The city’s Board of Elections on Tuesday approved putting housing measures to fast-track development on the November ballot, after Gov. Hochul — who has the power to remove BOE commissioners — got involved in the matter.
The ballot proposals, which were pushed forward by Mayor Adams’ Charter Revision Commission, have been at the center of a fight between the Council and the mayor, as the Council would stand to lose some authority over new housing developments if the questions are adopted by voters.
Council leadership had pushed for the BOE to stop the questions from appearing on the ballot, arguing they were misleadingly worded. Among other reforms, the mayor’s ballot proposals would allow developers of some housing projects to bypass Council review in the city’s land-use process.