For many New Yorkers, a tiny apartment is something of a badge of honor. Under a new program recently announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gotham City dwellings could get even smaller. As part of a pilot project called adAPT NYC, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development has issued a request for proposals to develop micro-apartments between 275 and 300 square feet -- roughly the size of a couple of parking spaces. That’s about 30 percent smaller than the current 400-squarefoot-mimimum size required by city code. But making an exception to the code is necessary, Bloomberg says, to meet the changing needs of urbanites. New York has 1.8 million one- and two-person households, according to the city, but only 1 million studios and one-bedroom apartments. “Developing housing that matches how New Yorkers live today is critical to the city’s continued growth, future competitiveness and long-term economic success,” Bloomberg said in announcing the test program. “People from all over the world want to live in New York City, and we must develop a new, scalable housing model that is safe, affordable and innovative to meet their needs.”
Zach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach has written about a range of topics, including social policy issues and urban planning and design. Originally from Tennessee, he joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism
E-mail: zpatton@governing.com
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