take a Tour You May Also Like Victorian Flatbush gains two new historic districts November 25, 2025 Victorian Flatbush gains two new historic districts By Aaron Ginsburg New York City's newest historic districts are two well-preserved areas of homes in suburban Flatbush. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Beverley Square West and Ditmas Park West Historic Districts, which together include 247 freestanding homes built between 1894 and 1910, showcasing early 20th-century suburban architecture in the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles, or a mixture of the two. The most recent iteration of the districts includes minor boundary adjustments that exclude homes that do not share the same historic integrity as the rest of the district. Learn more * Architecture And Design * Policy 2,500 new homes proposed for New York Wheel site on Staten Island November 24, 2025 2,500 new homes proposed for New York Wheel site on Staten Island By Aaron Ginsburg Up to 2,500 new homes could come to Staten Island's North Shore under a new city plan to finally reimagine the long-vacant New York Wheel site. Last week, the city's Economic Development Corporation revealed a plan to transform two sites in St. George, the Empire Outlets retail complex and the former site of a planned Ferris Wheel, into a mixed-use waterfront neighborhood with thousands of apartments, open space, retail, and community amenities. The plan would mark the long-awaited next chapter for the property, once slated to host the world's tallest Ferris wheel before the project was scrapped in 2018. see the plan * New Developments * Policy See plan to redevelop Bronx public library with 100+ affordable homes November 21, 2025 See plan to redevelop Bronx public library with 100+ affordable homes By Aaron Ginsburg A plan to transform a New York Public Library branch in the Bronx has been unveiled, bringing more than 100 affordable apartments atop a new, state-of-the-art library. The city on Thursday announced the selection of Settlement Housing Fund and Kalel Companies to redevelop the Grand Concourse library at 155 East 173rd Street into a mixed-use tower with 113 affordable homes and a new 17,500-square-foot library facility. Designed to be environmentally friendly, the development, dubbed The Heartwood, is expected to meet Passive House standards, the first NYPL branch to do so. details here * Affordable Housing * New Developments Plan for 2,000+ homes at vacant Creedmoor campus in Queens approved November 20, 2025 Plan for 2,000+ homes at vacant Creedmoor campus in Queens approved By Aaron Ginsburg A plan to bring more than 2,000 new homes to the underutilized Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus in eastern Queens won approval this week. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced that the Public Authorities Control Board approved the general project plan for the Creedmoor Mixed-Use Project, clearing the way to turn nearly 50 acres of vacant state land into a mixed-use community with housing, open space, retail, childcare, and senior services. The project includes a total of 2,022 units, with more than 950 affordable rentals and over 1,000 affordable and market-rate homes for ownership. learn more * Affordable Housing * New Developments * Policy Eliot Spitzer's planned Fifth Avenue condo tower gets height boost November 19, 2025 Eliot Spitzer's planned Fifth Avenue condo tower gets height boost By Aaron Ginsburg Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposed Upper East Side condo project, which would replace a 1970s-era rental building with 26 luxury residences, just got a slight height boost. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved Spitzer's proposal to raise his planned development at 985 Fifth Avenue from 19 to 20 stories using City of Yes zoning reforms, replacing a 25-story rental building approved for demolition in 2023. Other approved changes include a textured limestone facade, a rear yard extension, and the removal of an adjacent public plaza. Find out more * New Developments * Policy * Real Estate Trends Crown Heights co-op opens waitlist for Mitchell-Lama apartments, for sale from $19K November 19, 2025 Crown Heights co-op opens waitlist for Mitchell-Lama apartments, for sale from $19K By Devin Gannon Here's a rare opportunity to own an affordable co-op in New York City. Applications are currently being accepted for waitlist spots for apartments at Crown Gardens, a Mitchell-Lama building in Crown Heights. Containing 240 middle-income homes, the unique 1970s development wraps around Nostrand Avenue and Carroll and President Streets. Qualifying New Yorkers can apply to purchase the apartments, which are priced, depending on household size, from $19,222 for a studio to $48,030 for a three-bedroom. how to apply * Affordable Housing 6sqft Logo Your Daily Dose of NYC Life! Email(Required) [ ] [Sign Up] No Worries. We Don't Spam. By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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[img_floral] Distinctive Homes This $3.5M Noho co-op remembers the origins of loft living This $3.5M Noho co-op remembers the origins of loft living This $18.5M penthouse is Village living on a luxury level This $18.5M penthouse is Village living on a luxury level The kitchen in this $1.53M Murray Hill co-op is like a ray of sunshine The kitchen in this $1.53M Murray Hill co-op is like a ray of sunshine This $3.75M co-op is an architect-designed masterpiece in a classic Village loft This $3.75M co-op is an architect-designed masterpiece in a classic Village loft A long-neglected Clinton Hill townhouse gets a total glow-up and a $5.5M ask A long-neglected Clinton Hill townhouse gets a total glow-up and a $5.5M ask VIEW ALL NYC unveils designs for revamped sidewalk sheds November 19, 2025 NYC unveils designs for revamped sidewalk sheds By Aaron Ginsburg New York City officials are reimagining sidewalk sheds and street scaffolding, transforming these necessary but unsightly structures into safer, lighter, and more flexible structures. On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams unveiled six innovative designs by Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) that enhance circulation, improve aesthetics, and let in more natural light, all while continuing to protect New Yorkers. The new sheds, which eliminate the X-shaped bars and other confining elements of current models, could be installed on city sidewalks as early as next year. See the designs, ahead * Policy New Chelsea rental opens lottery for 28 apartments, from $978/month November 18, 2025 New Chelsea rental opens lottery for 28 apartments, from $978/month By Aaron Ginsburg A new 12-story rental building in Chelsea just opened a lottery for 28 mixed-income apartments. Replacing a Rite Aid, The Andrea sits at the corner of 24th Street and 8th Avenue. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $978/month studios to $4,376/month two bedrooms. Find out if you qualify * Affordable Housing Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC November 17, 2025 Council kills bill banning horse-drawn carriages in NYC By Aaron Ginsburg A City Council bill to phase out New York City's horse-drawn carriage industry has stalled after a committee voted against advancing it to a full Council vote. On Friday, the Council's Committee on Health voted 1-4, with two abstentions, to block Ryder's Law, sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden. The bill would end the city's carriage horse industry by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs. Opponents, siding with the Transport Workers Union International (TWU), which represents carriage drivers, called the bill "ill-conceived and silly." Find out more * Policy * Transit PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029 November 14, 2025 PATH to get major service boost, but fare will reach $4 by 2029 By Aaron Ginsburg For the first time in 25 years, all PATH lines will operate seven days a week, one of the largest service increases in its history. To help pay for the system improvements, fares are expected to rise to $4 by 2029. On Thursday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released its proposed $45 billion 2026-2035 Capital Plan, which outlines major service upgrades between Manhattan and New Jersey. Improvements include eliminating transfers between Hoboken and the World Trade Center by mid-2026 and increasing weekend service. To fund the plan, the agency is proposing a 33 percent fare increase from the current $3 base fare, rising in 25-cent increments starting next summer and reaching $4 in 2029. Learn more * Policy * Transit Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC November 13, 2025 Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC By Dana Schulz Across New York City's five boroughs, office space occupies 730 million square feet (600 million of which is in Manhattan), according to CoStar data obtained by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. This is the most of any North American city; runner-up Los Angeles has only 432 million square feet of office space. So, it's no wonder that the conversation around post-Covid commercial real estate vacancies is such a hot-button issue, especially considering that Manhattan's residential vacancy rate is just 1.2 percent. READ MORE * NYC Guides * Policy 14,700 homes planned for Long Island City after Council approves largest rezoning in 25 years November 13, 2025 14,700 homes planned for Long Island City after Council approves largest rezoning in 25 years By Aaron Ginsburg The New York City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the city's largest neighborhood rezoning in 25 years. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan rezones 54 blocks of a largely industrial area of Long Island City to allow for 14,700 new homes, including 4,350 permanently affordable units. The plan will create a continuous public waterfront from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Park and includes $2 billion in city commitments, unlocking more than 3.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space and significant public-realm upgrades. 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