How Housing Policies Create Unequal Educational Opportunities: The Case of Queens, New York

At a time when voters are keenly focused on the cost of living, housing affordability has become a hot political issue in many parts of the country, including New York State. Policymakers, grappling with what they can do to make housing more affordable, are actively seeking to reform longstanding local exclusionary zoning laws, policies that severely limit the types of housing that can be built in communities. The first part of this report lays out the larger debate over zoning reform in New York State and situates how educational opportunity fits into the discussion. The second part dives into the zoning policies in Bayside/Little Neck and Jamaica/Hollis. The third part explains how restrictive zoning impedes access to high-performing schools in Queens. The fourth part addresses political obstacles to reform in Queens. The fifth part suggests a strategy for moving forward. [The appendices were prepared by Vicki Been and Colleagues at the NYU Furman Center.]