September 01, 2025
New York City’s housing shortage isn’t news to anyone — buyers, renters, and real estate professionals all feel the squeeze. What is surprising is how often promising housing proposals get stalled, not by lack of space or funding, but by political pushback.
Take the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Right now, it’s a largely underused, 122-acre stretch of waterfront between Cobble Hill and Red Hook. The city’s Economic Development Corp. has a plan that could change everything: 6,000 new apartments (40% affordable), a new park, public facilities, and a smaller but modernized port. It’s a project that would create housing, open public space, and bring life back to a waterfront that’s currently off-limits to the public.
On paper, this should be a win-win. The city owns the land — meaning no displacement of private owners. The plan would preserve harbor views, maintain existing jobs, and even has union support. But despite all that, the vote on the project has now been postponed for the fifth time due to opposition from a handful of outspoken politicians and activists.
The arguments? Claims about not enough affordable units, fear of gentrification, traffic concerns, and nostalgia for manufacturing jobs that left decades ago. While it’s important to weigh community concerns, real estate professionals know that perfect conditions rarely exist in development. If every project is expected to solve every problem before breaking ground, nothing gets built.
The truth is, without bold moves like this, our housing shortage will only worsen. As agents, we see the human side — families priced out, buyers losing bidding wars, and renters forced into longer commutes. Stalling projects like Brooklyn Marine Terminal isn’t just political wrangling; it’s delaying real solutions for thousands of New Yorkers who need a place to call home.
If NYC wants to remain livable and competitive, we have to be willing to move forward — even if the plan isn’t flawless. Because right now, the real obstacle isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s the refusal to act on them.
Disclaimer: This content is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, or insurance advice.
