Most public housing is on property that is zoned for residential use but other nearbly properties might have different zoning, or other rules that are designed to protect jobs and other uses.

Protect Zoning

Anytime that there is a proposal to change Manufacturing zoning to residential, the City's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure must be followed. Be sure to participate in all the public hearings for environmental review and the procedure itself. 

Make Sure that New Development is Consistent with an Existing Industrial Business Zone (IBZ)

You can also check the maps showing IBZs to see if a property falls within one of the designated zones.

If the lot is already in an IBZ, contact one of the city’s advocacy groups to plug into the citywide conversation about protecting the good, high-paying jobs that are located there, and that may not be able to move to another site in NYC.

Create a new IBZ on the Waterfont

If the City or a developer is proposing a non-industrial use on a waterfront property located in a community that was historically or recently a working waterfront, consider advocating for an industrial use or the creation of a new Industrial Business Zone to protect the surrounding industry that remains. There are many working waterfront communities in New York City that are not designated IBZs, but could be, and are in need of protections to ensure that the jobs in these places are preserved. To learn how to advocate for the creation of a new IBZ, reach out to organizations that have fought to strengthen and improve these places along the waterfront. Get in touch with citywide advocacy groups already involved in protecting industrial spaces in the city to see if others are organizing.