Why the New Atlantic Avenue Rezoning Is Bad for Our Neighborhood

The City is pushing a rezoning plan for Atlantic Avenue that would allow massive new high-rise developments between Vanderbilt and Nostrand Avenues. But for the people who already live here — the people who built this neighborhood — this plan brings more harm than help.

Let’s be clear:

This rezoning is not about affordability. It’s about profits for developers. And it puts our homes, our history, and our future at risk.

What’s Really at Stake?

The City calls this “smart growth.” But the truth is, it threatens to displace longtime residents, overwhelm local infrastructure, and destroy the character of our blocks.

If passed, the rezoning would:

• Let developers build towers up to 22 stories tall without guaranteeing deeply affordable units on site.

  
  

• Push up property taxes and rents making it harder for working families and elders to stay.

  
  

• Bring in 15,000 new residents without real investment in schools, transit, or hospitals.

  
  

• Shrink sunlight and green space replacing small buildings and trees with concrete walls.

  
  

This isn’t progress. It’s displacement dressed up as development.

Who Benefits and Who Doesn’t

Big real estate firms, rideshare companies and Citibike will make millions. But the rest of us? We get pushed further to the margins or out of the neighborhood altogether.

The people of District 35 deserve a real say in what gets built on our blocks. But this plan was crafted behind closed doors, outreach only included a select few, and the families, elders, and homeowners who’ve held this community together for generations still haven’t had any real input.

Kenny Lever Stands With the Community

Kenny was born and raised in Prospect Heights on St. Marks Avenue. He’s not funded by Uber, Airbnb, developers, or taking any special interest money and he’s not afraid to say NO to a plan that doesn’t serve the people.

Kenny believes:

In full community input before any zoning changes

That housing must be truly affordable for those born and raised here not “affordable” in name only.

In protecting Black and brown homeownership and family wealth.

That development must serve residents, not displace them.

This June 24th, Rank Kenny Lever #1

We need leadership that listens, not rubber stamps for corporate interests. Kenny Lever is fighting to protect our homes, our voices, our quality of life and our place in this city. Let’s send a message that our neighborhood is not for sale.